Renate Zimmer: Award for her commitment to an eventful childhood

Renate Zimmer: Award for her commitment to an eventful childhood

Renate Zimmer, a renowned scientist at the University of Osnabrück, was honored on October 8, 2025 at the 27th University Day of the German Association for Sports Science in Münster. The laudatory speech particularly honored her commitment to an “active childhood”, which is reflected in numerous research projects and practical transfers. Her organization of childhood congresses, which attract around 3,000 participants, demonstrates the significant national and international resonance of her work. University President Prof. Dr. Susanne Menzel-Riedl warmly congratulated Zimmer and emphasized the immense appreciation of her achievements in educational science.

Zimmer, who was awarded the Federal Order of Merit in 2007 for her commitment to children, was voted Professor of the Year in the Humanities, Social and Cultural Sciences category in 2009. She taught and researched at the University of Osnabrück in the Department of Educational and Cultural Studies for 39 years before retiring in 2016. Zimmer also headed the Institute for Sport and Movement Sciences at the university for many years.

Commitment and projects

During her career, Renate Zimmer founded the Active Childhood Institute and leads various projects, including the conceptual support of the federal program “Kita entry – building bridges in early education” of the Federal Ministry for Family, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth. Her expertise is also valued as a scientific advisor for various institutions.

Zimmer is known far beyond the borders of Germany and has written more than 50 books on topics such as “development promotion”, “moving learning”, “psychomotor skills” and “movement and language”. Her books have been translated into numerous languages, including Greek, Korean and Russian.

Movement and education

Over the last 15 years, the topic of exercise has become increasingly important. Today, exercise is often publicly linked to holistic development and education. Politicians emphasize the extremely important role of exercise in the well-being and development of children. Research shows that lack of exercise in children can lead to serious health problems, from poor posture to poorer mental performance.

The World Health Organization (WHO) warns that the majority of children and young people in Germany do not get enough exercise. Educational institutions and parents are called upon to offer children more opportunities for exercise in everyday life. Movement is central to health, learning and education, especially in early childhood. In fact, it has been shown that physical activity not only improves children's motor skills, but also supports cognitive development processes.

Exercise also has psychosocial effects through children taking risks and developing social skills. Every movement experience can have positive but also negative aspects on a child's self-confidence. Learning through action is a fundamental part of child development.

Renate Zimmer's commitment and expertise are part of a larger context that addresses the urgent need for a culture of movement in education. The social conditions that create unequal access to exercise opportunities are a challenge that must be addressed. Educational policy should systematically focus on exercise as part of child development in order to ensure equal opportunities.

Overall, Renate Zimmer's work illustrates how essential exercise is for the healthy and holistic development of children and how important it is to integrate this perspective into educational policy.

For further information about Renate Zimmer and her work, visit the Osnabrück University website here be called. The site offers further insights into their research renatezimmer.de. The social context of exercise and education for children is also highlighted bpb.de treated.