KINDER+SPORT, MOVING PEOPLE

 
In 2015 the Kinder+Sport project reached its ten year anniversary. The aim of the project is to encourage physical activity to the young generations, inspiring children and young adults around the world to adopt active lifestyles from early childhood so that these become an integral part of their everyday life.

Kinder+Sport is continuing down its responsible path, in the knowledge that physical activity is an essential part of children's education and contributes significantly to their physical development and to preparing them for life as an individual and a member of tomorrow's society.

Kinder+Sport participated at the Expo Milano 2015 in collaboration with important institutional partners such as CONI, MIUR and Expo with a large scale architectural project entirely dedicated to physical activity. An area of 3,600m2 where children and their families had the opportunity to experience the fun of physical activity and live the Joy of Moving first hand.

The inspiring principle at the basis of the educational activities within the motor-ludic itinerary was the Joy of Moving method. This innovative educational method, based on game and movement and oriented towards the child’s development as a whole, is founded on precise objectives aimed to promote the motor, cognitive and social development to enhance their life skills.

The Joy of Moving method was developed with high profile institutional partners, experts in child development, following a three-year research project launched in 2012. It involved over 1,000 children, for a period of 3 years, from infant and primary schools. These children had the opportunity to engage in the targeted ludic-motor activities organized by Village+Sport in Alba, under the guidance of 18 graduates in motor sciences, trained by a scientific committee of experts.

The research experience has been integrated into the didactic manual for children’s motor activities, “Joy of Moving. Movement & Imagination.” by Caterina Pesce, Rosalba Marchetti, Anna Motta and Mario Bellucci.

1. Variability of the practice
By practicing these movement-based games, the children gain coordination, which is then strengthened by practicing outdoor activities at the weekends. Our method improves not only their ability to coordinate their movements properly, but also helps to create new and improved motor solutions, because it stimulates the mental requisites of motor creativity, which is also precious for school learning skills.
Stimulating the ability to coordinate movements also helps children to develop cognitive skills as well as social and personal life skills.

2. The implementation process
Although we aim to obtain results, we fell in love with the process, which underwent a detailed assessment. The weaknesses that emerged are the lack of involvement of parents as well as the synergies with the sectors responsible for creating the environmental conditions needed for a continuous interaction between spontaneous outdoor games, our Joy of Moving educational method in schools and introduction to sports.

3. Last, but not least… Joy of Moving
The smiles of the playing children, their drawings depicting the experiences and emotions felt when playing, the small victories over one’s limitations, all these thanks to the driving and aggregating force of our games. This side of the project cannot be expressed by statistical figures, but it has left an indelible memory in the minds of those who, having “taken part in the games”- children, teachers, parents, corporate and institutional representatives - have lived these experiences first hand and will transmit them by “contagion”.  
To give continuity and further enhance the educational format the Ferrero Group, MIUR and CONI signed a Protocol of intent in Rome, in December 2015, to promote the development of best practices in healthy lifestyle education in schools.  
In addition to the method, we have an important material legacy from Expo Milano 2015 represented by the “Restituzione” (Give back) project that will recycle the materials and equipment used to stage the Kinder+Sport area.