Milford Haven's Meads School SKIP project is helping combat sedentary lifestyles, and encourage physical learning

On Thursday (March 16), Rebecca Evans AM, minister for social services and public health, visited the Meads Infant and Nursery School in Milford Haven to see the impact of its innovative SKIP project.

Developed in America, SKIP (successful kinesthetic instruction for pre-schoolers) aims to get children moving and learning through play.

With children now spending more time in front of a TV - and less time running, skipping and jumping - many are not developing the core strength and co-ordination needed to complete everyday tasks, such as sitting up in class, or throwing and catching a ball.

The Meads was one of 100 schools to trial the innovative scheme, which has already helped youngsters improve their skills, confidence, and concentration in the classroom.

Teachers and parents have been trained how to deliver the program, with bags of play equipment handed out to parents.

Mum Gemma Mason said the bags were full of good ideas on how to keep her children active when not in school.

Praising the scheme, she said: "It works with the children at their level, helping them develop without pushing them too hard, and most importantly it's fun."

Nathan Fussell said his son Dylan's confidence had improved rapidly, and since taking part in SKIP Dylan had now joined a local junior football team.

He would like to see all children given this opportunity.

"The earlier they start the better the results will be," he said.

Sonja Groves, acting headteacher at the Meads, said the improvement in pupils' skills, and their physical wellbeing, had been "overwhelming".

She said parents and children were enthusiastic about taking part, and staff were working to include elements of SKIP across the curriculum.

"Getting children moving at this young age is vital for their long term health and for the health of the community," she said.

Dr Nalda Wainwright, director of the Wales Institute of Physical Literacy, who leads the project, said changes in society had created a "perfect storm" for sedentary behaviours.

"Modern technology, lack of green space, fear of strangers, a habit of driving, baby gadgets, coffee shop culture and screen time have all eroded time that would have been spent moving," she said.

“We are facing issues that we have never encountered before in our society."

She said children who were inactive could die five years earlier than their parents, with the bill to the NHS from associated health complaints estimated to be around £30 billion.

Rebecca Evans said the programme at the Meads aimed to give all children the opportunity to develop physical skills, as well as the confidence, motivation and opportunities to take part in sports and physical activity.

“We are committed to creating opportunities for children to develop healthy behaviours and I encourage all schools to develop innovate approaches to make physical activity part of the school day," she said.

SKIP is run by the Wales Institute of Physical Literacy, part of the University of Wales Trinity Saint David, and is part of the Welsh Government-funded Physical Literacy Programme for Schools.