It’s no wonder that many children find the return to school after summer physically demanding. Research by UK Active has found that, on average, British school children lose 80 per cent of the fitness they build up during term time through “lazy” time off.
The summer holiday is a long stretch of time away from school and with many children only exercising during school time, it is essential that children keep their bodies and minds active during the break.
Our keep-fit tips
• Get the kids involved in a summer holiday camp/club. Enquire with your child’s school and see if they are running any sport programmes over the break.
• Get the whole family involved in activities such as walks, bike rides and outdoor games.
• Create a summer-holiday schedule and allocate at least 20 minutes a day to physical activity. Make it a habit!
• Visit an activity or outdoor adventure park – they’re all the rage and disguise exercise as a fun activity.
• Ensure that your children get a decent amount of sleep every night. Sleep is key for mental/physical wellbeing and promoting motivation.
• Plan active days out such as a trip to the beach, a walk in the park or exploring a local heritage site.
• Keep track of what your children are eating. It can be really easy over the summer holidays for children to eat more often than they would when they are at school.
• Limit screen time to a certain amount of time per day. Without certain limits and structure, it can be easy for children to spend hours in front of a screen.