National Active School Week takes place all this week

Wednesday, 25th April 2018

Active School Week (April 23–27) offers an opportunity for schools across the country to work together with students, parents, community and national sporting and health organisations on a broad range of physical activities.

Speaking at the launch of Active School Week recently, the Minster for Health Mr Simon Harris said, “We all need to work together to get children active from an early age and to support parents and the education sector in building a culture of physical activity. Children and young people need to be active for at least 60 minutes every day. This will have many benefits to their physical and mental health and wellbeing. Children who are active are more likely to live healthy and happy lives and society as a whole will benefit.”

The Irish Heart Foundation is committed to get kids moving and achieving the recommended levels of physical activity.

To mark Active School Week the Irish Heart Foundation has rolled out its Let’s Get Active Award to more than 7,000 primary school children across the country.

Laura Hickey, Children and Young People Manager with the Irish Heart Foundation said, “We are delighted to support schools through our Let’s Get Active Award for Active School Week. The award is a four- week challenge in which children aim to get active for at least 60 minutes every day. The 60 minutes can be broken up throughout the day – in school, active travel and at home. With only 19 per cent of primary school children meeting the recommended guidelines of 60 minutes moderate to vigorous activity each day, the Irish Heart Foundation is delighted to support children to become more active.”

The Let’s Get Active Award for Active School Week includes an active award book, pupil certificates, a classroom certificate and a sticker sheet.

Each pupil gets their own book to record their total activity every day.
The book features suggestions of fun ideas children may use to get active. At the end of the four weeks, each pupil who completes the challenge will get a certificate of their achievement. Teachers can also give pupils stickers to motivate them throughout the challenge.

This week more than 7,000 children will take part in the Irish Heart Foundation’s Lets Get Active Award and to date overall 22,202 children have taken part. One such active school participant is Conor, aged 7, who said ” I haven’t played my iPad since I started this book”