With just one week to go until National School Sports Week, Olympic champion Sir Mo Farah is encouraging young people across the UK to get active. The annual event, powered by Sports Direct’s Monster Kickabout, aims to inspire children and young people to engage in 60 minutes of physical activity each day.
Falling Awareness of Recommended Activity Levels
New research conducted by the Youth Sport Trust reveals a concerning decline in awareness among parents and teachers regarding the recommended daily activity levels for children. Less than a third of parents are aware that children and young people should be active for 60 minutes a day, marking a significant drop from the previous year’s awareness level of 43%. Similarly, teachers’ awareness has fallen from 35% to 30%.
Stagnation in Activity Levels
The decline in awareness is particularly alarming given that activity levels among 5-18-year-olds have stagnated. According to Sport England’s Active Lives Children and Young People Survey, fewer than half (47%) of children meet the Chief Medical Officers’ recommended average of 60 minutes or more of sport and physical activity per day. These activity levels have remained largely unchanged compared to the previous year (2021-2022).
National School Sports Week 2024
In response to this drop in awareness and activity, the Youth Sport Trust has chosen the theme for this year’s National School Sports Week: “60 Active Minutes.” The campaign aims to raise awareness of the recommendation and encourage young people to increase their daily active minutes.
Ali Oliver, CEO at Youth Sport Trust, emphasizes the importance of inspiring children and young people to be more active. She highlights the role of schools and parents in supporting physical activity and promoting the benefits of an active lifestyle.
Monster Kickabout and EURO 2024
National School Sports Week coincides with the start of the men’s EURO 2024 football championship. To engage young minds in active learning, the campaign merges favorite sports with academic subjects. Sports Direct’s Monster Kickabout encourages fun football-based mash-up games like foot tennis, foot mini-golf, and football athletics.
Sir Mo Farah, a National School Sports Champion, shares his excitement for the upcoming week. He believes that the EUROs and the Olympic and Paralympic Games will inspire young people to participate in sports and physical activity.
As the campaign gains momentum, schools, families, and organisations are encouraged to participate, receive free resources, and promote physical well-being.
