As reported on wired.gov, children across the UK are being encouraged to get active this summer through a new animated series created by fitness coach Joe Wicks MBE, in partnership with the government

Activate, a five-minute movement series featuring upbeat music and colourful characters, aims to inspire children to incorporate short bursts of exercise into their daily routines at home, in school, or on the go.

Co-developed with BAFTA-winning Studio AKA, the team behind Hey Duggee, and backed by Universal Music UK, the programme brings Wicks to life in animated form alongside a cast of playful new characters, ‘The Activators’.

The initiative was officially launched at Ripple Primary School in Barking, where Wicks and Health Secretary Wes Streeting met with teachers and families to discuss how to keep children active over the summer and beyond.

The government is funding ten more episodes of Activate as part of its 10 Year Health Plan, which prioritises prevention over treatment and aims to tackle growing childhood obesity rates. Obesity has doubled since the 1990s, with more than one in five children now living with obesity by the time they leave primary school, a figure that rises to nearly one in three in disadvantaged communities.

A forthcoming report from the Chief Medical Officer is expected to highlight these concerns and the urgent need for innovative, inclusive approaches to getting children moving. With music, animation and positive role models, Activate is designed to make physical activity fun, accessible and a normal part of daily life.