Disney Pixar Inside Out 10 Minute Shake Ups with Change4Life

Getting kids active this Summer

The school six weeks holidays are nearly upon us and this can mean for a lot of children that they will not get the 60 minutes of activity they need a day (79% of boys and 84% of girls ages 5-15 years).  With one in five primary school children being overweight or obese (1). Worryingly the gap between boys’ and girls’ activity levels can be seen from as young as 8 years old and may have a relationship with confidence issues and insecurities in body image for young girls.

Being active is advantageous for not just children’s physical health but also their social and mental well-being. Research from the University of Oxford and Loughborough University revealed that it has a positive impact on self-esteem, social skills, increased confidence and peer acceptance, alongside a link to friendship. Finding ways to keep children active for 60 minutes at a time can be quite hard, and it is much easier to break it into 6 burst of 10 minutes. Change4Life have 10 minute shake ups, which are a way to get children moving and keep them busy. 10 Minute Shake Ups have simple to follow instructions and are easy to do indoors or out. Disney characters feature alongside recognisable Change4Life animations to create exclusive contents for schools, TV, print and online media and for face-to-face events to help inspire children to be more active. Children engage in activities that interest them which I believe was why last year’s Change4Life partnership with Disney was so successful. 64% of parents said that their children were more active and it saw the nation’s children getting active for an extra 104 million minutes!

Change 4 Life’s 10 Minute Shake Ups Disney Team Packs

This summer (2^nd July- end of August 2015) the 10 Minute Shake Ups Campaign has loads of Disney-inspired games and activities. Families can sign up for a free Disney inspired 10 Minute Shake Up pack.

First ask your child/ren which team(s) they wish to join (only 3 children per household). There is Team Frozen, Team Big Hero 6, Team Monsters or Team Toy Story. Children can then help their team by doing lots of shake ups every day. Siblings can then compete against each other and/or children can visit the Change4Life website and add their Shake Ups to the team total – as well as being able to access other activity ideas and Disney content. Each pack contains lots of 10 Minute Shake Up activity cards (with Disney themed illustrations and instructions – from different films, not just from the team of their choice), a team poster and stickers (which allows children to proudly display their activities and the stickers are broken down into each week of the holidays), an exciting Disney themed wristband and timer. . You need to allow up to 2 weeks for the delivery of the pack so order it ASAP to get the most out of the summer. Whilst you are waiting you can print your child/ren a Team Certificate.

Support for Change4Life’s 10 Minute Shake Ups

Change4Life’s 10 Minute Shake Ups Campaign is supported by GP and former Gladiator Amazon, Zoe Williams. Her top tips for keeping active are to utilise the park, to remember that you can keep moving indoors as well as out, that you can get the kids active by getting them to help around the house, to walk more and drive less, do a fun run or walk for charity – and of course the 10 Minute Shake Up hub has lots of ideas. 10 Minute Shake Ups are also backed by Kaiser Chiefs’ lead singer and The Voice judge Ricky Wilson who has created his own. We were invited along to watch Disney Pixar’s Inside Out and think of 10 Minute Shake Ups related to the film.

Disney Pixar’s Inside Out

The basis of the film is that 11 year old Riley emotions are everywhere as her perfect life is uprooted when she has to move house. We see inside Riley’s head (and a few other characters’) and find out what her emotions are doing to her. Joy tries to do her best but it all becomes a bit much and Sadness is pushed to the forefront of the control center. This has an effect on the core memories and Joy tries her best not to let them turn negative. We get insight into what it is like when there is no Joy to look after things and Anger, Fear and Disgust take over.

This film is good on so many levels, from so many different angles. I shall not spoil it too much but I feel it is great for younger children as it helps learn about emotions (particularly useful for those with conditions such as autism); for preteens going through puberty; parents of preteens; psychologists – and well that was just my angle! Funny and sad (ladies take your tissues).

Out in UK Cinemas July 24^th 2015.

Sources of Information:

• Health Survey for England 2012 Health and Social Care Information Centre. Health Survey for England, 2012. Leeds, UK; 2013
• Professor Kevin Fenton, National Director of Health & Wellbeing at Public Health England.
• TNS BMRB Change4Life 10 Minute Shake Up evaluation, October 2014
• Anna Chalkey, Karen Milton and Charlie Foster (2015) Change4Life evidence review
• Health and Social Care Information Centre. Health Survey for England, 2012. Leeds, UK; 2013

Myself and my family were invited to a special early screening of Inside Out in order for us to create new 10 Minute Shake Ups. Our transport and accommodation were covered and we received goody bags. Words and opinions are my own, apart from where facts have been added. I was not paid to write this post.