Ready to celebrate this Saturday?

If you plan to sit down this Saturday afternoon and flip through the channels on TV, expect one channel to be a little different. It may look a little darker than usual, and you may not be able to hear it very well.

That’s because this channel’s programming won’t be happening at all.

Kid-approved television powerhouse Nickelodeon is going dark this weekend as part of its annual Worldwide Day of Play on Saturday, September 23. As it has for the past seven years, Nick will cease programming from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. ET/PT as a signal to kids and families to get out and get active.

This year, the Worldwide Day of Play (WWDOP) will be the biggest celebration of active play in the initiative’s eight-year history.

Fifty partner organizations will join Nickelodeon, First Lady Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” campaign and the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition to host an entire day of physical activity at the Ellipse in Washington, D.C. this Saturday. Kids and families will participate in games, activities and more as part of this initiative to encourage healthy and active lifestyles.

More than 25 of Nickelodeon’s most popular stars will be in D.C. to take part in WWDOP events, including cast members and characters from iCarly, Victorious, True Jackson, VP; Big Time Rush; SpongeBob SquarePants; Dora the Explorer and more.

Let’s be real, if hula hooping with Dora the Explorer doesn’t get kids excited, nothing will!

Nickelodeon has always had an amazing platform to connect with kids on a personal level. Its shows’ characters are relatable and witty. Visually, the channel is bright, colorful and optimistic. It’s great to see this channel use multimedia for good with this important initiative.

On the surface, Nickelodeon may seem to be setting a short-lived example. The channel is only shutting out the lights for three hours, with programming continuing as usual after that. However, those three hours have been powerful enough to evolve into an eight-year initiative. Childhood obesity and inactivity are problems that will obviously take more work than spending an afternoon on our feet. The Worldwide Day of Play campaign takes small, effective steps to combat this problem. After all, SpongeBob’s pineapple wasn’t built in a day.

While not all of us can be at the event in D.C., the day is designed for us to participate at home with our families and friends. We’re already planning what activities we’ll be doing here in Florida. Bring on the sunscreen!

How will you celebrate the Worldwide Day of Play?