Free Activate episodes hope to keep families active over the summer
Families across the country are being encouraged to help children stay active over the summer holidays as the government continues to back the free, animated fitness series, Activate, created by Joe Wicks MBE.
Activate is a collection of short, five-minute exercise episodes available on BBC iPlayer, with daily episodes broadcast on CBeebies which are designed to make physical activity fun and accessible for children, encouraging them to incorporate movement into their day whether at home, on holiday or between summer activities.
The series has been created by Joe Wicks and StudioAKA (creators of Hey Duggee), and includes themed-episodes, featuring exercises such as squats, running on the spot, and star jumps. Each episode is set to popular songs from Gala to Olly Alexander, plus select tracks courtesy of Universal Music UK such as Bastille, the Spice Girls and Rizzle Kicks so the whole family can get involved.
Building on the success of last summer - when Activate was first launched with the backing of the Department of Health and Social Care, which funded ten episodes - the series inspired nearly 60,000 hours of active time among families. The series now has a collection of 18 different episodes, including themed specials like the World Cup, a Back to School challenge and Christmas special
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.
