Children need physical activity. It helps them develop strong muscles, bones and joints, have a healthy heart and lungs, maintain a suitable weight, and develop balance and flexibility. You don’t need the latest equipment to be active, you can build it into daily life. Here are a few activities you could do with your kids to keep them healthy and active.

1. Make an obstacle course. Use whatever you have around the back garden to make an obstacle course – ramps to walk along, a wheelbarrow to push, tables to crawl under – anything goes! Better still, get the kids to design it. You could do it at the local park too, or even make one inside the house if the weather is a bit average.
2. Play hopscotch, tag, ‘duck duck goose’ or skip. These are all such simple games but kids love them! There’s no cost involved and you don’t need a huge amount of space to play them. The other good thing is that they can be played anywhere!
3. Ride bikes, scooters or skateboards. These are great ways to develop fundamental skills of balance and coordination while also being physically active and having fun. Get the kids to make a course that they have to ride around, time them and challenge them to beat their previous time. A lot of kids are naturally competitive so making it into a race will keep them interested for longer.
4. Climb trees and walls. Climbing is a favourite pastime for a lot of people. It’s not only fun to climb trees, but it also helps children build strength and confidence. Sure, they might have the odd fall, but that’s not a bad thing as they’ll likely learn from it. Yes, be safe, but there’s no need to hold them back completely.
5. Put on some music and dance! The kids will love it if you join in with them, have a laugh and a whole lot of fun! You might feel silly but the memories you’ll be creating for your children will be so worth it. Not to mention the fact that you’ll be getting your heart rates up at the same time!

Getting out and about with your kids and keeping them active is important for their wellbeing and development. Just be sure to make it fun! You don’t want them thinking that physical activity is a chore or something to shy away from. Incorporate it into every day life and they won’t even realise they’re doing it.

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