â˘Â World Athletics aims to engage 400,000 kids in athletic activity on Kidsâ Athletics Day 2023 to counter worrying global inactivity rates
â˘Â World Athletics targets the highest ever level of participation in Kids’ Athletics Day across the world
World Athletics is pleased to release a new âKidsâ Athletics Day at homeâ toolkit for children around the world who wish to take part in Kidsâ Athletics Day 2023.
The toolkit has been specially designed for children who may not have access to an organised Kidsâ Athletics Day activity but wish to join in the fun on 7 May. It provides all the basics to get moving including:
- Activity cards with instructions on how to stage an obstacle course, air bowling and âflying saucersâ
- A âDesign your own spikesâ template for kids to make their dream spikes
- An activity pyramid with different running, jumping and balancing challenges
The âKidsâ Athletics Day at homeâ toolkit can easily be printed off at home or at school so that kids can get active in their own backyards, with their friends, in the playground at school â or wherever they can practice sport safely.
The French and Spanish versions of the toolkit will be available shortly.
This new toolkit is being released as part of our wider Kidsâ Athletics Day celebrations. As announced on 7 April, World Athletics is inviting kids across the world to MOVE, PLAY, EXPLORE in celebration of Kidsâ Athletics Day 2023.
An annual celebration that takes place on 7 May, Kidsâ Athletics Day is a global day entirely dedicated to celebrating children and young people being active by participating in athletics.
Kidsâ Athletics Day is the cornerstone of World Athleticsâ Kidsâ Athletics programme â a free and exciting programme that uses the power of athletics to inspire children and young people, wherever they are, to be more active, develop their skills and confidence, and to connect with sport for life.
In order to achieve its ambitious goal of getting 400,000 children active on 7 May â the highest ever level of participation in Kids’ Athletics Day â World Athletics has launched a global Kidsâ Athletics Day Challenge to all of its Member Federations (MFs) and continental Area Associations.
The Member Federation with the best Kidsâ Athletics Day activation â measured by a combination of participation rates, social media engagement levels and overall innovation â will be awarded a prize including a US$10,000 one-off Kidsâ Athletics MF Challenge award to be used to promote and activate Kidsâ Athletics (or an equivalent youth activity) in their country.
In addition, the Area Association with the best participation rate, based on a cumulative score of the participating MFs in each Area using the same measures as the MF Challenge described above, and considering the activities undertaken by the Area to promote Kidsâ Athletics Day, will also be eligible for a US$10,000 one-off Kidsâ Athletics Area Challenge award to be used to promote and activate Kidsâ Athletics at an Area Championships*.
In order to assist clubs and Member Federations taking part in the celebrations, World Athletics has already made available a general toolkit that includes all the information required to celebrate Kidsâ Athletics Day 2023. This includes marketing assets and suggested activities and ways to bring Kidsâ Athletics to life in a celebration event.Â
The Kidsâ Athletics Day toolkit is available on our website.
GET INVOLVED ON SOCIAL MEDIA
World Athletics will be sharing photos of people, events and organisations across the world who have joined us to celebrate Kidsâ Athletics Day. We invite everyone taking part in the dayâs events, whether through a club or organisation, at school, or at home, to share images from their own celebrations using the hashtag #KidsAthleticsDay.
Our goal is to be as inclusive as possible, and to reach as many children as we can across the globe to get them moving!
*For an Area Association to be eligible, we ask that they submit a case study to show how they supported Kidsâ Athletics Day and/or showcase examples or activities organised by MFs in the area.