By Dr Anna Chalkley, senior research fellow in school-based physical activity and knowledge exchange at the Faculty of Health Studies at the University of Bradford.
The summer holidays should be a time for adventures, imagination and making memories. But for many families, they can quickly become a battle over screens.
Recent research shows British children are on screens for five to seven hours a day with a large proportion of time spent on smartphones, social media and video streaming.
Meanwhile, physical activity levels are low, with only 49.1% of children meeting the physical activity guideline of 60 plus minutes of physical activity daily.
That matters because moving more helps children build confidence, develop important movement skills, make friends and support their physical and mental wellbeing.
It's easy for screens to become the default, especially when you're trying to juggle work, the weather or the cost of keeping children entertained.
The good news is that helping children be more active doesn't need expensive days out, sports clubs or lots of equipment. Many of the following activities are completely free and can happen in your garden, local park or even on your street.
Here are some ideas to get you started.
Younger children
1. Five muddy minutes
A garden, a park, a patch of woodland, or any safe outdoor space is the perfect place for five muddy minutes. Grab a few old pots, spoons or containers and let children mix, pour, dig and create with mud.
Every muddy moment helps little bodies build their natural defences, sparks imagination and fills little hearts with joy. Go on, make a mud pie and enjoy the smiles!
2. Turn a walk into an adventure
Walking doesn’t have to be boring. Try I-Spy, count dogs or birds, spot every colour of the rainbow or see who can find something beginning with each letter of the alphabet. Children walk much further when they’re busy playing!
3. On the right path
Use chalk to draw a path with fun movement challenges along the way. Hop five times, balance on one foot, do ten star jumps or walk backwards to the next square.
No chalk? Use sticks, leaves or small stones to make your own trail and get the whole family to follow it.
4. Hit the spot
Set up some empty targets (empty drinks bottles or toilet roll tubes work well) that you and your family can try to knock down.
Use soft objects like small stuffed toys, soft balls or rolled up socks and take it in turns to throw them at your targets. Move further away to make it trickier and invent your own points system.
5. Get stuck into 50 Things To Do
Looking for more ideas to keep little ones busy? Take a look at 50 Things to Do, a bucket list packed with fun, low or no cost activities to inspire play, curiosity and learning.
From blowing bubbles and making potions to getting creative and exploring outdoors, there’s something for every little adventurer. Pick an activity, give it a go and see where the fun takes you!
Tweens
1. Family challenge
If you already have a skipping rope, see how many skips everyone can do. No rope? Try hopping, jumping or balancing challenges instead.
Keep a score each week and celebrate everyone's progress. Also works for keepy-uppies and bat ‘n’ ball rallies. You could even have a prize for the winner.
2. City tours
Get your tween out and about in your nearest town or city. Visit a different park, nature reserve or part of your town. Follow a trail, spot interesting buildings or see how many different birds, trees or flowers you can find.
Sometimes simply exploring somewhere new makes being active much more exciting. Look out for free guided walking tours. Alternatively, there are apps you can download for your own walking tours or scavenger hunts.
3. Wonky Olympics
Turn your yard, garden or local park into an Olympic stadium. You don't need fancy equipment. Set up running races, standing long jumps, beanbag throws or obstacle courses using cushions, buckets or garden toys. The sillier the events, the more fun everyone has.
Teens
1. Try something new for free
There are loads of free taster sessions over the summer. Check out your local council and local leisure centre websites for information.
Curious about padel? Download the Playtomic app which regularly lists free “intro to padel” sessions. There are also national programmes like Barclays Free Park Tennis, and Junior Park Run.
2. Give them the lead
Teenagers are much more likely to join in if they help choose the activity. Let them plan a family walk, bike ride, kickabout, rounders game or a picnic somewhere nearby. Giving them ownership makes them more likely to take part.
3. If all else fails ... negotiate!
Teens are going to want to be on their screens. So, bargain with them. Encourage them to get active round the house and help out with jobs like washing the car, gardening and walking the dog for some screen time, pocket money or a treat.
The University of Bradford’s research is all about ideas that can change lives. They’ve teamed up with Bradford Council to host a free family fun day combining play with academic research on Tuesday 18 August at Peel Park in Bradford between 11am–3pm. More info here.