'It doesn't matter as long as they're moving': Sport NZ's plan to get Kiwi kids moving more

Eliza McCartney with Sport & Recreation Minister Grant Robertson at the launch. Photo / Photosport

It doesn't matter who, where or how, Kiwi kids just need to get moving more often, that's the simple message from Sport New Zealand.

And in a bid to achieve a more active childhood which would carry on to adulthood, a new strategy will be rolled out across New Zealand.

'Every Body Active', a new vision by Sport NZ was announced today aimed to inspire children to be more active, chief executive Peter Miskimmin said.

"I don't care whether it's skateboarding, swimming or riding a bike, kapa haka, it doesn't matter as long as they're moving.

"Really, we want all New Zealanders to be more active than they are - worldwide trends are falling and so are the benefits from all of that."

Sport NZ announced a $250 million first phase plan, as part of their wider 12-year strategy, to improve physical activity rates.

Sport NZ chief executive Peter Miskimmin. Photo / File

By working alongside community groups and schools to encourage young people to be more active in general, Sport NZ highlighted harrowing research.

It had uncovered 96 per cent of children aged 12 to 14 years had been active in the past week and were, on average, on the move for 12 hours a week.

However, by the time they reached age 18, only 73 per cent were active each week with the duration dropping to only 5.5 hours.

The organisation hoped to change the delivery of sport, play and active recreation but was narrowing down on 5- to 11-year-olds initially, Miskimmin said.

Sport and Recreation Minister Grant Robertson and Olympic pole vault bronze medalist Eliza McCartney were also at the announcement.

It was concerning how the numbers of people being active as they got older dropped but this action hoped to make significant change, Robertson said.

However, the new Sport NZ strategy would address those issues.

"It doesn't have to be a full-on competition, playing social basketball, indoor netball, those were the things I did when I stopped playing competitively.

"We've just got to be providing the opportunities [for children] and this is where the strategy sets us up to work with the sporting codes.

"The reality is our world has changed a bit, we don't have as much time as we used to so we've got to be really careful about making sure we include physical activity."