Active Play

Being as active as you can in all aspects of daily life is a great way to stay fit and healthy for both adults and children. Children need to be active to maintain a healthy weight, strong bones and good muscle strength. However, as not all children enjoy competitive or organised sports, it is important that you help and encourage your children to be active in other ways.

Here are a few simple suggestions to encourage your children to be more physically active:

• Park the car a little further away from the shops and walk with your children. Alternatively, leave the car at home and walk instead. When you get to the shops take the stairs instead of the escalator.
• Take regular family weekend walks in the bush, the park or by a local river, and / or set aside time at least once a week to go for a family walk before dinner.
• Play outside on bikes, running around, climbing trees and playing with the dog. Encourage your children to take the dog for a walk every day.
• Have a picnic and take a bat and ball, frisbee, kite or a cricket set with you and play a game with your children. Invite some friends to make it even more fun.
• Enrol your children in a dance class that appeals to them such as ballet, tap, hip hop, or jazz. The variety is endless.
• Help your children learn a new active skill such as hula hooping, golf, bowling or badminton.
• Get involved in the school working bee and make sure your children come too.
• Start a veggie patch and get the whole family working in the garden. Young children love to plant, nurture, pick and then help cook their own veggies.
• Go camping for your family holiday or a weekend away and have family fun and quality time together in the great outdoors.
• Set up soccer goals in the garden and let the kids kick a ball around