Children can take fun ‘to infinity and beyond’ by signing up at their local pharmacy to get a free Change4Life Disney activity pack to help get them active this summer.

The 10 minute shake up campaign uses Disney characters to inspire children this summer to get active for at least 10 minutes at a time several times a day.

Children with their parents can sign up for their free packs at local pharmacies across Cambridgeshire from Tuesday (July 21). They can go online and order a pack too at www.nhs.uk/10-minute-shake-up.

Cambridgeshire County Council’s public health team will also be at the Parklife event at Milton Country Park on Sunday (July 19) where people can also sign up for a pack.

Children can team up by joining their favourite Disney Teams: Toy Story, Frozen, Monsters and Big Hero 6 and help their team win by doing as many Shake Ups as they can every day.

The packs include a 10 minute shake-up team wristband with timer, a Disney team poster and stickers, activity cards, Wild cards, and a very special team move to practice.

The campaign comes at a time when health experts are concerned about levels of physical activity and how it is contributing to higher levels of obesity in children.

In England, 79 per cent of boys and 84 per cent of girls aged five to 15 do not meet the current physical activity recommendations of 60 minutes each day.

Across the country, one third of children are overweight, with 79 per cent of parents with an overweight child not recognising that they are, and of those that do, 41 per cent do not realise that it is a health risk.

This year’s campaign also coincides with new research by British Heart Foundation researchers from the University of Oxford and Loughborough University. This shows the real benefits physical activity has on children physically, socially and on their emotional development. The evidence shows that physical activity and taking part in sports can increase confidence and friendships.

Val Thomas, consultant in public health at Cambridgeshire County Council, said: “This is a fun campaign and the packs are a brilliant way to inspire children to do 10 minute shake-ups throughout the summer. There is a serious message as well with around 16 per cent of children overweight or obese in the county. There are real benefits from exercise too in terms of tackling the obesity, developing greater confidence and helping to develop stronger friendships. Regular physical activity like the 10 minute shake ups can set children up for a healthier life.”