First lady to help Nickelodeon’s play campaign

First lady Michelle Obama will symbolically pull the switch turning Nickelodeon and its sister networks off for three hours Saturday, part of its annual effort to encourage children to go out and play.

In a taped message, the first lady tells Nick viewers to “get ready to shut down your computers, put down your cell phones and turn off your TVs.” The tape will air at noon (Eastern time) Saturday. Nickelodeon, Nicktoons, Nick Jr. and TeenNick will then go off the air for the “Worldwide Day of Play.” Fans can’t simply switch to their computers; each network’s corresponding website will go dark, too.

Nick has contributed time for public service announcements for Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” campaign to combat childhood obesity, and is donating $50,000 to schools and community groups.