Activity Ideas

• Activities at Home

  A lot of family time is spent in our homes. It can be the place where we are most inactive and habits of sitting in front of the TV, games console or mobile phone can set in. 

  You can find ways to get the family moving even on rainy days. Try tapping into older children and teenagers competitive streak. You could have competitions to see who carries out the most bursts of activity each week. It might help stop the moans of  ‘I’m bored’.

  You could try;

  • Getting a couple of skipping ropes or a hula hoop.
  • Get an exercise DVD (charity shops / car boots often have them).
  • Find some exercises online you can do at home. NHS have a beginners aerobic workout which needs no special equipment.
  • Set up circuit training in the garden, or even in the house – star jumps in the hall or press-ups in front of the TV. Take it in turns to plan your exercise programme.
  • Family Danceathon. Turn on some favourite tunes and get breathless. Impress your children with your dancing (or not!!).

• Get Walking

  Walking is a great way to get active and become healthier for free. For fitness walk at a pace where you can still talk, but you’d be too out of breath to sing. It can be difficult to get young people enthusiastic about a walk so you might have to get creative.

  You could;

  • • Try a scavenger hunt. Aim to find 5 or 10 different items like a feather, grass, tree, flower, brown leaf, tree bark, a brown stone and a green leaf. Race to be the first one to get everything.
    • Make a new family resolution that you walk whenever it is possible – to school, to the shops, or to a friend’s houses. You could use money saved from bus fares / petrol for a family treat.
    • Get competitive. Count your steps – many phones now count your steps for you, or a pedometer can be bought quite cheaply. You could have a family score board of who takes the most steps over a week.
    • Join up with friends and family. Being active in as a group can be much more fun for children and young people, and you can catch up with friends and family too.

• Geocaching

  Geocaching takes going for a walk to a new level and includes tech too!

  Geocaching is an exciting outdoor adventure for the whole family. It’s a treasure hunt for the digital generation, where you can enjoy the freedom of being outside and discovering new places. 

• Junior Park Run

  Park Runs take place all over the country including Norfolk. They are organised runs held at weekends for all abilities – absolute beginners are welcome.

  They are free and the junior runs happen alongside the adult one so you can get involved too.

• National Citizen Service

  National Citizen Service is a nationally run programme for 15 – 19 year olds. It involves socialising & physical activity, as well as volunteering. It gives the opportunity to meet with other young people and stay away from home on a residential trip.

  It has a small cost but for low income families it is free.

• Clubs and Group Activities

  Don’t forget after school activity clubs and sports activities might be available for your child too. 

  Check out Every Move Activity Finder to find out what is happening near you. There may be other groups, such as, Scouts or Guides nearby that your child may enjoy too.