Fun ways to keep kids fit & healthy

So we’ve officially passed the half way mark of the school holidays (thank the lord) and I don’t know about you but we’ve seen waaaay more rain than sunshine in our neck of the woods.

Coupled with the fact I’ve been working from home throughout the break the kids have spent more time lolling on the sofa watching TV than is probably strictly healthy.

Despite the weather and my workload I’ve made a concerted effort to get out every day, not only for a change of scene but to get their blood pumping, their little hearts beating faster and a glow on their cheeks.

If like me you’ve also been worrying about a bit too much sofa time during the school holidays today I’m bringing you fun ways to keep kids fit and healthy without breaking the bank.

1. Go for a walk. An obvious one I know, but it never fails to amaze me just how many steps we can cover without actually venturing very far from home. They go forwards and back on themselves so many times, and find the simplest things – like the snapdragons in the flowerbed outside our flat – absolutely fascinating.

2. Visit the park. Again, like the walking, a lot of ground can be covered here. And better still, if you’re a stay-and-work-at-home mum like me you can get a bit of work done on your phone while they’re at it.

3. Invest in a skateboard. Skateboarding helps develop key muscles including hamstrings and it’s a great form of aerobic exercise. If you’re new to the game Skatehut has everything from kids and beginner skateboards for girls and boys to those for the more advanced, and if you’ve got a garden or outside space you can even buy your own ramps.

4. Get a trampoline. You’ll get hours of fun with one of these, especially if you’ve got kids like my nephews who rig a ladder up a tree in order to jump from the tree on to the trampoline and then into their paddling pool. (On second thoughts it’s probably best you don’t try this one at home!)

5. Fly a kite. Like the walking and the park, it’s surprising just how much running around is involved with flying a kite – both for you and for them!

6. Go swimming. Whether they’re six months old or six years old swimming is a great activity for all the family and better still leaves them sleeping like babies. Regular readers will know we’re ambassadors for Huggies Little Swimmers and we’ve been having all sorts of water fun from the paddling pool to the sea to the swimming pool. Here’s our latest vlog featuring everything we’ve been getting up to this summer!

7. Get gardening! You might think gardening is quite a sedentary activity but think again. Earlier this year we created a wildlife-friendly garden on our allotment, an activity which allowed the kids to dig soil, pour water, get their hands dirty and have lots of fun – leaving them absolutely exhausted!

Have you been worrying about your kids spending too much time indoors this summer? What do you do to help keep them fit and healthy? I’d love to hear your ideas!

This is a collaborative post.