Devised by MEND (Mind, Exercise, Nutrition... Do it!) a specialist child obesity prevention and treatment organisation and children's publishing experts John Brown, the flexible classroom resource is bursting with lesson ideas that will help meet curriculum requirements for PE and PSHE. Launching on April 2nd, the Move It! packs are aimed at seven to eleven year olds and are full of ideas for physical activities and tools to get primary school pupils moving. They are being provided free of charge to schools thanks to funding from the Big Lottery Fund (BIG) - part of a wider £8 million grant awarded to MEND from BIG's Well-being programme. MEND is a National Third Sector Partner participating in the Change4Life campaign and the Move it! materials carry the Change4Life logo and promote its behaviour change goals, specifically encouraging children and families to engage in regular physical activity and eat a healthy balanced diet.
The packs include a wall chart, CD-ROM containing a whiteboard game, teacher's notes, challenge activities and printable certificates which are supplemented by 30 children's activity kits each containing a physical activity log book, sticker sheet, points wheel and two postcards.
According to Paul Sacher, MEND Research Director, "Our short-term aim is to encourage children to take part in regular physical activity which will over the longer-term help to prevent childhood obesity, which has been rising at alarming levels over recent years. Move It! is all about putting the fun into being active and helping children increase their fitness in creative ways, including activities which fall outside the traditional concepts of exercise and sport. MEND wants to create a ripple effect by inspiring children to challenge their friends and family to join in so that everyone starts to benefit. Move It! is also a great opportunity for schools to encourage involvement in sport and work towards being a healthier school." Schools that are working towards Healthy Schools status can use the Move It! Challenge as evidence for increased school-wide physical activity opportunities.
Move It! can be used for a lesson such as PE, Science or PSHE, for a discrete lesson dedicated to the principles of health and fitness, or for a topic-based workshop around healthy living. The challenge is designed to run over half a term but it could also be completed over a shorter period.
School Sport Partnerships and the Department for Children, Schools and Families have recognised four key elements within high quality physical education and school sport. One of these elements is out of school hours activity, as part of the Move It! pack, teachers will find an Activity Kit for each child to take home to further increase sport and lifestyle activities such as walking, encouraging children to be physically active both in and out of school. A limited supply of the resources is being made available free of charge, with an order deadline of May 4th 2009.
To order, free phone 0800 230 0263 or email info@mendcentral.org for an order form.
Visit www.mend-moveit.org for more information.
