10 ways to encourage children to get moving

1. Be a Role Model

First things first, being an active parent will naturally encourage your child to be active themselves. Plus, it means that you can take part in things together and encourage each other to stay active!

2. Look for Free Events

If you've with doing PE with Joe on You Tube now it is time get them outside with some inspiring free excerise. Events such as free running initiatives for children take place regularly all over the country. For example GO Run For Fun partners with primary schools to tackle inactivity in children, and encourages them to have fun whilst running. This is a great opportunity for children to meet new friends and enjoy themselves.

WHY NOT? Get your school involved and suggest they register the GO Run For Fun Health & Wellbeing Programme

3. Explore Nature

Getting into nature is a brilliant way to encourage kids to be active because it demands you to be active. Whether it’s taking a walk along the beach, looking for wildlife in the woodland, or paddling in the rivers, all these activities will help to get your child interested in the outdoors and encourage them to get active.

WHY NOT? Try Rock-Pooling... Here's our simple rules for children

4. Go Old School

Think about the games you used to play with friends and family when you were a child - what did you love to do? Keep things simple by organising a game of rounders, capture the flag, or block 123 for example. All these games require little equipment and can provide hours of fun for everyone.

READ MORE >> How to play the best traditional games

5. Peddle to the Metal

Around the UK, there are numerous cycle routes which are perfect for the family. Why not make a day of it? Rustle up a picnic and head out on the bikes. If you don’t have bikes don’t worry, there are lots of places where you can rent them out for the day, or even a few hours in an afternoon.

6. Organise a Scavenger Hunt

Hunts aren’t just for Easter! Hide little treats and clues around the garden for your child to find. You could also go to a local park and do this if you want to make it trickier. To up the stakes even more, you could set up a time limit to really get your child moving. Also, if the weather has taken a turn for the worse, this is an easy activity to move indoors.

SEARCH >> Find free printables and ideas online for a cool Scavenger hunt

7. Take the School Run - literally

If you live near enough to your child’s school, why not walk to school with them? Ditch the car and plan your route. This could set them up for the day, all before registration starts!

8. Design an Obstacle Course

Set up an obstacle course in the garden. This doesn’t have to be something complicated and expensive to create. Simply designate areas of your garden where your child has to complete small tasks such as three jumping jacks, moving on to the next zone where they have to spin round three times for example. Other zones could include crawling under an old duvet, throwing a ball into a bucket, or walking along a straight line taped to the ground.

WHY NOT? Try one of our 8 of the best garden games for sunny days

9. Encourage Playtime

Simple games like “the floor is lava” provide imaginative ways for your child to create their own way of exercise and have lots of fun along the way. Popular party games such as musical chairs and musical statues are a great way to keep the young ones amused. Plus, it will tire them out before bedtime… a win-win situation!

SHOP HERE >> Our pick of Stylish buys for outside play

10. Change the Channel

Watching sport as a family can not only increase the aspirations of your child when it comes their own sporting abilities but watching different types of activity on TV makes sport the norm. Whether it is curling in the winter Olympics, netball or javelin, it’s the perfect way to show children that there is a sport out there they are bound to love.