The summer holidays always seem to be so long but getting kids off their screens and out in the fresh air can get harder as the weeks go on. Whilst some kids are very outdoors based, many love gaming and gadgets and need a bit of encouragement to get outside or get active! these products and ideas should help get your kids physically active this summer!
As much as we like to think the whole of the British summer will be nice, we know the reality is that there will be a number of rainy days too. Not only that but those times of the day where it is just too hot to be outside can mean you want the kids inside more.
This doesn’t mean the kids have to be on tablets, games consoles and sitting with a drink and barely moving for hours! Hopefully, these ideas will help. Even if you resign yourself to not getting them physically active what about buying them books to read outside? This book subscription for kids looks amazing!
Alternatively what about a kid’s science box? The Curiosity box is perfect for kids aged 4-11. Full of activities it will keep them busy for days!
If the weather is nice then the best place to get kids physically active is outside. These ideas cost from a couple of quid upwards, and some are even less than that so it shouldn’t be hard to get the kids active this summer.
Nintendo Ring Adventure
Whilst this is of course not a screen-free activity and is done inside it is a very physical activity and perfect for children who like to be active. If the weather is rubbish and you don’t have space inside to run around this could be your saviour! Ring Adventure is available with the Nintendo Switch in a package or on its own if you already have the Switch console.
You could well end up spending time on it yourself and even using it to get fit! Check out this review and see what you think!
A pocket kite
A cheap, small and lightweight kite to have in your bag whenever you go out with the kids.
Catherine says “I would say age 5+ is ideal. They’re brilliant for when kids start to get a bit bored on a walk, and the challenge of getting it up in the air always gets them running around!”
Balloon Tennis
Whilst this one is better outside it can be done inside at a push! Balloons are so cheap too, but if you will be blowing up a few get a cheap balloon pump! It is one of the great suggestions in Georgina Durrant’s book 100 Ways your child can learn through play, perfect for those with additional needs.
Georgina shares that this is fantastic for children who are still developing their gross motor skills and hand-eye coordination. As the balloons are bigger and slower to fall through the air than a tennis ball it makes the game much more accessible as well as provides lots of giggles along the way!
A trampoline
Whilst admittedly this isn’t a cheap choice it is one the kids can share and will last well. It is easy to find many used ones on Facebook Marketplace too as parents want their gardens back when kids have grown out of them!
Jenny says this is perfect for keeping kids busy for hours so the money spent buys you hours of peace and keeping them physically active!
Chalks
A packet of chalks is literally a pound or two and perfect for keeping kids physically active and busy. Sarah says “Chalks to do murals on the outside of the house kept my kids entertained for ages in the first lockdown… afterwards you can just hose it off (unless they’ve gotten attached to it… then there’ll be rage!).”
A football
A simple football is easy but often overlooked buy that Becky reminded me of. A football can provide hours of entertainment from shooting goals, catching, dribbling around obstacles and much more all for a few pounds! Don’t forget to buy a cheap football pump too though to save tears later in the summer if the ball goes flat! If you have more to spend add a basic football goal too!
Balance boards
If you want an activity that can keep children active indoors or outdoors then the Capikooa balance board could be perfect! Whether your child uses it to balance and stand, pretend to be superman or uses it as a bridge to push cars under it is something they can play with for hours away from screens.
The boards are perfect for children of most ages and with three different varieties available there is something for everyone. The larger ones hold up to 200kg (over 30 stone) so perfect for adults to sneakily have fun on too! A great way to get your kids physically active whatever the weather.
Shake off and Pose off
These are two great games from Ideal perfect for kids aged 4+ to encourage them to keep moving!
Can they move more than their sibling? Don’t stand still and you stand a chance of winning! Check it out in good toy shops and in Smyths for £17.99.
When you want to have the kids stay still for a bit the Pose Off game is like a fun alternative to the favourite sleeping lions! One they will actually want to play! Check it out on John Adams with stockist details.
Ultraflyers Stunt planes
A cool activity that is cheap (2 planes for £8.99) and fun and perfect for kids of a variety of ages. They do state 4+ so younger children would need support and supervision but would probably still love watching them. Check them out here and buy them on Amazon.
