A new report from Ferrero has shown over half of children aged 5-12 get less than three hours physical activity a week – which is lower than the NHS Chief Medical Officers’ recommended guidelines of taking part in sport and physical activity for at least 60 minutes per day – or seven hours a week.
During October half term, a time when many parents are looking for ways to keep their children active, Ferrero is launching its new ‘Access the Joy’ report, a study commissioned by Ferrero to celebrate the 10th anniversary of its Joy of moving social responsibility programme in the UK. It polled 1,000 parents of children aged 5-12 to better understand children’s current activity levels, barriers to movement, attitudes to play, and what parents need to help get their children moving over half term and beyond.
The study shows that, while 90% of parents think physical activity is important, a third (33%) believe they were more active than their children at the same age. In light of this, 70% of parents worry their child’s physical fitness and general wellbeing are being affected.
Over three quarters of parents (77%) also wanted extra help from their children’s schools when it comes to getting their children active.
Why aren’t children active enough?
The research revealed some interesting barriers that are deterring children from getting active. 38% of parents have said that it is because their children find exercise too physically challenging, while 36% have said their children lack confidence when moving. Over a third (35%) even say their children feel embarrassed when doing exercise, while 29% find it too competitive.
Beyond some of the more apparent barriers, such as cost, according to the data from Ferrero, over a quarter (26%) cite time constraints as a key barrier, with nearly a fifth (16%) of parents stating a lack of local playgrounds is an issue.
But, perhaps unsurprisingly for the UK, the weather (34%) was listed as the top barrier preventing children from taking part in exercise – revealing a requirement for physical activities that can be conducted indoors as well as outside.
Play is essential
So what needs to happen to change this? The good news is that there are plenty of solutions. Clearly, there’s a pressing need for programmes that motivate youngsters to get moving and help them develop positive habits for adulthood. According to the research, parents agree that the best forms of activity that have the greatest impact are play-based – with over a third (35%) ranking it as the best way to get their child more active, and 82% saying they would be open to exploring the concept of play to get their child to do more physical activity. However, with two thirds (65%) admitting that they’d like extra help to get their child more active – more needs to be done.
In terms of the help required, over three quarters (79%) said it would be helpful to have access to free resources online, with guidance on the games they can play with their children to inspire them to move. More child-friendly playgrounds (39%) and greater access to equipment (29%) were also listed.
Discussing the research, Professor John Reilly from the Psychological Sciences & Health Department at the University of Strathclyde, said: “The Chief Medical Officers’ guidelines recommend that children and adolescents get at least 60 minutes of physical activity per day. While levels of physical activity might have been increasing slightly over the past five years, we’re still not hitting that target. While there is no ‘magic bullet’ which will help children and adolescents get the recommended 60 minutes of activity per day, we all need to work together to change the amount of physical activity children are currently getting.
“We must increase access to programmes which encourage children to become more active. Programmes like Joy of moving, which use play and fun to inspire activity and that have been embedded for years in communities up and down the country, can really make a difference. We also know that physical activity is key for the overall wellbeing of the younger generation. This is a key moment for companies, schools, parents and other organisations to work together to help children embrace more physical activity.”
How Joy of moving is helping children and parents Access the Joy
Harnessing the joy of getting active, Ferrero’s social responsibility programme, Joy of moving, is underpinned by a unique scientifically-backed methodology that centres around a play-based approach to getting children active. The unbranded programme has been developed and delivered through Ferrero’s long-term partnership with the English Football League’s charitable arm, EFL in the Community, across England and Wales, in hundreds of schools by Football Club Community Organisations and delivered in Scotland through the Scottish Professional Football League Trust’s Associated Trusts and SPFL Clubs.
Programmes like Joy of moving, which has been developed using play as the mechanic, could help to address parents’ concerns about their children not being active enough. For example, parents have cited time constraints as a barrier – Joy of moving games can be played in as little or as much time as needed, and a little time is all families need to inspire a playful approach to moving. Joy of moving celebrates its 10th anniversary of encouraging active lifestyles in children, helping children of all ages and abilities across the country learn how to enjoy moving through play.
The unbranded Joy of moving programme, now celebrating its 10th anniversary, has inspired over 600,000 children to get moving through play and delivered over 3 million hours of learning about the importance of physical activity. Parents can access the programme’s games for free on the Joy of moving resource hub which is perfect for parents who are looking for activities they can play with their children during the school holidays and beyond.
Charlie Cayton, Director of Corporate Affairs and Communications at Ferrero UK said: “When we launched the Joy of moving programme, we wanted to make a positive difference to how children feel about physical activity, as well as encourage longer-term active habits.
“Evidence shows that those who experience an active childhood are more likely to become active adults. With a programme like Joy of moving that incorporates a unique play-based approach to getting active, we hope to inspire those positive habits from the start.
“We’re incredibly proud of everything we’ve achieved with the Joy of moving unbranded in-school programme, but we know parents want further inspiration on how they can get their children moving at home as a family. It’s why we launched our free online resource hub, enabling us to make our unique and fun Joy of moving games accessible for all families. Every child deserves the chance to get active and to play – and we’re dedicated to helping them access the joy of doing so.”
The report reinforces the need for all parties to come together and commit to inspiring children to get moving more. Companies, schools, parents and other organisations alike must work together to encourage children to get moving, using fun and play as a way to do so.
REASONS WHY CHILDREN AREN’T MORE ACTIVE:
- Weather
- Time constraints
- Gaming distractions
- Lack of local playgrounds
- Lack of access to youth clubs
