Active School Week takes place in the final working week of April in Ireland to promote, incentivize, and support physical activities in school. This year, it takes place from April 22 to 26.The week helps to transform the kids’ relationship with athletics. Each day of the week is filled with exercises and fun excursions that inculcate a positive relationship between students and physical exercise. Active School Week is the initiative of the Active School Flag, Ireland’s premium health initiative which has focused on enhancing physical activity in school-going children since 2009.
History of Active School Week
Fully committed school hours packed with lessons, homework, and extra classes are what the standard school week looks like for a student in Ireland. This schedule hinders their goal of getting 60 minutes of physical activity every day. Kids evolving from this kind of schedule find it extra hard to inculcate physical activities in adulthood as well.
Active School Flag promotes the physical activity of school-going children between the ages of five to 18 years. In operation since 2009, Active School Flag now reaches 670+ schools across Ireland. The program is supported by the Department of Health and the Department of Education. Through its annual Active School Week, it promotes the importance of exercise and outdoor activities in all primary, post-primary, YouthReach, and special needs education schools in Ireland.
Research supports that children with an active and exuberant lifestyle find it easier to concentrate and excel in coursework. Active School Week supports teachers by coming up with challenging and creative ways to get more physically active during weekdays. The program includes a variety of cross-curricular physical activities that energize indoor and outdoor learning.
Active School Week also includes indoor activities that break up sedentary time in between classes to restore focus and reignite all senses of the body. All activities are planned with sustainability and participation in mind. There are no medals or trophies, only the spirit of being active for the sake of the kid’s mind, body, and soul. Schools across Ireland observe the week with immense joy and line up their calendars with events, games, and so much more.
Active School Week timeline
The Children’s Sport Participation and Physical Activity survey finds that only a small percentage of primary school kids achieve the daily target of the 60-minute activity.
Active School Flag is launched to promote, support, and incentivize childhood activity.
Former Sports Minister Leo Varadkar launches Active Sports Week to be celebrated in the final week of April.
Active School Flag reaches 673 schools across Ireland.
Active School Week FAQs
What activities should you do with children?
Make-believe, board games, blocks, and sandcastles are some of the best activities that you do with children.
What activities do children enjoy the most?
Kids enjoy fun activities that are voluntary and spontaneous. It is important to be active with them and affirm that there are no set goals, just participation.
How much exercise do kids need?
Children and young adults need at least 60 minutes of activity three times a week to hit their required activity goals. Their schedules can include aerobic activities such as running, walking, and playing ball.
Active School Week Activities
Get active
Being active is the foremost sign of well-being. Active School Week is all about getting into action during your most committed hours. Schoolgoers can observe the week by participating in activities proposed by Active School Flag, and adults can mark the end of April by signing up for any sport or joining the gym.
Take up the #ASW challenge
Active School Flag’s official website lays out a ton of resources, event sheets, and gaming schedules. These free and ready-to-use manuals can be adopted by individuals and organizations across the world. Mark the week by signing up for daily activities and bring your friends and family into action as well.
Change your relationship with exercise
Active School Week inspires school-going children across Ireland to adopt healthy routines that maximize their physical activity and broaden their options of workouts. The week’s framework caters to the interests, needs, and abilities of its members. Seek inspiration from this positive and inclusive platform and repair your relationship with exercise as well.
5 Stats And Facts About The State Of Childhood Inactivity
It’s all very grim
A 2009 survey estimated that only 19% of primary school children achieve the target of 60 minutes of physical activity every day.
It’s getting worse
From the 1990s to the 2010s, the inactivity among boys fell from 80% to 78%, while girls’ inactivity stayed stagnant at 85%.
It’s a universal issue
A World Health Organization report states that inactivity in school-going children is a global issue, ranging from Afghanistan to South Korea.
Kids are blameless
Children are not to be blamed for the inactivity, as it is the neglect and failure of adults to prioritize physical activity.
It has a lasting impact
Hitting the daily activity target of 60 minutes decreases the risk of a multitude of diseases, including Type 2 diabetes and heart attacks.
Why We Love Active School Week
We can do better
Although the focus of the holiday is on children, adults are the ones who must take charge of the schedule. Unless parents/guardians and teachers combine their efforts to inspire, incentivize, and support active hours, there’s no hope for a positive change. This is why Active School Week connects schools nationally and inspires teachers to pick up the responsibility of ensuring an activity-filled day for the kids.
Technology is to blame
While the scorn is about lack of time for activities and sports, a 2009 survey showed that kids spend nearly two hours a day watching T.V. or playing games on their computers. Active School Week shifts the focus back to being active in school and epitomizes the importance of activities that can be best pursued with their classmates.
It has an enduring impact
Active kids grow up to become active adults. Studies show that pursuing regular physical activities transforms the mind, body, and soul of a person. Active School Week cuts through the sedentary lifestyle and promotes a positive change in the schedule that aids in building a new relationship between exercise and school-going children.
Active School Week dates
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | April 25 | Monday |
| 2023 | April 24 | Monday |
| 2024 | April 29 | Monday |
| 2025 | April 21 | Monday |
| 2026 | April 20 | Monday |
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