The government has again joined forces with Joe Wicks to encourage children to stay active over the summer holidays.
New data shows that 88 per cent of parents worry their children will have too much sustained sedentary time over the summer holidays and only 18 per cent think their children will achieve 60 minutes of daily physical activity every day of the week during the summer holidays.
Activate is an animated fitness series created by Joe Wicks. The five minute exercise episodes are available on BBC iPlayer and daily episodes are broadcast on CBeebies.
They are designed to make physical activity fun and accessible for children, encouraging them to incorporate movement into their day.
The themed episodes feature exercises such as squats, running on the spot, and star jump and are set to popular songs.
Activate was launched last year with financial support from the Department of Health and Social Care. The series has now inspired nearly 60,000 hours of active time among families.
Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, James Murray said: "We want every child to have the best possible start in life, and helping families build regular physical activity into their daily routines is an important part of that.
"Activate makes it easier for children to enjoy being active through fun, free and accessible content that families can use wherever they are this summer. Together with the refreshed Physical Activity Guidelines, parents can be confident they have the tools they need to help their children develop healthy habits that can benefit them for years to come."
Joe Wicks MBE said: "Many parents know that keeping children active during the summer holidays isn’t always easy. Once school finishes, routines change and there are lots of competing demands on family time, so it’s important that movement feels fun, simple and easy to fit into the day.
"Activate was created with exactly that in mind. The series doesn’t just get kids jumping around - it’s designed to break-up sedentary time with accessible movements built around strength and conditioning - like squats, burpees and press-ups - without kids even realising they are ‘exercising’.
"There really is a challenge for everyone, and we’ve made sure there is a fresh, exciting theme for each of the episodes so families can either take on a surfing challenge, climb a treetop, or test their superhero powers, to name a few.
"A year on, I’ve loved seeing all the videos from families taking on Activate challenges together - and not just kids, but dads and mums too. Parents and carers are such important role models in showing kids that exercise is good for you, so it’s been fantastic to see them take part.
"My mission has always been to help children develop a positive relationship with exercise, and I hope Activate gives families a fun, free tool to stay active together throughout the holidays and beyond."
