New research has revealed a concerning decline in awareness of recommended activity levels for children among parents and teachers. The Youth Sport Trust is urging children and young people to join in on their campaign to be active for 60 minutes a day through PE, sport, and play. This initiative, known as National School Sports Week, is powered by Sports Direct’s Monster Kickabout and will take place from 17th – 23rd June 2024. The campaign has received support from sports stars such as Sir Mo Farah.
According to the research conducted by the Youth Sport Trust, less than a third of parents are aware that children and young people should be active for 60 minutes a day, a significant drop from 43% in previous years. Similarly, awareness among teachers has also fallen from 35% to 30% this year.
These findings are particularly concerning as physical activity is crucial for the future happiness, health, and wellbeing of young people. However, the data from Sport England’s Active Lives Children and Young People Survey shows that less than half (47%) of children are meeting the recommended daily average of 60 minutes of physical activity. This has remained unchanged since 2021-2022.
In response to this decline, the Youth Sport Trust has made the theme of their annual flagship campaign, National School Sports Week, focused on raising awareness of the recommendation and encouraging more young people to increase their active minutes to achieve 60 active minutes each day.
Ali Oliver, CEO at Youth Sport Trust, said, “It’s more important than ever to inspire children and young people, supported by schools and their parents, to be more active. National School Sports Week provides the perfect opportunity for everyone to find an activity they love so they begin to feel the benefits of an active lifestyle. At a time when too many children and young people have poor wellbeing, are distracted by digital devices, or lack the resilience to cope with the demands of life, we need more parents and educators to be aware of the daily recommendations and the essential role physical activity plays in tackling these social problems.”
The week-long campaign coincides with the kick-off of the men’s EUROs and is being run in collaboration with Sports Direct’s Monster Kickabout. The aim is to inspire children to play fun, football-based mash-up games like foot tennis, foot mini-golf, and football athletics. Schools, families, and organizations can all participate in this campaign, with schools receiving free resources and equipment to facilitate participation in Monster Kickabout. Families can also access ideas, tips, and resources on the Youth Sport Trust website to help them become more active every day.
National School Sports Champion, Sir Mo Farah, said, “I’m really excited for National School Sports Week and getting as many young people involved as possible. We have an amazing summer of sport ahead of us with the EUROs and of course the Olympic and Paralympic Games, which I know will inspire young people in the same way they inspired me as a kid. Over 4,000 schools have signed up already, but with one week to go, we’d like to get as many schools from across the country involved as we can and ensure that every young person gets active for at least 60 minutes a day.”
Now in its 18th year, National School Sports Week has been instrumental in promoting PE, physical activity, and school sport, helping to nurture youngsters to achieve their full potential. Participation in National School Sports Week is open to all, including schools, families, and organizations. To get involved, simply visit the Youth Sport Trust website and sign up today.
Throughout the week, the Youth Sport Trust will be visiting schools to deliver Monster Kickabout Mash Up sessions, led by famous sports stars and athlete mentors. Some of the celebrities who will be supporting the campaign include Olympic rower Katherine Grainger, Olympic sprinter and bobsleigh athlete Montell Douglas, Paralympian Tim Prendergast, inline skating champion Jenna Downing, British Paralympian Ayaz Bhuta MBE, Paralympic swimming champion Liz Johnson, Olympic swimmer Tom Haffield, swimmer Michael Gunning, England Netballer Ama Agbeze, British gymnast Steve Frew, Paralympic footballer Alistair Patrick-Heselton, and GB boxer Hannah Beharry. As part of the week-long celebration, the charity is also inviting everyone to dress as their favourite sporting hero or sport on Sports Star Friday and raise money to give more young people access to the lifechanging benefits of PE, sport, and play.
Derick is an experienced reporter having held multiple senior roles for large publishers across Europe. Specialist subjects include small business and financial emerging markets.