Ideas for increasing 11 year olds fitness over the summer holidays when I am lazy

[Littlebittiredoflife]

As a family we love hanging out at home, doing things like playing Lego and reading. Summer holidays are always an excuse to dial down the rushing about but it always translates to many lazy days at home which I love. However I'm noticing my 11 yr old isn't as fit as their peers by quite a stretch so I wondered if anyone has some ideas for getting active over the summer that wouldn't feel like too much of chore. They do extra curricular activities, twice a week it is something quite active. However they used to do activities 3-4 times a week and obviously in summer there is no twice a week P.E. Even at the park they prefer to bring a book to read.

I do really struggle getting out of the house even by myself let alone with two children in tow- youngest is quite a bit younger and quite a bit fitter so can keep up with the older one. This often translates to rushing about and using the car more often than I would like to get to places or just staying at home and we have no garden so it feels like to get active we need to get up and ready and take drinks, snacks, spare clothes for youngest etc so it feels more of a mission. Would love to hear some ideas and work out how we can implement them over the summer!

Can you borrow a dog and take it for long walks? Trips to the beach or a country park? If you sell it as the dog needing the walk maybe the children would buy into it.

Also, what about taking a bus somewhere to run errands or have a picnic or whatever and walking back?

I'm feeling fairly overwhelmed with all the ideas, but I think I'll start with making sure the bags are packed and walking to both of the usual activities, once a week over the summer there is an extra activity too so we will plan to walk to that. Then I think the 15 minute walk (and 15 backs) to somewhere from home each of the other days. But already I'm thinking we'll what if we do want to stay out longer then I'll need to pack a bag etc. It's all the overthinking and feeling overwhelmed about going out that makes it hardest.

With the running errands, I'm always trying to combine them so we can have some days at home, for example we'll do park and library on the same day as they are on the same direction and then that saves us having to go out another time. So I guess I was looking for things we could do at home, dance parties are an idea but I can't face Joe Wickes as I do feel it'll trigger me back to lockdown and I'll feel even more hopeless. We could try someone else though!

Dog idea would be good except the anxiety I would feel over having the responsibility for someone's beloved pet would be far too great. I might see if we can join a friend for walks instead!

Do you have rucksacks - pack a couple of bottles of water and a packed lunch - you can then stay out all day. Where’s your nearest park or woodland - make a nature challenge as to who can spot different trees or landmarks - a thatched roof, a stile, a birds nest etc.
Make it a holiday challenge as to which day you do the most steps.

How about having a summer challenge to try a different activity every day? Do you have any outdoor space at all? Even a little bit helps. Might help him find something he likes. Stars for those that can be done at home. You could do:

HIIT Joe Wicks *
Swimming
Park Run
Skipping *
Trampolining
Going on a walk
Cosmic Kids Yoga *
Just Dance *
Kitchen Disco *
Cycling
Bowling
Climbing
Badminton
Basketball (shoot hoops, don't need much outdoor space for that, or could get an indoor version)
Running up and down the stairs *
Kickboxing youtube video *
Rollerskating (DS does this inside, YMMV)
Martial art
Weights
Circuit Training (some parks have a circuit)
Football (kick about with siblings or friends)
Play catch with siblings/friends *
Hopscotch *
Fly a kite
Play volleyball
Garden games (supermarkets sell them at this time of year and you could do some in the park)
Table tennis *

So I've realised over the holidays there's about three days a week where we already have an activity planned or something we can walk to and two days a week at a holiday club which we will walk too (except the week we are away). I need to make sure we don't use the car for any of it but sometimes I do feel it makes things harder to have to walk there when it takes half an hour to walk or 5 mins to drive.

I suppose we should be aiming for something every day to improve fitness and this is why they aren't as fit as their peers because most people are doing at least an hour a day? Or could it be that weight is what is affecting fitness and I need to focus on food more? Most meals offered are balanced but with a big appetite and dessert every day must be too much as like pp they are a bit overweight.

Just walking to an activity instead of driving isn’t going to be very interesting or fun. Why not go out for a walk for a whole day with a picnic lunch. An hour a day of exercise for anyone isn’t very much

That sounds like a good start.

