82% want it, 61% avoid it: the confidence gap stopping families moving together
What happened
On 8 October 2026 the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport published new survey findings alongside the latest phase of its Let's Move! campaign. The headline numbers describe a gap. Some 82% of parents would like their family to be more active together. Yet 61% avoid activities altogether because they do not think they will be good at them, and 49% say they are not naturally 'sporty'. The new phase is called the New Moves Club. It is aimed at families with children aged 7 to 11, and its message is deliberately modest: it is not about being good at a sport, it is about joining in. A short film launches the campaign. It features EastEnders actress Charlie Brooks, who does not see herself as traditionally sporty but enjoys being active with her family, alongside fitness coach Joe Wicks. Together they met parents around the country trying activities they had never tried with their children - from basketball and cricket to yoga and hula hooping. The campaign builds activity up in 10-minute bursts, towards the NHS recommendation that children average at least 60 minutes of physical activity a day.
Why this matters
Most campaigns about children's activity talk to children. This one talks to parents, and it picks a specific obstacle: embarrassment. That is a more honest target than it first appears. The survey found 68% of parents say it is harder to encourage their children to be active if they are not active themselves. If a parent quietly avoids anything they might be bad at, the child learns that lesson too. The scale of the problem is real. NHS guidelines recommend children average at least 60 minutes of physical activity a day, and currently fewer than half of UK children reach that. What is interesting is what families say they actually get from moving together, and it is mostly not fitness. The research found more quality time together (53%), happier children (47%) and less screen time (45%). For the children themselves, the biggest motivator to be active with family was simply to have fun, named by 60%. Time is the other barrier: 40% of parents said a lack of time stops them taking part alongside their children. Hence the 10-minute framing. Ten minutes is a length of time almost anyone can find, and it sidesteps the need for a kit bag, a club or a Saturday morning.
What the evidence actually says
This is survey data from a government campaign, so a little care is warranted. The figures describe what parents say about themselves, which is useful for understanding barriers but is not the same as measured behaviour. The figures published were: 82% of parents would like their family to be more active together; 61% avoid activities because they do not think they will be good at them; 49% say they are not naturally sporty; 68% say it is harder to encourage their children if they are not active themselves; 40% cite lack of time. Benefits reported were more quality time (53%), happier children (47%) and less screen time (45%). Fun was the top motivator for children at 60%. The NHS recommendation of an average of at least 60 minutes a day for children is long-standing and independent of this campaign, as is the finding that fewer than half of UK children achieve it. Sports Minister Stephanie Peacock said children who get at least an hour of activity a day "are happier and healthier", and that the campaign is "celebrating having a go, and most importantly having fun". Charlie Brooks put the behavioural point more memorably: "Children don't care whether you're sporty or good at something; they just want you to join in with them." What the campaign does not claim is that 10 minutes is enough. It is presented as a way to build up towards 60 minutes, not a substitute for it.
Practical advice
If the confidence barrier sounds familiar, the research suggests the fix is lower than you think. Start with 10 minutes, not an hour. A kickabout after school, a walk round the block, or music on in the kitchen all count. The campaign is built on short bursts for exactly this reason. Pick something neither of you can do. If you are both bad at it, nobody is being judged. Hula hooping and yoga were in the campaign film for this reason. Let them see you be rubbish at it. The whole point of the 61% figure is that children are not grading you. They are watching whether you join in. Anchor it to something that already happens. After tea, before the bath, on the way back from school. New habits attached to old ones survive longer. Do not buy anything to start. Kit, clubs and memberships are useful later and are a common reason people never begin. Aim for fun rather than exercise. It was the top motivator for 60% of children. A game you both laugh at will be repeated. A workout will not. And if you have a health condition, or have not been active for a long time, build up gently and talk to your GP or pharmacist if you are unsure what is sensible for you.
What to know
New DCMS survey findings published on 8 October 2026 found 82% of parents want their family to be more active together, while 61% avoid activities because they fear they will not be good at them and 49% say they are not naturally sporty. Some 68% say it is harder to encourage their children if they are not active themselves, and 40% cite lack of time. Reported benefits of moving together were more quality time (53%), happier children (47%) and less screen time (45%); fun was the top motivator for children at 60%. The new Let's Move! phase, the New Moves Club, targets families with children aged 7 to 11 and builds activity in 10-minute bursts towards the NHS recommendation of an average of at least 60 minutes a day, which fewer than half of UK children currently achieve. The launch film features Charlie Brooks and Joe Wicks. Sources: Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, "Celebrity parents back Government campaign", 8 October 2026, https://www.gov.uk/government/news/celebrity-parents-back-government-campaign ; NHS, "Physical activity guidelines for children and young people", accessed 8 October 2026, https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/physical-activity-guidelines-children-and-young-people/ ; Department of Health and Social Care, "UK Chief Medical Officers' physical activity guidelines", accessed 8 October 2026, https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/physical-activity-guidelines-uk-chief-medical-officers-report This article is for general information and does not replace advice from a doctor, pharmacist or other qualified healthcare professional.
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