All about our #Find15 campaign

Many parents struggle to keep children active during lockdown – and ongoing restrictions mean many children’s clubs and activities are cancelled, leaving them with fewer opportunities to exercise out of school.

When we joined in partnership with The Daily Mile – an organisation that helps children be more active while at school - we undertook research with the Cambridge Centre for Sport and Exercise Sciences at Anglia Ruskin University looking at how active children are at home. The report represents Start-Rite Shoes and The Daily Mile Foundation’s shared interest in providing parents with research-backed advice.

Our research found less than 10% of primary aged children (5+ years) are meeting the Government guidelines of 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day, but that there is limited information to support parents on the required intensity or duration of bouts.

The report suggests parents should not assume organised team sports provide sufficient levels of physical activity, revealing that only 25% of time spent doing these sports is at the cardio level needed to strengthen muscle and bone, which is key to healthy ageing.

The report went on to identify the type and level of physical activity necessary by children’s age and stage of development, and provides guidance on how to get the most benefit from exercise. It also found that interventions to increase physical activity which involved other family members are more likely to be successful.

Our campaign #Find15 puts this research and guidance into simple context. It encourages all families to incorporate 15 minutes of self-paced physical activity into daily life. During this 15 minutes, families should undertake activities that will continually increase the heart rate reserve by 60%, this will include a brisk walk, jog or run.

How to #Find15 with Start-Rite and The Daily Mile:

• Head outside into the fresh air and aim to walk at a quick pace for approximately 15 minutes.
• Tips for getting the most out of your 15 minutes:
  − Aim to feel out of breath for most of the time and to feel your heart beating faster than usual– you must try to increase your heart rate reserve by 60% for the full 15 minutes
  − On day one, decide on an activity or destination and keep a record of how fast or how long you managed to do it. Do the same for three days and watch your results improve.
  − Set a timer on your phone. This will help little ones to stay motivated as they see the stopwatch ticking away.

  For complex reasons, we understand it can be hard for children to do enough physical activity at home. But, we know that children who are physically active reap mental health benefits, have been shown to be fitter and carry the benefits of physical activity into later life. We hope this campaign will encourage more families to enjoy 15 minutes of fast paced physical activity on a daily basis together.

  To find out more about our partnership with The Daily Mile click HERE