McDonald’s, the official restaurant of the Olympic Games, is celebrating 100-days-out from the Games with a roll out of its Champions of Play program announced in the beginning of 2012. Created for 6—14 years old kids, the program is aimed to provide them with more information on healthy nutrition in a fun way.
Photo: a snapshot of the Champions of Play website
The Champions of Play program will allow nearly 200 kids from more than 34 countries to go t0 London and attend Olympic sporting events, meet athletes and experience the city. Moreover, kids will get a behind-the-scenes look at select venues, such as the Athletics stadium, Velodrome and BMX track. Lucky young consumers will also participate in chef demonstrations at the McDonald’s restaurant in the Main Media Center.
Dan Coudreaut, McDonald’s Executive Chef and Senior Director of Culinary Innovation will share with the kids his culinary expertise. Many of young participants will be able to try out their journalistic and share their vision of the Olympic Games with their hometown press.
The preview of Champions of Play Olympic Games Challenge is available starting today, while the website will launch on June 4. Kids will be able to participate in different online challenges as well as doing real-life activities of their own and logging those activities online. Olympians will star in some of virtual challenges like running around the world and pole vaulting to the moon.
Dr. Paul Gately, Carnegie Professor of Exercise and Obesity at Leeds Metropolitan University, managed the development of the content and activities featured on the Olympic website to make sure it is good for kids and help them develop skill, strength, flexibility and cardio.
In addition, today McDonald’s launches its Happy Meal Mascotathon in the UK. This program, also controlled by Gately, features Happy Meal activity toys to track energy use and a website where kids can move the Olympic and Paralympic mascots, Wenlock and Mandeville, across the country to arrive in London in time for the Games.