Physical activity produces physical, psychological and social benefits, and inactive children are likely to become inactive adults. Many kids don't get enough physical activity, and as a result, over 33 percent of U.S. children, ages 2 to 19, are overweight or obese. In 2006, the American Heart Association and the National Football League began working together to tackle the problem with the NFL PLAY 60 Challenge.
In 2015, AHA and NFL joined forces with Discovery Education to amplify the NFL PLAY 60 Challenge's impact by inspiring physically active lifestyles in schools and homes nationwide.
Created for students in grades 3 through 8 the standards-aligned digital curriculum is easily aged up or down to fit the needs of any classroom. A custom set of lessons, videos, and interactive activities encourage students to lead physically active lifestyles year-round in and out of the classroom. With these tools, students nationwide will have what they need to get the necessary 60 minutes or more of physical activity each day.
With this partnership, NFL, AHA, and Discovery Education aim to:
The following program assets intend to provide educators, parents, and students with a comprehensive portfolio of resources to facilitate physical activity:
Virtual Field Trip: During the week of Super Bowl LI, the NFL and AHA, working together with Discovery Education, held a free Virtual Field Trip (VFT) that educators across the country could livestream in their classrooms. The VFT focused on the importance of healthy eating and daily physical activity while explaining the science behind the cardio that NFL players use to stay fit. This program was pared with live social media engagement that garnered approximately 29MM potential impressions across 358 Tweets.
Virtual Experience: A pre-taped virtual experience provides a dive deep into the scientific functions of the heart – how the heart works and why physical activity is so important for your health (with a focus on cardiovascular/circulatory system). The program provides an action-oriented roadmap for students, giving students a variety of ideas that can best fit their abilities & lifestyle. This program was paired with a live Twitter chat that garnered 25MM potential impressions across 454 Tweets.
Digital Exploration: Learn the science behind how regular physical activity positively impacts us physically, mentally, socially, and academically. Along the way, students get tips and information about different activities that can help them reach their recommended 60 minutes or more of physical activity each day.
Videos: Encourage students to get their recommended 60 minutes of physical activity a day with a series of quick workout videos, featuring NFL players. Educators used these videos alongside our NFL PLAY 60 Challenge lessons to illustrate educational components in a fun and engaging way, or as a classroom break to help increase student focus once they return to their lessons.
Lessons: Teach students the impact of physical activity on health and wellness with fun, interactive lessons and family activities. Aligned to National Physical Education Learning Standards, Next Generation Science Standards, and Common Core State Standards for grades 6-8, these lessons allow educators to relay the importance of daily physical activity and provide an engaging, hands-on experience to bring critical content to life.
To date, the NFL PLAY 60 Challenge has reached 1,628,738 students.
The following quotes are from a feedback session held by Discovery Education to better understand the program impact:
The NFL PLAY 60 Challenge provides youth with high-quality tools and experiences to encourage physical activity. It is a unique initiative that brings together three powerhouse organizations to further the key message of daily physical activity and heart health in school and at home.
Since 2007, the National Football League has committed more than $325 million to grants, health and fitness programming for youth, and media time for public service announcements. The NFL and its clubs have supported more than 73,000 schools nationwide—giving more than 38 million children the chance to boost their activity levels.
