Iconic preschool favourites Micro Scooters has launched a Play for Life campaign to help tackle the nation’s childhood obesity crisis, following the news that 10% of boys and 9% of girls start primary school obese.
In May, the government called for help to halve childhood obesity over the next ten years. According to current estimates, 10% of boys and 9% of girls start primary school obese, with children then gaining weight at a drastic rate once they have started school.
As a result of this news, the government has set preschool children a physical exercise target of 180 minutes each day. In response, Micro Scooters has launched Play for Life: an online resource for adults caring for preschool children. Play for Life is based on the foundations of physical development and explains why exercise for under-fives should focus on movement challenges.
Play for Life has been developed with Brytespark, a team of experts in biomechanics, child development, fitness training, podiatry, physiotherapy and athletics. The team emphasised that children who develop confidence in their physical ability at a very young age grow into more confident individuals with a lower BMI and a positive relationship with exercise.
Play for Life simplifies the science behind these formative years and provides guidance on how to support a child in building a positive relationship with movement that will last a lifetime.
As deputy managing director of Micro Scooters, Ben Parkhouse explains: “Micro revolutionised the school run. Now we want to change the way we think about toddler development. We know that many adults will be daunted by the prospect of 180 minutes physical exercise per day with a child under five. It’s a tall ask. Our Play for Life campaign gives practical advice on how to make those minutes count, and how to get children moving to give them the best opportunity to grow and develop into healthy and active individuals.”
Micro Scooters has launched a dedicated website with information about the research behind the Play for Life campaign, information and insights on how a child develops physically and games to play with children to help them reach their movement milestones with confidence. Search #microplayforlife across social media.
