This summer, Change4Life and Disney are teaming up for the 2nd time to bring us all lots of fun and creative ideas to keep kids active every day, all with a Disney twist.
With just 21% of boys and 16% of girls currently meet the 60 minutes of activity they need each day, the Change4Life initiative is an easy way to make an improvement in kids’ activity levels and wellbeing.
Last summer’s campaign, saw the nation’s kids get active for an extra 104 million minutes. 64% of parents said that their child did more physical activity in summer 2014 thanks to 10 Minute Shake Ups and this year there are even more Disney-inspired games and activities that kids will love.
We went along to a special event with a group of other bloggers and their families to watch the new Disney Pixar movie Inside Out, and come up with some active Inside Out themed games.
As for the movie, I won’t tell you too much since it’s not out yet here in the UK (in cinemas July 24th!) but we all enjoyed it. Inside Out tells the story of Riley, a pre-teen girl who moves away from Minnesota to San Francisco and shows her life as seen from the five main emotions inside her head.
It’s definitely an emotional one, and sadder than most of the other Disney movies but it is so cleverly done and has some humorous moments mixed in along with the emotional journey.
The 5 distinct emotions featured are Joy (who is the leader), Sadness, Disgust, Anger and Fear. My boys got together with Liz’s daughter from Me and My Shadow blog to create our own 10 minute shake up. Their idea was a musical statues type game where you have to do certain actions when each emotions name is shouted. In between actions, all the players run around “riding the train of thought”
How to play the Inside Out inspired active emotions game
Here are the moves for each emotion:
Joy: Star jumps
Sadness: Curl up into a ball and roll around the floor
Anger: Stomp your feet
Fear: Run backwards
Disgust: Wave your arms in a disgusted way
Hopefully I will be able to share a video of this game with you soon!
Check out these disney crafts and activities for kids too, and explore more about emotions with our free printable emotions playdough mats.
Change4Life Packs
During the event, the kids also tried out some of the other Disney inspired games that feature in this years Change4Life packs, with videos by Kaiser Chiefs’ lead singer and The Voice judge Ricky Wilson.
Get your free Change4Life pack here
When you join up, your child can choose which team they would like to be, out of Big Hero 6, Frozen, Monsters or Toy Story (I have 2 Big Hero 6’s and 1 Toy Story here!)
Inside your pack you will get:
- A 10 Minute Shake Up team wristband with timer*
- A Disney team poster and stickers
- 10 Minute Shake Up activity cards
- Wild cards and a very special team move to practise!
*while stocks last
My boys love the packs, and have been wearing their wristbands with pride. The games on the cards are all pretty simple and don’t require any special skills or equipment – they can just pick up a card, get an idea and then go off and get active for 10 minutes or so. It really is a great pack for kids to use over the summer.
GP and former Gladiator Amazon, Zoe Williams is also supporting the campaign and strongly believes in getting kids doing more exercise. She’s shared her tips for keeping kids more active this summer.
Tips for keeping kids more active over the summer
- Take the kids to your local park – just playing in the play area or running around will help get hearts beating faster and keep kids entertained
- Don’t blame it on the weatherman! Even if it’s raining children can still be active. Have a look on the 10 Minute Shake Up zone for game ideas which can be done inside, like Olaf’s summer dance – a fun routine to do in your living room
- Get your kids active and helpful at the same time! Ask your kids to lay the table or do the washing up – this may not seem like much but it will get them off the sofa and will make activity part of a routine
- Walk, don’t drive. If you tend to drive for short distances, whether it be to the shops or to friends’ houses, try walking instead to add extra activity into your children’s day
- Do an activity challenge together, such as working towards a fun run or a walk for charity – there are loads of these taking place in the summer and they’re a great way of getting the whole family active. Check out the Change4Life website for events taking place in your local area
- There are loads of exciting and fun activities to try out on the 10 Minute Shake Up hub so if you’re stuck for ideas check it out, they’re easy to do and your kids will be getting their 60 minutes in no time!
Don’t forget to order your free Change4Life and Disney 10 Minute Shake Up pack, and enjoy these fun active games this summer.
Anna Marikar, mum of four and seasoned blogger, has spent over a decade sharing her parenting journey and passion for kid-friendly crafts and free printables.
Her easy-to-follow craft ideas and practical parenting advice have transformed In The Playroom into a cherished resource for parents.