More Australian children who are enrolled in outside of school hours care programs are set to benefit from the Australian Sports Commission’s successful Playing for Life Kit.

Minister for Employment Participation and Child Care, Kate Ellis visited St Pius X Catholic School in Adelaide recently to announce that the Playing for Life kit and staff training would be provided to 2,200 Outside School Hours Care services.

The Playing for Life kit is part of the Australian Government’s Active After-school Communities (AASC) program, which provides primary school-age children with access to free sport and other structured physical activity programs after school.

‘These kits will engage and motivate primary school aged children to participate in sport regardless of their level of ability,’ Ms Ellis said.

‘The kits have been particularly designed to engage traditionally non-active children in physical activities and to develop links between local community organisations and sporting and recreation clubs.’

‘We know that obesity affects far too many Australian children and it's important for us to be providing opportunities for them to develop a love of sport and physical activity.’

The 2,200 Outside School Hours Care services will also receive training for staff in delivering the program and a set of companion books.

The staff training will help Outside School Hours Care services deliver Playing for Life as a safe and enjoyable program for children across Australia and provide child care staff with new skills.

Minister for Sport, Mark Arbib said the AASC program provides children with the opportunity to participate in physical activity after school and hopefully gain the confidence to join a sporting club and develop their skills.

‘According to Australian Bureau of Statistic figures one in five Australian children are either overweight or obese,’ Senator Arbib said.

‘One million Australian children did not participate in any organised sport outside of school hours in 2009.’

‘The AASC program aims to help children to develop a love of sport that inspires them to join a local sporting club.’

The distribution of these kits will support the implementation of the Australian Government’s National Quality Standard for Early Childhood Education and Care, which will be implemented from January 2012.

The 2,200 new Playing for Life kits represent an Australian Government investment of more than $1.2 million, in addition to the $43.5 million already invested in the AASC program this year.