{"id":24329,"date":"2025-10-30T14:43:42","date_gmt":"2025-10-30T12:43:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/?p=24329"},"modified":"2025-10-30T14:45:42","modified_gmt":"2025-10-30T12:45:42","slug":"disney-africa-and-sporting-chance-foundation-celebrate-10-years-of-disney-healthy-happy-play","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/blog\/2025\/10\/30\/disney-africa-and-sporting-chance-foundation-celebrate-10-years-of-disney-healthy-happy-play\/","title":{"rendered":"Disney Africa And Sporting Chance Foundation Celebrate 10 Years Of Disney Healthy Happy Play"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong><em>Annual program, for grade 3 learners and their educators, provides fun and creative tools for leading a healthy and active lifestyle, using Disney characters and stories as inspiration<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong><em>Program has reached over 200 000 learners since 2016<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DisneyHealthyHappyPlay.png?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"239\" height=\"347\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DisneyHealthyHappyPlay.png?resize=239%2C347&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-24331\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DisneyHealthyHappyPlay.png?w=239&amp;ssl=1 239w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DisneyHealthyHappyPlay.png?resize=207%2C300&amp;ssl=1 207w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 239px) 100vw, 239px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>The Walt Disney Company Africa, together with long-time sports development partner Sporting Chance Foundation, celebrates a milestone in the 10 years of the <em>Disney Healthy Happy Play<\/em> program\u2013 reaching over 200 000 learners across South Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/SportingChance.png?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"113\" height=\"113\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/SportingChance.png?resize=113%2C113&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-24330\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Launched in 2016, <em>Disney Healthy Happy Play<\/em> was developed and is presented in partnership with the Sporting Chance Foundation. The annual program empowers under-resourced schools to embed physical education into their curriculums by providing fun and creative tools for educators and students using Disney characters and stories as inspiration for leading a healthy and active lifestyle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Since its inception, the program has reached 230 000 learners with teaching sessions across multiple provinces and up to 50 schools each year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAt Disney supporting the happiness and wellbeing of children is part of our social purpose, and we believe our brands, stories and characters are uniquely suited to partner with parents and caregivers to inspire families to make healthier choices and to make healthy living simple and fun,\u201d comments Christine Service, General Manager DTC and Media Networks &amp; General Manager, Sub-Saharan Africa. \u201cFor an incredible 10 years, our storytelling has been utilised to bring important physical and nutritional education to learners, all inspired by Sporting Chance\u2019s mission to inspire South African children to develop a lifelong passion for exercise and sport.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ongoing research in South Africa highlights the urgent need for structured physical activity in schools. <a href=\"https:\/\/view.comms.disney.com\/e\/953913\/eport-card-short-form-2022-pdf\/7vqkk\/975329680\/h\/zfza4QtFBsD4gylarB_RKGevKER9L_fND2PMjHzUWKA\">The recent Healthy Active Kids Report Card<\/a> provides a critical backdrop for the Disney Healthy Happy Play programme, noting that the country faces a growing inactivity epidemic. The program directly addresses this challenge by combining health education, active play installations, and long-term sustainability support for schools across the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Disney Healthy Happy Play | Celebrating 10 years  | Disney Africa\" width=\"750\" height=\"422\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/RqpAZyOmZUw?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Disney Healthy Happy Play is aimed at grade 3 learners and their educators and consists of 3 components:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>An Edu Module, brought to life with iconic characters focusing on the importance of physical activity, how to participate in sport and play, and their subsequent positive effects. Included in the module is a focus on balanced eating and nutrition.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Installation of the <em>Disney Healthy Happy Play<\/em> active play area which is a painted one hundred square-metre activity circuit that provides a valuable piece of indestructible equipment, empowering learner and educators for Physical Education sessions and assessments.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Music-filled, fun morning assemblies at the various schools, in which the importance of physical activity is communicated in a lively and entertaining format to teachers and learners.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Sporting Chance\u2019s prime objective is to provide opportunities for sporting achievement for as many children as possible \u2013 irrespective of race, gender or social class \u2013 by offering professional coaching within all community sectors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe <em>Disney Happy Healthy Play<\/em> programme supports under-resourced schools to advance their Physical Education practices by providing them with training and equipment and, most importantly, by monitoring their progress and providing mentorship,\u201d says Natalie Pollock, General Manager of Sporting Chance Foundation. \u201cWe are proud to have reached this milestone in our collaboration with Disney Africa, whose exciting&nbsp;and imaginative content brings the program, its engagement and interactivity to life.\u201d<br \/><br \/>To date, the Disney Healthy Happy Play programme has achieved remarkable milestones:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b50 under-resourced schools engaged across 5 provinces per year<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>230 000+ learners reached<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Hundreds of educators empowered and upskilled<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Hundreds of <em>Disney Healthy Happy Play<\/em> activations in Grade 3 classrooms<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>50 active play areas installed or refurbished, benefiting over 40,000 learners annually<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Full-time employment for 3 coaches and contractual employment for up to 20 coaches<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>As the 10<sup>th<\/sup> annual iteration continues, Disney Healthy Happy Play\u2019s mission remains clear: to inspire children and families, create active learning environments, and encourage lifelong healthy habits through sport and play.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Disney EMEA\u2019s Social Purpose<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>At The Walt Disney Company, we are committed to supporting the happiness and wellbeing of children.\u00a0 The partnership with Sporting Chance is an example of how our brands, stories and characters are uniquely suited to partner with parents and caregivers to make a difference to children\u2019s lives. For more information on our programmes and our long-standing charitable partnerships visit <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thewaltdisneycompany.eu\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.thewaltdisneycompany.eu\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">www.thewaltdisneycompany.eu<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">About The Walt Disney Company EMEA<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>The Walt Disney Company has been in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) for over 90 years and employs thousands across the region. Between Disneyland Paris and its other iconic brands, including Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, 20th Century Studios and ESPN, The Walt Disney Company EMEA entertains, informs and inspires millions of consumers in more than 130 countries through the power of unparalleled storytelling. Disney+, the company\u2019s direct-to-consumer streaming service, is currently available in 85 markets across EMEA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">About Sporting Chance<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Sporting Chance\u2019s prime objective is to provide opportunities for sporting achievement for as many children as possible \u2013 irrespective of race, gender or social class \u2013 by offering professional coaching within all community sectors. Based on the knowledge that the foundation for sporting ability is laid during the formative years, Sporting Chance advocates and implements various programmes for coaching school-age children. Sporting Chance\u2019s philosophy is to get children off the streets, or away from their computer games and TV\u2019s and instill in them, a love of sport. With disciplined, structured coaching that strikes a balance between sports, academics, and \u201cplay\u201d, Sporting Chance has developed some of South Africa\u2019s most promising sportspeople.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Annual program, for grade 3 learners and their educators, provides fun and creative tools for leading a healthy and active lifestyle, using Disney characters and stories as inspiration Program has reached over 200 000 learners since 2016 The Walt Disney Company Africa, together with long-time sports development partner Sporting Chance Foundation, celebrates a milestone in&hellip; <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/blog\/2025\/10\/30\/disney-africa-and-sporting-chance-foundation-celebrate-10-years-of-disney-healthy-happy-play\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Disney Africa And Sporting Chance Foundation Celebrate 10 Years Of Disney Healthy Happy Play<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":24332,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[123],"class_list":["post-24329","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-disney","entry"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DHHP_Milestone_Celebration.jpg?fit=450%2C300&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24329","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24329"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24329\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/24332"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24329"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24329"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24329"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}