When ‘Go Outside and Exercise’ Isn’t an Option: Designing Digital Routes to Movement for Children Facing Inequality

“Go outside and exercise” is often sensible advice. But for some children, it is not a realistic place to begin. The local park may feel unsafe. Organised sport may cost too much. Transport may be difficult, or anxiety may make joining an unfamiliar group feel overwhelming.

Before encouraging a child to be more active, we need to understand what is standing in their way. A digital route is not a proven answer, but, when shaped around a child’s circumstances, it may provide a manageable first step.

Start with the barrier, not the target

Physical activity supports children’s physical and mental health. The World Health Organization recommends that children and adolescents aged 5–17 years average at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity a day across the week. It also makes two important points: some activity is better than none, and every child needs a safe and fair opportunity to be active (World Health Organization, 2020).

Those opportunities are not shared equally. In Sport England’s 2024–25 Active Lives survey, 40% of children and young people with two or more characteristics of inequality met the Chief Medical Officers’ activity guideline, compared with 54% of those with none (Sport England, 2025a). This is not simply about motivation or willpower. Cost, neighbourhood safety, disability, caring responsibilities, confidence, culture and mental health can all affect whether movement feels possible.

A better opening question is not, “Why is this child not exercising?” but, “What would make moving a little easier this week?” That small change in language matters. It replaces blame with curiosity and makes room for a plan that fits the child’s actual life.

Design a digital route around the child

Screens are often discussed only as something that takes children away from physical activity. Sometimes they do. Yet a carefully chosen digital tool can also lower the first barrier to movement. A short dance video at home, a music playlist created together, a step challenge with a trusted friend, or a search for a free local activity may offer a starting point that feels familiar and less exposing.

We should be honest about the evidence. A 2024 systematic review and meta-analysis of eHealth interventions for children and adolescents found no conclusive evidence that they improve physical-activity outcomes. The authors also judged much of the evidence to be of low or very low certainty (Sequí-Domínguez et al., 2024). Digital support is therefore best seen as a possible doorway into movement, not a replacement for outdoor play, supportive relationships or community activities.

In practice, a digital route is more likely to be useful when it is:

• free to use, light on data and workable on a basic device;

• available without payment, an account, identity checks or unnecessary sharing of personal information;

• usable offline where possible, with a straightforward alternative for children who cannot rely on internet access; and

• adaptable to shared housing or limited private space, rather than assuming access to a quiet room, garden or equipment.

Build in safeguards and a non-digital alternative

Digital routes can create a new layer of exclusion when a child does not have a reliable device, affordable data, privacy or the confidence to use online resources safely. Technology should never become the price of entry to activity, information or support. Every digital offer needs a free and practical non-digital alternative. That might be a printed activity sheet, support from a familiar adult, a simple walking route or a welcoming local session with little pressure to perform.

The first goal does not need to be a perfect routine. It might be five minutes of movement at home, a short walk with someone familiar, or trying one new activity once. Enjoyment, confidence, competence and a sense of belonging can all shape whether a child wants to continue being active (Sport England, 2025b).

Parents and practitioners can make that first step more likely by:

• asking what makes movement difficult before offering a solution;

• agreeing one activity that feels safe, affordable and acceptable to the child; and

• reviewing what felt manageable, rather than treating a missed target as failure.

For some children, a digital prompt may help them begin. For others, the right route will be a walk with a trusted adult, a quieter session or practical help to remove a barrier. The point is not to put every child in front of another screen. It is to widen the routes into movement so that each child has a realistic option they can choose, enjoy and, over time, make their own.

References

Sequí-Domínguez, I., Cavero-Redondo, I., Álvarez-Bueno, C., López-Gil, J.F., Martínez-Vizcaíno, V. and Pascual-Morena, C. (2024) ‘Effectiveness of eHealth interventions promoting physical activity in children and adolescents: systematic review and meta-analysis’, Journal of Medical Internet Research, 26, e41649. Available at: https://doi.org/10.2196/41649

Sport England (2025a) Active Lives Children and Young People Survey: Academic Year 2024–25. Available at: https://www.sportengland.org/research-and-data/data/active-lives
Sport England (2025b) Physical literacy. Available at: https://www.sportengland.org/funds-and-campaigns/sport-england-strategy/physical-
literacy

World Health Organization (2020) WHO guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. Geneva: World Health Organization. Available at: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240015128

Author biography

John Ojo is a family physician, Education Mental Health Practitioner and Public Health Strategy Lead at Cradle of Wellbeing CIC. His work focuses on child and adolescent mental health, health inequalities and school-linked approaches to wellbeing. He is particularly interested in practical and inclusive ways to help young people build healthier lives.