WE MUST GIVE CHILDREN ACCESS TO DAILY PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

As we reflect on Children’s Mental Health Week (5^th – 11^th February), my overriding thoughts and focus is on the responsibility we have to ensure children are provided with access to daily physical activity. We know that children that are physically active on a regular basis will have better mental health, and with 1 in 5 children and young people having a probable mental health condition, which many will take into their adult lives, it is essential that we act now. This is the core of The Daily Mile and our vision of a world where every child can enjoy the benefits of physical activity. Throughout Children’s Mental Health Week, we showcased stories about schools, teachers and support staff using The Daily Mile to support the mental health of their children.

This included Marianne Wheeler, a Mental Health Lead at Crabtree Junior School in Hertfordshire who told us, ‘I believe in establishing habits for life. The Daily Mile is a simple routine for our children at school, but it might be the foundation for a lifetime of staying active’.

A teacher at St Michaels Junior Church School in Somerset, shared that, ‘The Daily Mile is crucial to our provision, contributing to pupils’ active minutes per week, developing our sense of school community and enabling same-day-intervention for teachers’.

I had the privilege of visiting two schools in different communities in England during Children’s Mental Health Week to gain a deeper understanding of how The Daily Mile contributes to school life and the health and wellbeing of their pupils. Both St Georges C of E Primary School in Salford, Manchester, and Boxmoor Primary School in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire are in underserved communities, supporting children and families with multiple challenges. I came away from these visits energised and proud about what I had witnessed in both schools, which included:

• The Daily Mile had become part of the school culture and engrained in the school day – ‘It is just what we do at our school’.
• The children truly loved participating in their Daily Mile activity, and whatever their sporting prowess or physical abilities, they took great pride in their achievements. The inclusivity of The Daily Mile was tangible.
• As well as the obvious physical health benefits, school leaders and teachers valued The Daily Mile for the broader impact it has on their children’s happiness, ability to concentrate in class, and general behaviour at school.

The Daily Mile Foundation and our many likeminded partners have achieved considerable success to date in helping schools create active environments for their children. However, we know that less than half (47%) of children are currently meeting the UK Chief Medical Officer’s target of a minimum of 60 minutes of physical activity daily. Due to The Daily Mile being free and simple to implement and therefore scalable and sustainable, my experiences at my recent school visits give me great hope that we will be able to close this gap in the months and years ahead.

Gordon Banks

Global Director, The Daily Mile Foundation

If your school would like to register for The Daily Mile then please click here for more information.

The Daily Mile is proudly supporting the launch of Children’s Mental Health Week 2024

The Daily Mile is partnering with Place2Be, a leading organisation committed to children’s mental health, for Children’s Mental Health Week. Our joint effort focuses on the importance of providing daily physical activity to improve the health and wellbeing of children.

Research highlights the positive impact of exercise on both mental and physical health. This is particularly vital for children in light of increasing obesity rates and declining mental health, with the percentage of 5-16-year-olds facing mental health issues rising from one in nine in 2017 to one in six in 2020¹. Evidence also suggests that children who are more active are happier, more resilient, and more trusting of others, but over 50% aged 5-16 are not active enough to enjoy these benefits².

Together, we aim to make an impact, championing the crucial role that regular physical activity, through activities such as The Daily Mile, plays in supporting children’s mental health and wellbeing.

The Daily Mile team recently met with Mrs. Marianne Wheeler, Mental Health Lead at Crabtree Junior School, Hertfordshire, to explore the positive impact The Daily Mile is having on children facing mental health challenges in her school. Marianne highlighted:

“The Daily Mile serves as a crucial outlet. When children are feeling a bit wobbly, particularly those who are neuro divergent and have different learning styles, stepping into the fresh air for a bit of exercise and a change of scenery truly makes a difference. The Daily Mile is a fantastic tool that aids the children in resetting and finding balance, it provides them with an opportunity for a child-friendly social activity, enhancing their overall wellbeing.”

Click here to read more from the Mental Health Lead at Crabtree Infant & Junior School

Join the action in Place2Be’s Children’s Mental Health Week 2024 taking place from 5th to 11th February. Empower, equip, and amplify the voices of children and young people across the UK.

Let’s help make a lasting impact on the wellbeing of our future leaders. 

Click here to access Place2Be’s free resources for Children’s Mental Health Week.

1. NHS Digital (2020) Mental Health of Children and Young People in England. See page 25.
2. Sport England (2020) Active Lives Adult Survey May 2019/20. See page 25.

Boosting Mental Wellbeing with The Daily Mile
Crabtree Junior School, Hertfordshire

The Daily Mile team recently met with Mrs. Marianne Wheeler, Mental Health Lead at Crabtree Junior School, Hertfordshire, to explore the positive impact The Daily Mile is having on children facing mental health challenges in her school. Marianne has shared her Daily Mile story below!

Hello, I’m Marianne Wheeler, and I’m excited to share how The Daily Mile and daily physical activity are making a positive impact on our children’s mental health. For the last four years at Crabtree Junior School, I’ve been the Mental Health Lead, dedicated to supporting our children.

Given the mental health challenges our children face, The Daily Mile becomes a crucial source of support.  The impact of COVID-19 has caused children to miss important social interactions and has affected their independent skill development, leading to more anxiety. Traditional experiences like sleepovers are less common, causing increased separation anxiety, particularly in younger children. COVID-19 lockdowns, exposure to distressing information through mobile devices, and concerns about global issues such as war and global warming further contribute to heightened anxiety levels in our children.

The Daily Mile is a straightforward concept – we walk, we talk, and we run. As educators, we know the value of creating spaces where children feel comfortable opening up. The Daily Mile provides opportunities for side-by-side conversations; children tend to share more when they’re not face to face, making discussions about topics that they might feel hard to talk about flow more effortlessly.

The Daily Mile serves as a crucial outlet. When children are feeling a bit wobbly, particularly those who are neuro divergent and have different learning styles, stepping into the fresh air for a bit of exercise and a change of scenery truly makes a difference. The Daily Mile is a fantastic tool that aids the children in resetting and finding balance, it provides them with an opportunity for a child-friendly social activity, enhancing their overall wellbeing.

I believe in establishing habits for life. The Daily Mile is a simple routine for our children at school, but it might be the foundation for a lifetime of staying active. Plus, it helps both boys and girls – building connections and maybe even inspiring future joggers or park runners.

Mrs. Marianne Wheeler, Mental Health Lead