You're doing the right thing by recognising the problem.

You sound anxious & overwhelmed yourself. There could be huge mental & physical benefits for you as well in this. Do you have any RL support to help? If you were my friend or kid in our class then I'd happily join you and show you some local walk routes etc. Do your 11yo friends do things you could join in with?

I think trying out a few sports may be a good idea, some sort of martial art is usually a bit fun. DD loves cosmic kids yoga, she’s an active sort of person though (opposite to me tbh). Trampolining is fun without realising how much you are doing.

It is harder to get started if you are a overweight tbh, everything is harder (speaking from experience). My DD is an extremely active child but it took her a while after breaking her leg to get her fitness up because she was so immobile for a bit, I think it felt like starting from scratch. She had also gained some weight which made it harder. So I actually think a half an hour walk is a good start rather then chucking them in the deep end if they aren’t that active usually.

You could also get them cooking, pick some healthy high protein meals etc and get them in the kitchen with you.

I think it sounds like a lifestyle overhaul rather than a short sharp shock. I’m a lazy bugger who is overweight so I started mine on having some sort of exercise for an hour 5 days a week as soon as they were old enough for clubs to take them. I wanted to build the habit of movement into their day asap as it is so hard to try to introduce later.

The activity planned is the goal and the fun bit- potentially they could scoot or bike to some of these activities which would make it more fun. They did used to activities for an hour four days a week, but cut to two as they'd done one activity for about four years and they didn't enjoy it anymore. They've picked up another activity in it's place but it's not as active.

Do you have a toy library near you? Don't discount them because your DC is 11 - they are often a great source of activity equipment. We used to borrow balance stones, balance beams, indoor trampolines, wobble boards, a ping pong game that attached to doorframes, 'sports day' equipment like sack race sacks and all sorts of other things that can be used indoors on days you can't get out.

Games like Ultra Dash (don't know if you can still buy this?) and Tap It are also good for rainy days at home.

You need to take them out every day. There should never be one day in the summer holidays where young kids are inside all day. As you don't have a garden you just have to take them out. Don't overthink the stuff you need to take with you. But of course your kids will be unfit if they sit in their house all day.

One day a week at home is for my sanity. I appreciate all those saying it's easy to get out, it's not for me and is not not my lived reality at all. It takes a lot a stress and cajoling to get them out, especially if they've started playing, this is mainly why I set a day a week at home for us both not to have this stress and they can fully get into playing without getting ready. However we are going to try some movement at home like a dance party or just walking out the door in whatever we are wearing at the end of the day 15 mins there 15 mins back. I appreciate it isn't enough but I will never do it if we start too much without building up to it and starting is better than not trying at all.

DH is really active but DD and I are a lot less so.

What only works for us is going somewhere when there is something exciting at the end or anything to do on the walk. Walking or even running for the sake of putting a foot in front of the other is a big no for me. So things like parkrun or C25K are pointless in my eyes.
Swimming never works as DD finds lane swimming boring but would happy in a waterpark, it's such a difference when we are on holiday compared to a leisure center pool here.

NT places are great and often the estates are either free or a reduced entry fee if you aren't interested in the houses. Plenty have now really good playgrounds or trails.
Zoos etc are automatic walking, yes, you are standing a lot as well but it's about getting off the bum and away from the book (which I am absolute guilty as well for).

Do you have any larger country parks you can go for a day? Bring a picnic and books and then schedule a larger break to combine reading with walking.

Walk to shops, libraries.

If you have the budget, have a couple of outings, invite a friend and go to things like Ninja Warriors, trampoline places, climbing walls.

I would say my DD12 was inherently lazy and will sit on her phone all day until 6pm and then ask what are we doing today. ( given the chance ) Over the years she has been in a couple of different classes like dance but finding activities she would do has been like pulling teeth. Fortunately she tried horse riding and loved that and is now at the stage where she can help at the yard. She’s now out at weekends between 10am and 7.30pm working essentially and will often ride twice in one day ( she gets a free ride in the afternoon ). She will do this on Sunday too given the chance. The other activity is a swimming lesson which fortunately she has a couple of friends at so although she complains about it she still goes to.

