More than 470,000 grade school students from all across Turkey had their classes outside yesterday for School is Outdoors Day organized by a non-profit and a detergent company encouraging children to "get dirty" in their ads.

Accompanied by their teachers, children engaged in outdoor activities for one day, along with their regular curriculum. The event aims to encourage children to shed their sedentary lifestyle as Turkey faces an alarming increase in childhood obesity.

Şule Serter, vice chair of the Active Life Association organizing the event, says 94 percent of boys and 85 percent of girls "do not take enough steps for a day" and grade school students spend less time than advised in activities for health.