SPORTING schools program will extend its reach to get children more active within the Wide Bay.

Wide Bay member Llew O'Brien urged all local schools within the electorate to apply for the Coalition's $200 million sporting schools program.

"An early connection with sport can positively influence participation and encourage a lifelong love of sport and physical activity,” he said.

Time and expense can often be barriers to sport participation, but the sporting schools program will enable children to sample and experience sport with no cost or time commitment expected of parents, he said.

"Improved access to sporting opportunities for all children gives them the chance to try a lot of different sports and you never know which one is going to grab their interest, Mr O'Brien said.

Statistics show more than 80 per cent of children were not getting enough physical activity and 27 per cent of children aged 5 to 17 were overweight or obese.

The program is provided free to children and families, is underpinned by quality assurance of sporting coaches and is now available in secondary schools as well as primary.

Almost 80 per cent of Australian schools have registered for the program which is in partnership with more than 30 different national sporting organisations to deliver sport before, during and after school hours.

In the 2018 Federal Budget the Government committed an additional $41.7 million to extend the Sporting Schools program until the end of 2019 to encourage more Australians to be more active.