In your situation I might set up a summer holiday challenge - you could even print off a page with different tasks and have a reward for crossing them all off. I think build the exercise in is key and if they prefer riding bikes or scooters to walking I’d lean into that. Looking for certain plants / animals / fossils / shells / stones would make any walk more interesting for DD. Our local common has free bat walks in the evening. Geocaching is also fun. ( this is a treasure hunt where you navigate using coordinates on a phone and clues. You could also hide your own geocache ). There could be activities not far away that may be a bit under the radar like Padel tennis, water based activities like kayaking or SUP, or just lake swimming ). Good luck with the summer - I hope you uncover some interesting activities.

Could you do PE with Joe from Covid times together every day? It's on YouTube

then that saves us having to go out another time.

I think that’s the crux. You seem to enjoy spending a lot of time at home so that’s what your children are used to, and you’re still looking at things from the view of not needing to go out again, saving one day to be in.

I’d rethink that. It’ll be an adjustment period for you all but it’ll be short if you stick to it.

We go out twice a day, unless we’re at a full day thing. We’d only ever be in the house all day if everyone was horrifically ill. It takes some prep but it becomes second nature quickly. It’s good to be outside in the air; and exploring.

Your eldest is 11, even if the younger is 2, getting them out shouldn’t be overwhelming.

Swimming, trampoline park, ninja warrior, inflatable park, clip n climb, horse riding, bike riding, daily walk to discover new footpaths, online exercise class, tennis at a local park - research which have courts, mini golf/indoor golf, water sports course eh sailing or paddle boarding, sign them up to some activity camps, visit the seaside and play on the beach - lots of different things to do that are fun but don't shout 'exercise'.

You seem anxious about going out. Perhaps look to address this and the rest will fall into place?

OP - you asked about geocaching. We started when my DCs were about 7&9. Found it really good. We were lucky that we had lots local to us, but if you don't, you could drive to an area with a few and then get out and walk a bit.
https://www.geocaching.com/play explains it all. You can use their app, but I preferred the c:geo one.

We're not an active family either. I have a bad back, so can't walk for mikes or carry heavy bags. We did try to get out when the kids were young though.

We used to drive to different parks - different ones were good for different things. So a great play area for older kids, a cycle track, a big lake to walk round, good paths for scooters etc. So we'd visit those in rotation. I'd keep spare clothes, drinks snacks etc in the car, so I didn't need to carry everything. Areas good for bikes were good if I could sit on a bench a the kids cycle round paths where I could still see them.

We loved National Trust type places. Children's trails were good. Kids lived charging round the gardens and little paths so barely noticed they were exercising.

Local walks to collect things for craft activities - leaves, conkers etc

I am absolutely not anxious but I just love curling up with a book in my own room I lovingly decorated or sitting outside in the garden.

I don't mind going out if there is something specific to see or do but just to go for a walk seems pointless to me.

I have friends who run, go to the gym or are going on family walks each weekend. I could equally say they are too anxious to sit down and relax with a book.

just from my own experience I think kids who are overweight fall out of love with physical activity because it’s hard for them. And weight is usually food related. If you have dessert everyday I would just change it to fruit or a yogurt and make sure there aren’t a lot of snacks - and that should be enough.

I have one child who would rather curl up with a book than move. And now she is 12 it’s a constant struggle to make sure she gets 60 minutes a day: but it’s not every day. Sometimes we have very active days and the odd day we have a inactive day: but we do go out everyday. My other two active kids wouldn’t sit in the house for a day - they would be doing acrobatics and driving me mad.

I don’t really relate to this as we just go out every day / for walks, library, whatever

I feel claustrophobic if we don’t

how old is your youngest? Surely they don’t need that much - change of clothes, a couple of snacks, nappies if very young? Just keep the bag packed and ready to go - get ready and say: right we are heading out and just do it

it does seem like they are being led by your example - so if you want them to get out more you need to do so