The weather is turning colder, the nights are drawing in, and the clocks are going back.
With the new school year well underway and the temperatures dropping, it’s easy for exercise to take a back-seat.
However – it’s really important for children to stay active all year round. Children need at least 60 minutes of exercise every single day to stay healthy. Despite this, just 18% of children in the UK hit this milestone.
Ensure that your children get the exercise they need this autumn and winter, with help from our top exercise tips and ideas for the colder months.
1. 10 Minute Shake Up Games
Earlier this year, Public Health England, Sport England and Disney launched their new Change4Life 10 Minute Shake Up campaign – and we think it’s a fantastic way of getting younger children active this autumn and winter.
As part of the campaign, they’ve developed dozens of ‘10 Minute Shake Up’ Games – featuring virtually every popular Disney and Pixar character from all their biggest films, including Toy Story, Lion King, Frozen and The Incredibles.
The shake ups include a wide range of indoor and outdoor games for every occasion – so you can get kids moving whether they are in the garden, at the park, in the pool or inside! Games are just 10 minutes long, so you can fit them around your day – they’re great boredom busters.
You’ll find a full list of games and ideas here.
2. Go Swimming
Swimming is an ideal exercise for children of all ages – and because it’s not weather dependent, it’s perfect for the colder months. It’s an excellent form of low-impact cardiovascular exercise, providing aerobic exercise for the whole body.
An hour of leisurely swimming or playing in the water burns hundreds of calories – without putting pressure on any particular muscle groups.
3. Get on your bike
Cycling is a great activity for dry autumn and winter weekends. Getting out on a bike isn’t just fantastic exercise for the whole family – it can also help to lay the foundations for an active life.
Children who have the confidence and ability to cycle safely on Britain’s busy roads are much more likely to continue biking into adulthood.
4. Host a Dance Party
Young children love to dance, and it’s great exercise as well! On rainy days and evenings, hosting a dance party for your children and their friends is a great way to get everyone moving. An hour of dancing can burn 400 calories or more.
It’s really easy as well. Clear a space and put on some high energy tunes. To make it even more fun, you could have a dance off or competition.
5. Try Exergaming
Prying a child away from the screen to exercise can be a real challenge. Why not combine the two?
Used in moderation, active video games are a great way to keep fit. In 2019. there are more options than ever before, with age appropriate options for every platform. From dancing and fitness, to boxing and Ninja, these games are a fantastic tool for parents to encourage activity. The new generation of VR games are perfect – many provide a full body workout.
6. Embrace the season
Make the most of the seasons with some Autumnal and Winter inspired activities. It could be as simple as visiting an orchard/picking fruits, or visiting the woods and kicking around in the fallen leaves for an hour.
When winter arrives, wrap up and embrace the weather. If it does snow, make the most of it – sledging, building a snowman/igloo or having a snowball fight (carefully) are great ways to get active. Ice skating is another fun, winter-themed activity that’s great for getting kids moving.
Getting Active in Autumn – Kids Takeover and First Step Wild Camps
Looking for a way to keep your children entertained, safe and active during the school holidays?
Why not book them onto a Kids Takeover or First Step Wild Camp?
At Kids Takeover, every day is jam-packed with a varied programme of fun sports, dance and activities that are perfect for all children between 5 – 12 years old. With a range of activities running throughout the day, there really is something for everyone to enjoy.
Over at First Step Wild, kids are let loose, working scientifically to connect with nature, learning about local wildlife and conservation and getting active – it’s the perfect way to get children outdoors!
