Fitness fanatic Joe Wicks became a national treasure when he got our little ones doing PE With Joe during lockdown. Now The Body Coach is teaming up with popular CBeebies character Hey Duggee to teach children about the importance of exercise once more on YouTube.
Blending animation and live action, each instructional video is guided by Joe and two children, encouraging viewers to join them in themed exercise routines to earn a coveted Workout Badge - and animated pooch Hey Duggee and his squirrel friends join in, too! Here Joe, 36, reveals more…
How would you describe Workout Badges?
"The Workout Badges is a series of 13, five-minute videos starring me alongside two young kids, which are fun, entertaining, and interactive as I get thrown into this animated ‘Duggee world’. This is a great way of engaging kids in exercise."
How does it do that?
"Each episode has got a theme, so it could be to win the 'Running on the Spot' badge, or the 'Star Jump' badge. We all do the exercise together and, at the end of it, you get awarded with this little badge."
It’s aimed at very young kids isn’t it?
“Yes, It’s my mission to get pre-schoolers working out - I really think it can have an impact on their lives if they get into exercise at a very young age. It’s a great way of getting kids thinking about the connection between their bodies moving and how they feel. And it’s fun.”
Do you think exercise is good for kids physically and mentally?
"Oh yes. I think exercise is so good for children’s mental health. I’ve obviously done an amazing thing with PE with Joe but that started with older children whereas this show is targeting the two, three, four-year-old kids. Being a bit of a naughty kid myself, I realised from a young age that exercise just made me feel better and I felt like I could escape what was going on in my head. I think if I can use my story and my passion and energy to help other kids, that’s really what I’m most excited about."
Do your own children enjoy exercise? And why do kids love Hey Duggee?
"When my daughter Indie does a workout, her face lights up. She is going to be so happy to see me on screen with Hey Duggee. I think kids love Duggee because of his mannerisms and he way he barks, runs off and jumps back into screen. He’s a comical animal. And I think the animation is really simple; it’s bright and visual. Indie is mesmerised. She was obsessed with it as soon as she started watching it and when I told her I was doing this, she said: ‘Wow, do you know Duggee?’ I was like: ‘Yeah, we hung out!’"
The Workout Badges is available on The Body Coach TV on YouTube with new episodes every weekday from Sep 22 - Oct 8.
