Experimental observations of the effects of physical exercise on attention, academic and prosocial performance in school settings

German school authorities do not place much emphasis on physical exercise although it is known that concentration improves, and stress and aggression decrease through exercise. We performed three experimental observations (EO) implemented in everyday school settings to investigate the effects of physical exercise on attention, academic and prosocial performance. In the first EO we examined the effect of a long-term exercise intervention on these variables in 6th grade students at a single primary school. In the second EO, the same design was replicated at four different schools. In the third EO the effect of a weekly jogging lesson was examined. Compared to control classes with regular lessons results indicate that implementation of exercise had positive effects on concentration and social behavior, and that academic performance was not compromised replacing lessons by sports. In the light of these results, physical exercise should play a bigger role in school children's daily curriculum.