January always feels like a fresh start – and when it comes to family life, it’s the perfect moment to gently reset routines and get everyone moving a little more. Inspired by the spirit of the Government’s Let’s Move! Campaign (a new campaign supported by Sport England), we’re encouraging parents to find simple, fun and pressure‑free ways to help young children enjoy being active.

At Let’s Go, we know that movement doesn’t have to mean organised sport or strict fitness goals. It’s about play, laughter and shared experiences – whether that’s splashing in puddles, dancing around the living room or discovering a new active family attraction near you.

Why movement matters (especially in winter)

If winter feels like a harder time to keep children active, you’re not imagining it. Research shows that almost three in five parents expect their children’s activity levels to dip during the colder months, with wet weather and darker evenings making it trickier to get outside.

Health guidance recommends that children aim for around 60 minutes of physical activity a day, but many parents underestimate how much movement kids need – especially outside of school hours. The result? Winter can quietly become a season of less movement and more screen time.

The encouraging part is that activity doesn’t need to be intense or time-consuming. Campaigns like Let’s Move! highlight that even short bursts of movement – as little as 10 minutes at a time – can support children’s physical health, mood and concentration.

The key is weaving movement into everyday family life, rather than treating it as another thing to schedule.

Alongside this, the new School Sport Partnerships and Enrichment Framework will ensure all young people have equal access to high-quality sport and extracurricular activity. Sport England evidence shows that improved health from participation in sport and physical activity relieves pressure on the NHS through £10.5 billion a year in health and social care savings.

‘Let’s Move!’ aims to support different ways children can enjoy being active – from sport to play and everyday movement.

Joe Wicks, who got the nation moving during ‘PE With Joe’, backs the campaign following the success of his animated workout series Activate, which aims to make fitness fun for kids with short five-minute animated workouts.

He shares some top tips as part of the ‘Let’s Move!’ campaign to help families fit activity into their everyday life, including being a role model, exploring local activities and getting outside whatever the weather. (credit to Joe Wicks, The Body Coach)

1 Make movement fun indoors: Turn everyday tasks into games – race to tidy up, dance in the kitchen while dinner’s cooking, or try a quick online workout like ‘Activate’. Movement doesn’t need to look like ‘exercise’, it just needs to be fun!

2. Get outside, whatever the weather: A brisk game of tag or a trip to the park can warm everyone up and kids see it as play, not a chore. So wrap up and get out there!

3. Turn the school run into an adventure: Walk, scoot or cycle when you can. Make it playful – count dogs, race to lampposts, or invent your own challenges. It’s sneaky exercise that they’ll love.

4. Keep it relaxed and role model it: There’s so many different types of sport to try out, and remember that not every child loves competitive activities, and that’s OK! Try things like frisbee, swimming or cycling. Most importantly, show them how you enjoy being active – they’ll follow your lead.

5. Explore local activities: Look out for free or low-cost sessions and community events. A change of scene can spark new interests and keep things exciting.

‘Let’s Move!’ is being piloted in targeted areas of Sandwell, Lancashire, Essex and Bradford where inactivity levels and inequalities are greater than other parts of the country. These areas all receive funding from Sport England via their place partnership programme, to ensure those in greatest need can be active.

The campaign supports the Government’s Health Mission, which prioritises preventative health measures, including addressing physical inactivity. Sport England data also shows significant inequalities remain in activity levels, with Black (42%) and Asian (43%) children and young people, and those from the least affluent families (45%), still less likely to play sport or be physically active than the average across all ethnicities and affluence groups.

The attitudinal research was conducted by Censuswide between 22.10.2025 – 28.10.2025, with a sample of 2,519 parents and guardians of 7-11 year olds in England only.