Nintendo supports for Walk to School Week

Nintendo is setting the pace this summer by pledging its support for Walk to School Week 2009. With the launch of the ‘Family Footsteps Challenge,’ Nintendo is putting the fun back into walking as families at a primary school in Newcastle use the forthcoming software, Walk With Me!, to step their way to a healthier lifestyle.

Selected families at Stockfields Avenue Primary School will be the first in the country to try Walk With Me! - Nintendo’s latest fitness game for the DS games console, which goes on general sale on June 5th.

Walk With Me! follows in the footsteps of the hugely successful Wii Fit and works on the handheld DS console. The new software measures your activity levels as you walk using two specially designed pedometers called Activity Meters which neatly fit in your pocket.

Walk With Me! encourages families to kick-start a healthier lifestyle by motivating them to put their best foot forward and get out and walk. Families can compete against one other to see who has walked the farthest and upload their scores onto the Nintendo website to compare their progress with players around the world.

The ‘Family Footsteps Challenge’ will see the pupils of Stocksfield Primary and their families trial the game for a month starting today with their results announced at the end of June.

Walk to School Week starts today and is an initiative run by national charity Living Streets who for the past 80 years has created safe, attractive and enjoyable streets where people want to walk.

The Walk to School Campaign encourages students and their families to incorporate physical activity in their daily routine, enjoying quality time together as well as teaching children with road safety and personal awareness skills. Fewer cars on our roads is not only good for the environment, but less traffic at the school gate can make it safer for pupils making their way to and from school.

Tony Armstrong, Chief Executive of Living Streets, said: “Living Streets is really excited about running another Walk to School week and hope this year will get even more children and families walking. Walking has so many benefits and we’re urging families to give it a go this week. We’re delighted to work in partnership with the Nintendo Family Footsteps challenge, which will help bring even more fun into walking and help families towards a healthier lifestyle.”

The Nintendo Family Footsteps Challenge will continue until the end of June when the family results will be announced.

For further information on the Nintendo Family Footsteps Challenge, Walk With Me or Living Streets, visit livingstreets.org.uk.