New Super Troopers exercise programme for kids is 'a game changer'

ONE in three Irish primary schools is gearing up for an exercise programme that encourages children – and their parents and teachers – to put daily physical activity right up there in importance alongside school homework.

The Super Troopers programme runs over 30 weeks and is aimed at four to 12-year-olds. It provides an easy-to-follow physical activity homework planner.

The initiative is backed by psychologist and parenting expert David Coleman, who hails it as a game changer and says it’s unique because it’s the first health programme that bridges school with home, connecting children with their ‘triangle of influence’ – peers, teachers and families.

He sees it as a long-term habit-changing programme that encourages positive attitudes towards healthy eating, wellbeing and exercise.

With kids recommended to get 60 minutes daily exercise, the Super Trooper initiative asks parents to sign off at the end of the week on each 10-15 minute exercise activity their children did.

Coleman says: “Children always look to parents for approval. Many of the games are fun and light-hearted. They [have the potential to] take families away from screens, which are the norm in lots of households.”

As well as tackling obesity – one in four children in Ireland is overweight/obese, according to Safefood — the programme also helps school performance. “When children are active, it’s easier for them to concentrate for longer times, ” says Coleman.

Super Troopers piloted last year — this year, three times as many schools are on board — and parent/teacher feedback saw 70% of parents reporting their child’s activity levels had increased at home. More than one in four teachers noticed improvement in children’s concentration levels.

Susan Gibney, principal at Queen of Angels Primary School in Dublin 16 – where all 252 pupils are participating – says Super Troopers brings a fresh approach to physical activity. “Over the last few years, we’ve developed a programme of nurturing and wellbeing for our pupils. We’ve been having movement breaks and mindfulness breaks. Super Troopers feeds into this and brings fresh ideas. The children do little bowling activities with home-made skittles created out of plastic bottles filled with sand or water.”

Super Troopers is a Laya Healthcare initiative. Visit www.supertroopers.ie; phone [phone].

Top tips

With a deck of playing cards, turn over one card at a time. Look at the suit and do an action for 15 seconds, ie Heart: touch elbow to knee; Diamond: jog/march in place; Club: dance; Spade: star jumps.

Start with legs shoulder-width apart. Jump forward, landing with feet together. Jump forward again, landing with feet shoulder-width apart. Jump back, landing with feet together.

Try new fruit/vegetable each day.