Odido launches collaboration with NOC*NSF
As part of its collaboration with NOC*NSF, Odido introduces a national day to encourage children to be more active and spend less time on their phones.
Within the partnership with NOC*NSF, Odido aims to raise awareness about children’s screen behavior and reduce screen time. We are so engaged with our smartphones that we sometimes forget to be active, even though physical activity is crucial for both mental and physical health. As a partner of TeamNL, Odido wants to change this and is introducing National Screen-Free Day. On this day, we put our screens aside for two hours and engage in sports together. Under the guidance of well-known TeamNL athletes, sports lessons are organized at primary schools. A dedicated website also provides tips for participating in National Screen-Free Day with friends, family, or classmates.
More screen time than sports
In the Netherlands, children are spending increasing amounts of time on screens such as smartphones, tablets, and television. Research by the Netherlands Youth Institute (NJI) shows that children between 7 and 12 years old spend an average of 3.5 hours per day in front of a screen, with at least 2.5 hours on a mobile device. More than 84% of children fill their free time with screens. Children and young people in the Netherlands therefore spend more of their free time on screens than on sports.
Excessive screen use affects children’s development and can influence the social and physical health of the next generation. It is essential that children spend enough time communicating with others and learning to listen, as this contributes to social skills and opportunities. Too much screen time can therefore impact both health and overall development.
National Sports Week
Screen-Free Day will be introduced during the National Sports Week organized by NOC*NSF (September 15–24). Odido aims to make Screen-Free Day an annual initiative during this National Sports Week.
Baukje ter Huurne, Chief Marketing Officer at NOC*NSF, says: “The goal of National Sports Week is to get as many people as possible moving and to introduce them to sport. In over 130 municipalities and more than 1,000 schools, everyone can participate in sports activities. This year’s theme is ‘Sport Gives You a Boost’. We fully support Screen-Free Day as an initiative from our partner Odido to get young people more active.”