Our recent Fresh Air Fitness Outdoor Gym survey asked SEND professionals who work within an educational setting to ‘Select all the positive effects they have observed in children with SEND who engage in consistent physical activity’.
The results revealed a strong consensus across several key areas.
2nd March 2026
Among the professionals surveyed:
87% reported improved body awareness in children with SEND.
87% noted enhanced cardiovascular fitness, strength, and flexibility.
80% said they had seen better sleep quality.
60% observed a reduction in obesity risk.
47% linked regular movement to improved appetite and digestion.
The UK’s Chief Medical Officers (CMOs) issue specific recommendations aimed at ‘Disabled children and young people’. These recommendations recognise that they are ‘Less likely to engage in physical activity’ when compared to their non-disabled peers, which leads to health disparities if their opportunities are limited.
The guidance suggests that SEND children should aim for ‘120 and 180 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity per week’, alongside strength and balance exercises at least three times a week.
However a Youth Sport Trust report recently indicated that only ‘48% of children overall meet the CMO guideline of 60 minutes of activity per day’, with barriers prominent amongst children with SEND.
According to Activity Alliance, nearly ‘A third of disabled children’ do less than 30 minutes of activity a day, a figure much higher than what their non-disabled peers would have.
Fresh Air Fitness carried out our survey on the impact of exercise for SEND children as we work closely with SEND educational settings who partner with us as the experts for an outdoor gym within their school.
We believe in continually researching on the exercise needs of SEND children and the feedback from SEND professionals, to help us better understand needs and outcomes which supports future product development.
The results highlight a strong consensus among SEND professionals that regular physical activity has a significant positive impact on children with special educational needs and disabilities. Below we summarise the outcomes and impacts.
Improved awareness of body awareness had the highest reported benefit in our SEND exercise survey (87%).
This is significant because it includes better coordination, spatial awareness, and posture control. This can help reduce accidents and allow children to participate more confidently in activities.
SEND teachers also fed back that pupils who regularly exercised exhibited enhanced proprioception – which might include movements such as closing your eyes and touching your nose or walking without looking at your feet.
The same number (87%) of SEND professionals agreed to observing improvements in stamina and strength.
These gains are exciting and tackle sedentary lifestyles among children in the UK.
Core strength improvement was also noted which is essential for classroom handwriting and other fine motor skills such as drawing or cutting. It also reduces fatigue which enhances good behaviour and concentration.
Teachers can identify sleep-deprived children from dark circles under the eyes to increased irritability, reduced concentration and hyperactivity to mask exhaustion in the classroom.
Physical activity boosts energy levels and being outdoors on an outdoor gym for example is particularly good for an energy boost as fresh air and using cardiovascular equipment boosts circulation and releases endorphins which helps fight fatigue.
In turn, regular gentle exercise then goes on to promote a healthier, better quality of sleep at bedtime later in the day.
80% of professionals surveyed noted that better sleep for SEND children is particularly important and exercise supported this need.
Reducing the risk of obesity can be supported in schools who keep their pupil population physically active. However, this complicated issue is made more challenging with children starting school already obese.
Recent official data reflected this public health crisis and states ‘Over one in ten children starting school (Reception ages 4-5) are obese’ which rises to more than ‘One in five by the ages of 10 and 11’, according to the Fingertips Department of Health and Social Care.
Making space for a robust, outdoor exercise provision allows SEND professionals to tackle this issue head on and it is evident in our survey responses where 60% of SEND professionals identified a link between reduced obesity risk and activity.
They went on to advocate that movement at school helps to keep a healthier weight which physically supports the benefits of a good metabolic health, and in the long term can lower the risk of conditions such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Physical activity boosts hunger by triggering the body to replenish burned energy, increasing metabolic rate and driving hunger-related hormones.
For children with sensory sensitivities (common in neurodivergent children) this boost in hunger can support their relationship with food at mealtimes.
Unsurprisingly, almost half (47%) of all SEND professionals that we surveyed, explained that they had seen improvements in appetite and digestion when physical activity was introduced.
About Us
Fresh Air Fitness has been designing, manufacturing, and installing outdoor gym equipment since 2007. All equipment is tested to ISO 9001 and certified to EN1176 and EN16630 standards. All of our products, come with a full structural warranty of up to 25 years.
We offer a complete project management service from our first phonecall and meeting on our site visit all the way to helping you choose the right products for your needs and then getting a convenient installation day booked in.
Our After-Care service ensures upgrades, fast parts and spares, as and when required.
Find Out Who Uses Our Equipment
Explore our Case Studies to see how SEND schools and departments are all tapping into the many benefits associated with outdoor fitness when you use an outdoor gym.
Make an Enquiry
If you would like to discuss the benefits of installing an outdoor gym in your school grounds, our experienced team would be delighted to take your call on 01483 366599.
Alternatively, you can complete our online enquiry form.
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