Some findings about the link between exercise and school results:
Read also the recommendation „Physical Activity and Young People“ by the WHO (.pdf)
Playful and interactive elements have many functions in the learning process. They can support intelligence, the ability to concentrate, creativity, motivation, lingual development and motor coordination.
Playing and interactivity can help pupils to stay focused and increase willingness to expend effort, especially in phases where ability to concentrate is down.
Muuvit Adventure is a fun and easy-to-use learning platform that teachers can use to support a healthy lifestyle among their pupils, while enriching their work as educators. The online learning environment consists of information about travel destinations, quizzes, small lists of vocabulary, educational games and easy exercise tips.
Video games are often strongly criticized as making children passive. But according to a listing by CNBC, six movement-based games, like Wii Fit and Guitar Hero, are currently among this generation’s top ten favourites. There is even a national programme called Health Games Research with headquarters at the University of California, Santa Barbara.
According to the WHO, childhood obesity is one of the most serious public health challenges of the 21st century. Overweight children are also likely to become overweight adults. Diabetes, high risk of cardiovascular illnesses and low self-esteem are just a few examples of problems that flow on from obesity.
Muuvit was developed to fight against increasing obesity in children. A study carried out in Finland pointed out that children continued to be more active even three months after taking part in the Muuvit Adventure.
Read more on the Childhood Obesity page of the World Health Organization WHO.
See here how Muuvit has been used for following purposes:
Successful health promotion since over 10 years
Organisation: Young Finland Association (Nuori Suomi ry)
What has been done: The Adventure is the central communication and activation tool of the association. It reaches 50 % of pupils in 75 % elementary schools (classes 1 to 6) each year and it is one of the most succesful school programmes in Finland.
Health promotion and motivation tool for CSR programme
Partner: VfL Wolfsburg is a professional German football club based in Wolfsburg, Lower Saxony. The club’s CSR programme, Freekick VfL, promotes children’s physical activity and a healthy lifestyle.
What has been done: As a real Muuvit pioneer, the club uses the programme as a central instrument to inspire kids within the framework of Freekick VfL (German: Anstoß VfL).
More on Freekick VfL and Muuvit: https://www.vfl-wolfsburg.de/info/soziales/gesundheit/muuvit.html
Financing partners: Deutsche BKK, Sodexo
Health promotion and informing the target groups about existing programmes
Partner: Leichter Leben is a health promotion programme in the Swiss Canton of Zurich. Run by the ministries for Education, Health and Sport, the programme includes 30 health promotion projects.
What has been done: Muuvit is used as an instrument for health promotion and informing the target groups about existing programmes. Information about six local health promotion programmes belonging to the health initiative Leichter leben has been integrated into the Muuvit format. Muuvit is being offered to all primary schools in the canton free of charge for six months.
More on Leichter Leben: www.leichter-leben-zh.ch
Financing partners: FC Zürich, Schweizer Gesundheitsförderung, Kantonalbank
Health promotion and supporting international school partnerships
Partners: City of Munich Schools and Sports Department, City of Helsinki Education Department
What has been done: The school authorities of Munich and Helsinki used Muuvit as a platform for making contacts and finding partner schools abroad. In Helsinki Muuvit was also used as an instrument to promote German language education.
Philipp Lahm, captain of the German national team and FC Bayern München, supported the programme.
Financial partner: Sodexo Services GmbH
Health promotion and informing about existing programmes
Partner: LI-Hamburg, Landesinstitut für Lehrerbildung und Schulentwicklung, is responsible for teacher education and school development in the federal state of Hamburg.
What has been done: Muuvit was used by the LI as a communication and activation tool to promote health education and inform target groups about existing programmes. Information about nine local health promotion programmes has been integrated into the Muuvit format. Muuvit was offered free of charge to all schools (age group 6-16) in the federal state for seven months.
More on LI-Hamburg: li-hamburg.de
Financing partners: HSV, My Finance Coach Foundation, Sodexo Services GmbH
Health promotion and distribution of content.
Partners: UEFA and the World Heart Federation want to raise awareness about obesity and the importance of a healthy lifestyle by actively supporting the Eat for Goals! Project.
The Eat for Goals! book talks about good food, cooking and football in over 80 pages. Its aim is to encourage children to eat well and to lead more active lifestyles.
What has been done: 13 football players and their healthy recipes from the Book “Eat for Goals“ have been integrated into the Muuvit Adventure as educational content. During their adventure with Muuvit, school kids and their parents can have a look at (and cook) what Carles Puyol, Frank Lampard or Miroslav Klose like to eat before the game. Online version of the book: www.muuvit.com/eatforgoals
More on Eat for Goals!: www.uefa.com/uefa/socialresponsibility/eatforgoals
Financing partners: World Heart Federation (in Association with UEFA)