Chalk play a hit with kids
A number of unique initiatives run in Dundalk schools were highlighted the Sport Ireland Annual report published this week.
The Louth Chalk Free Play programme, developed by the Louth Local Sports Partnership was designed to encourage primary school children in Louth to put down electronic devices, to get outside and to get active through physical activity based on chalk games.
As part of the programme all 17,659 primary school children in Louth , across 76 schools, received a resource including: a branded packaging tube, two sticks of playground chalk, a
Newspics games resource sheet and information on the YouTube channel.
In designing the programme, it emerged that primary school children use their electronic devices on a daily basis and YouTube is the main platform that they engage in.
Louth LSP engaged a media production company to develop 15 short videos to be uploaded onto the Louth LSP YouTube channel. The videos included a launch video, 13 instructional games videos and one viral video targeted at the parents to inform them that their children had received the resource.
The overall aim of the programme was to encourage children to get physically active in
Photo: Aidan Dullaghan/ an outdoor setting, and to encourage free play which helps to develop physical literacy.
Sports Ireland raised the LSP for the development of ‘a programme that will reduce sedentary behaviour in Primary School children, increase children’s imagination and the joy of free play and increase children’s ability to play without the use of electronic devices.’
The programme began in October 2018 and was launched in June 2019. The programme was a Healthy Ireland funded project, through the Louth Children’s and Young People’s Services Committee. Louth County Council, Louth Leader Partnership, Little Road productions and St. Francis National School in Blackrock.