Will you be my Coach?
Insight
Research has shown that nine out of ten British teachers (91%) say children are not playing enough sport outside school and therefore could be missing out on crucial skills that are vital to success in the modern workplace. Experts blame this on increased academic pressure as parents focus on helping children pass SAT's and other exams.
The report commissioned by Persil as part of its 'Be my Coach' initiative, reveals that three quarters of parents (73%) opt to spend time with their children on academic study over other activities such as sport. Unfortunately while parents recognise that sport can help kids stay healthy and combat obesity only 6% of parents are aware of the developmental benefits of playing sport, such as perseverance, fair play and communication skills.
Some findings
- 81% of teachers say that playing sport regularly gives children higher concentration levels in class
- Only two percent of parents play sport with their children every day and a quarter (25%) never play sport with their children at all if they can avoid it
- Half of teachers (49%) believe that it is equally important for cihldren to focus on playing sport as on academic study
- As well as being essential to children's development, sport is also an important part of family bonding. Most children (77%) say that playing sport with their parents makes them feel happy because they get to do something together as a family.
Concept
As a result of the research, Persil has created the 'Be my Coach' campaign to encourage parents to play sport with their children. Backed by World Cup footballer Steven Gerrard and Olympic gold medallist Dame Kelly Holmes, it explains the learning and development benefits of sport for children when mums and dads take an active role in playing with them. As part of the campaign, Persil has created family coaching packs that demonstrate a variety of simple games which are not only fun to play, but help children's development.
The Persil 'Be my Coach' campaign is completely unique in recognising that there are more than simple health benefits to playing sport. Its aim is to get parents more involved with playing sport with their kids by explaining the learning and development benefits for children when their parents take an active role in their sporting experience.
Communication
Persil is encouraging kids to ask their parents to 'Be my Coach' by giving away a family coaching kit free on special packs of Persil. The kit includes skill cards, developed by an expert panel, featuring a variety of simple games which are not only fun to play but help children's development; a skills ball for all the family to play with; a stopwatch and a DVD. Kelly Holmes and Steven Gerrard are both backing the 'Be my Coach' campaign as both believe that the life skills learnt through sport are essential when bringing up well rounded healthy children.