A bucket
A great activity for children who are often easily bored on family walks or who like to take everything home that they find. A small bucket means they collect interesting items on a walk and take them home in the bucket, a great way of stopping kids trying to take home huge branches! Carla says you can even use the things you find to make something when you get home like a collage!
A set of water pistols
A family set of water pistols and a bucket of water can provide hours of fun and help to cool you down in the heat too. Be sure to ensure everyone wears waterproof sunscreen though so there are no burns. Cerys says from water fights to learning opportunities they provide so many ideas that all ages can enjoy like this water pistol painting idea.
A good clean washing up liquid bottle would also work well as a temporary water squirter too! Becka says not to underestimate the amount of running around they do whilst squirting each other!
A sprinkler
Whilst we often think of sprinklers as being for watering the plants we forget how much fun they are for kids too. There are specific children’s sprinklers available too! Sarah says it is one of her favourites when her garden needs watering on a hot day!
A slip and slide
For kids who enjoy water play a slip and slide is great fun and doesn’t cost too much. Helen says for extra fun buy some cheap washing up liquid to add to it! That sounds like such fun, don’t you think?
Whilst a paddling pool is great it takes time to fill and might not be as popular with older kids. Hollie says it definitely gets kids running around though so whether it be a slip n slide, paddling pool, water pistols or a sprinkler, water is definitely key to physical activity and getting the kids physically active I think!
Learning through play cards
If you find that you are constantly struggling for ideas to keep your children busy then these cards are fantastic. They are designed for 3 different age groups, babies from 6 months, 2+ and 4+ with activities that suit around up to age 7 on the 4+ cards, depending on the child’s abilities.
Some activities are great for outside and some for inside, many can be adapted for both!
Designed by a teacher with a lot of special needs experience you know the activities are secretly educational but also fun. I love this activity on the card below, looks such fun and definitely something Ben would have enjoyed! Check out the cards here.
Bubbles with or without a bubble machine
I love bubbles and so many kids do too, usually younger kids but you know what your children enjoy best. A pot of bubbles can be as cheap as about 50p and even if you want to buy a bubble machine they are a little more but will provide so much fun!
Gemma’s boys love chasing bubbles around the garden whereas Ben used to love trying to pop them all before they hit the floor! Whatever they do it keeps them moving and laughing!
Fruit picking
If you have kids that pull a face when you talk about going for a walk because it is “boring” why not take them to a fruit picking farm? It isn’t something I had thought of as a way to get the kids physically active but Vikki shared that they tot up a lot of steps when they go fruit picking and of course, you have a healthy snack at the end too!
Bikes and scooters
If your kids have bikes or scooters then make sure you get them out plenty of times. Check if they need adjusting since they last used them and that their bike helmet or knee pads still fit and there is so much fun to be had. Nita says don’t forget to go out as a family with them too and talk about your adventures afterwards.
Hula hoops
The number of things you can do with a hula hoop is pretty endless. It doesn’t have to be typical hula hooping if they struggle with that. They can spin it on their arms or use them to make an obstacle course. Kelly-Anne says remember you can use it to keep fit too.
Walkie Talkies
This is not an item I had thought of but Zena suggested it to me. She says “Maybe not the first thing you think of to keep kids active but they managed to cover a lot of ground making up missions, games and hiding out in the trees talking to each other over their radios”
Walkie talkies are pretty cheap and can provide hours of fun but make sure you buy plenty of batteries!
Let’s Go Nature Activity Cards
If you have kids that love nature but are always looking for something different to do these cards are perfect. With 52 ideas for less than a tenner, you can’t go wrong!
If you see people getting their kids to create pictures from sticks and love the idea but wonder why you didn’t think of it, this is why you need these cards! Preorder the cards here for when they are out at the beginning of August and you have started to run out of ideas!
Stomp rocket
Hilarious fun to see who can get the rocket highest and running or climbing to get the rocket when it lands. You do need a big garden for this one though as Tatiana reminded me! Stomp rockets are available in a huge variety of styles.
Pin this for later in the summer when you are struggling for ideas!
