Educators, parents and students can access virtual physical activity programming as well as health and wellness resources
NEW YORK, N.Y. – Sept. 16, 2020 – The National Football League’s NFL PLAY 60 initiative has encouraged children around the country to get active and embrace a healthy lifestyle for over a decade. With this school year unlike any other, the NFL, alongside the American Heart Association (AHA), Discovery Education, Fuel Up to Play 60, GoNoodle, and Special Olympics has come up with an array of free digital resources found on NFL.com/PLAY60 for students to utilize no matter where they are learning.
“Over the last 10 years, we have worked alongside our PLAY 60 partners and have seen how important it is for youth to access the resources they need to stay physically active and healthy. This is even more important during these unprecedented times,” said Melissa Schiller, Director of Community Relations, NFL. “We know it’s important to continue our work in the youth health and wellness space and thanks to our partners, we’re able to provide free physical education programming and healthy lifestyle tools to those who need it.”
Educators, parents and students can utilize the resources below:
The American Heart Association and the NFL are providing a free, digital game plan to deliver physical activity programming to students when they return to the classroom – wherever and however that may be. Go Noodle, Discovery Education and the NFL, are providing PLAY 60 inspired video content, classroom curriculum, family challenges and an interactive app that can keep kids active regardless of what format they are experiencing school this year. Rooted in science, the program prioritizes physical and mental wellness to help children have a better chance of a healthy adulthood.
Immerse your students in a series of dynamic virtual PLAY 60 inspired experiences that offer an exclusive behind-the-scenes pass to exciting state-of-the-art locations bringing critical topics to life and captivating students like never before. Standards-aligned companion activities encourage deeper student exploration into key themes for wherever learning is taking place. To access these free digital resources, visit https://aha-nflplay60.discoveryeducation.com/virtual-experiences.
Fuel Up to Play 60, the leading in-school health and wellness program empowers students and educators to work together to build healthier schools and create healthy, high achieving students. No matter where you are, school is looking a little different this year! We’re here to help and that’s why we’re introducing the Fuel Up to Play 60 Homeroom – a digital resource that is full of fun videos and learning activities to help kids discover more about things that matter to them like staying healthy, being mindful and pitching in to make the planet a greener place. Plus, it stars NFL players, dairy farmers and kids just like them in new and exciting content that is featured each week. To learn more, visit FuelUptoPlay60.com.
GoNoodle and the NFL are teaming up through the NFL PLAY 60 initiative, to Play With Purpose. Playing with Purpose means being a team player, practicing inclusivity, staying positive, and playing 60! We want to inspire kids to lead healthy lifestyles in the classroom and in their community. Through custom video content and the Play With Purpose playbook, kids will learn to lead an active lifestyle and build lasting friendships through movement and sportsmanship. Throughout our collaboration, we will introduce new activities within the playbook that both teachers and parents can use to get kids moving in a fun and interactive way such as creating an obstacle course at home, learning new exercises, and even a scavenger hunt. Whether it’s 60 minutes on the football field or 60 minutes using GoNoodle, our partnership will help kids improve their physical activity, confidence, and social skills while developing lifelong values, morals, and mental agility. Kids will score touchdowns both on and off the field by growing into their very best selves.
The NFL and Special Olympics continue to team up to provide athletes of all abilities opportunities to PLAY 60 through virtual exercise videos with a focus on Unified flag football. Despite delays of re-opening in-person sports events across the country due to the pandemic, the NFL, Special Olympics, and NFL clubs have found innovative ways to continue to provide PLAY 60 inspired resources to Special Olympics athletes across our country.
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About NFL PLAY 60:
NFL PLAY 60 is the League’s national youth health and wellness initiative to encourage kids to get physically active for at least 60 minutes a day. Since PLAY 60 launched in 2007, the NFL has committed more than $352 million to youth health and fitness through PLAY 60 programming, grants and media time for public service announcements. Over the past decade, the NFL has partnered with leading academic, scientific and nonprofit organizations, including the American Heart Association, National Dairy Council, Special Olympics, Shriners Hospitals for Children, St. Jude, and the United Way, to help children of all abilities lead healthier, active lives. The NFL and its clubs have supported programs in over 73,000 schools and constructed more than 265 youth fitness zones nationwide—giving more than 38 million children an opportunity to boost their physical activity levels. Research conducted by The Cooper Institute through its NFL PLAY 60 FitnessGram® Project revealed annual improvements in aerobic capacity and body mass index for students participating in NFL PLAY 60 programming when compared to schools not utilizing NFL PLAY 60 programs. The NFL and its partners are committed to continue the PLAY 60 movement for an active and healthier generation for years to come. For more information, please visit NFL.com/PLAY60.
About the American Heart Association:
The American Heart Association is a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. We are dedicated to ensuring equitable health in all communities. Through collaboration with numerous organizations, and powered by millions of volunteers, we fund innovative research, advocate for the public’s health and share lifesaving resources. The Dallas-based organization has been a leading source of health information for nearly a century. Connect with us on heart.org, Facebook, Twitter or by calling 1-800-AHA-USA1.
About Discovery Education:
Immerse your students in a series of dynamic virtual PLAY 60 inspired experiences that offer an exclusive behind-the-scenes pass to exciting state-of-the-art locations bringing critical topics to life and captivating students like never before. Standards-aligned companion activities encourage deeper student exploration into key themes for wherever learning is taking place. To access these free digital resources, visit https://aha-nflplay60.discoveryeducation.com/virtual-experiences.
About Fuel Up to Play 60:
Fuel Up to Play 60 is an in-school nutrition and physical activity program launched by National Football League (NFL) and National Dairy Council (NDC), which was founded by America’s dairy farmers, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Fuel Up to Play 60 is designed to engage and empower youth to take action for their own health by implementing long-term, positive changes for themselves and their schools. The program additionally encourages youth to consume nutrient-rich foods (low-fat and fat-free dairy, fruits, vegetables and whole grains) and achieve at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day. As a result of the program, 14 million students are making better food choices and 18 million are more physically active. Fuel Up to Play 60 is further supported by several health and nutrition organizations: Action for Healthy Kids, American Academy of Family Physicians, American Academy of Pediatrics, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Association/Foundation, National Hispanic Medical Association, National Medical Association and School Nutrition Association. Visit FuelUpToPlay60.com to learn more.
About GoNoodle:
GoNoodle is a media and technology company with a suite of active engagement products for kids and the adults who love them. Created by social-emotional learning experts, GoNoodle is dedicated to empowering next-generation humans and helping the grown-ups who love them positively charge every day with Good Energy. Used in millions of homes and four-out-of-five U.S. public elementary schools, GoNoodle’s interACTIVE content that can energize, focus, calm, or cheer up. To turn screen time into active time, convert any space to play space, and make every time the best time – there’s a GoNoodle for that – visit www.gonoodle.com to get started. Headquartered everywhere kids are.
About Special Olympics:
Founded in 1968, Special Olympics is a global movement to end discrimination against people with intellectual disabilities. We foster acceptance of all people through the power of sport and programming in education, health, and leadership. With more than six million athletes and Unified Sports partners in over 190 countries and territories and more than one million coaches and volunteers, Special Olympics delivers more than 30 Olympic-type sports and over 100,000 games and competitions every year. Engage with us on: Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn and our blog on Medium. Learn more at www.SpecialOlympics.org.
