Startwell Birmingham is an NHS approved programme based around 8 key characters and their messages to help early years settings, parents and health professionals create a healthier environment for children and families. Startwell wants children to eat well, be active and achieve more. February is National Heart Month, we want you to get your heart going ‘Boom, Boom, Boom’ with 180 Katie
7th February: Wear Red Day in line with National Heart Month 2025
Wear Red Day is a fundraising and awareness day to support children and adults born with congenital heart disease. It’s really easy to take part as all you need to do is wear something red. Why not take this opportunity to use 180 Katie to talk about the importance of a healthy heart and how to make the heart go Boom Boom Boom. It’s surprising how many children do not know where their heart is, so this is a great opportunity to talk about the heart and its role in our body. If you can get hold of a stethoscope and listen to their own hearts that will make it all the more exciting and real for them. Remember the need to do 180 minutes of activity daily to keep our hearts healthy. 180 Katie wants all walking early years children to achieve 180 minutes of physical activity every day – with 60 minutes of that being high intensity physical activity for our over 3’s and short sharp bursts of high intensity throughout the day for under 3’s… more is better!
So throughout February we want you to focus on high intensity physical activity in your setting – any exercises that get the heart beating fast, where children’s breathing rate increases and maybe looking a little more rosy in the face!
180 Katie wants you to complete the following high intensity activities throughout February:
High Energy Musical Statues:
Show children 180 Katie and explain that she wants their hearts to go Boom, Boom, Boom and ask them to feel theirs now. Then play some high tempo music and ask the children to move their bodies as much as possible, (don’t forget to be a good Suzy Startwell and role model the movements too) when the music stops ask them to stand still and each time make them aware of the changes which are happening in their bodies:
- ‘Place your hands on your chest – Can you feel your heart going boom boom boom like 180 Katie?’ That means your heart is having lots of fun.
180 Katie Calls
(Like ‘Simons Says’, Remember to be a good Suzy Startwell and role model the actions.)
180 Katie Calls: Fast Monkey Swings (Run around with arms up high swinging around the room nice and fast),
180 Katie Calls: High Bunny Hops (encourage children to bounce as high as they can),
180 Katie Calls: Fast Runs like a cheetah,
180 Katie Calls: Fast Crawling like a turtle (on hands and knees moving as quickly as possible),
180 Katie Calls: Fast Flying like a bird (arms out wide running around the room),
180 Katie Calls: Fast Gallop like a horse (encourage side stepping/ galloping off both legs),
180 Katie Calls: Leap like a Frog (encourage children to leap as far as possible)
180 Katie Calls: Fast Scurry like a Mouse
180 Katie Calls: Fast Swimming like a Fish
This is just one example but why not see if you can use ‘180 Katie Calls’ to get your children moving their bodies in a whole host of other ways:
180 Katie takes a trip to the beach, 180 Katie takes a trip to the shops, 180 Katie takes a trip to the circus, 180 Katie travels using different transport, 180 Katie visits the zoo
…..
Some physical activities can be mistaken for being high intensity, when actually they are moderate activity. Remember the following ‘F’s’ for High intensity activities are:
Fast paced, Full of energy, Fast heart, Fast breathing, Flushed face and always feel good = FUN
…..
Talk to the children about how high intensity physical activity makes our body feel…
- ‘Place your hands on your chest – who can feel their heart beating?’
- ‘Why is our heart beating faster?’
Answer: ‘The heart needs to pump all of our blood around our bodies to keep our muscles working well” “Our hearts are a muscle and we need to exercise it every day to keep it strong and healthy”
- ‘Who is breathing faster? Why do you think we are breathing faster?’
Answer: ‘Our bodies and muscles need oxygen’
- ‘Who is feeling a little warmer? Is anyone’s face a little pink?’
- “Let’s have a drink and hydrate our bodies”
