Mumsnet users share with Sainsbury's what would get their children up and active

[EllieMumsnet]

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We all know it’s hard to get our children to keep active, especially during the holidays when sitting inside watching TV and playing computer games seem like the more appealing options. Sainsbury’s wants to get to the bottom of this and understand what barriers parents face during the summer holidays in getting your DCs active and in an ideal world what would it take to help you to get them up and about?

Sainsbury’s says: “We want to understand what challenges you and your family face when keeping active in the holidays. We know there are plenty of reasons, but we’re particularly keen to identify the types of support that would help your kids to get active. Do you want to send your children to a local sports camp, but there isn’t one nearby? Or would you like to see more frequent family park runs happening in your local community? Whatever would help your kids to get up on their feet this summer, we want to know!”

Let us know the barriers you face and any suggestions you have to get your children active on the thread below and you will be entered into a prize draw where one winner will receive a £300 Sainsbury’s voucher.

Thanks and good luck!
MNHQ

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We are lucky in that there are several great parks within walking distance of our home, and also plenty of sports facilities, leisure centres etc. So opportunity is not the issue: for our family it's motivation. Getting the kids to put down the games controllers and head outside is my biggest challenge! Sometimes I have to bribe them in order to get them an hour's fresh air!

Living in a rural area with a child who has a disability we are woefully short of sports clubs or suitable opportunities. We've bought a trampoline which has turned out the best way for her to keep fit. It's been a brilliant investment as it helps to keep her active without feeling that she can't participate or keep up with other kids!

Well i really do hope the weather warming up soon will get them active again, its been harder to have outside days out and acitivies, roll on spring !

Not being able to drive is a major barrier for us as a lot of the fun places to go around here dont have very good transport links, we have bikes but the roads are just too dangerous for DS aged 8. A dial a ride/car share scheme would be useful like the one they run for the elderly
There is a lot aimed at toddler level, lots of baby groups etc but once they become school age it tends to be classes or sports which are expensive - there isn't an equivalent of meeting up just to let your children play, which would be great for those without siblings or who can't afford the hobby type clubs
We live in a lovely tourist area but can't actually afford to go in any of the places where we live and work - only the tourists can. A better residents discount scheme would be good or maybe volunteering in the community and earning points for local attractions.
Mostly though we just go for bike rides and walks or i'll devise a treasure hunt and take a picnic

i think a really fun outdoor adventure group would be great like brownies or beaver be so fun for the kids to learn skills and have fun at the same time

The thing that holds us back is the cost of everything and the weather. We love a picnic in the park, its no fun in the rain.

We have 8 guinea pigs, 4 rabbits and a dog, so when the weather is nice, we put all the pets outside (separated of course!) our daughter then goes on the trampoline for hours on end watching them, great exercise and fun when I join in!

Main barrier is the weather - not just rain, but my kids hate sunblock. Main way I get them out is by saying each lap they run round the garden equals 2 minutes of screen time...

Swimming, football, table tennis, walking the dog. Anything and everything

Limit television & tablet & mobile phone use. Enjoy the outdoors yourself so kids will follow your lead

I give my 5 kids empty cardboard boxes, bubbles, get all the scooters, bikes and big toys out on the front and they can't resist getting out and dirty playing camping building fires with sticks, buses picking passengers up and getting as muddy and grass stained as they can while I sit on the wall watching them having a hour or 2 peace and quiet doesn't matter if its cold, raining a bit, snowing or red hot sunny i get my kids out for at least 30 mins every single day.

Our biggest challenge is the cost of activities. We're lucky to have lots of parks near us though. There does tend to be more activities aimed at school aged children, those that are pitched at younger children often are quite expensive.

I'm not able to drive, and public transport is quite expensive and inconvenient, so it can be difficult to get where we need to go. There's also a lack of facilities and not much of a community feel where we live. I'm on a low income so there's money concerns too. And there's the typical British weather. Sometimes it's just laziness too - it's often more tempting to sit around on our phones and tablets rather than go out for the day.

random ideas of things to di, put them in a pot and then pick them out at random, some good some bad, like russian roulette. Also a list of ( 20 ) things to do, and if they tick off the whole list they get a reward . ( sleep outside for one night. watch a film of your choosing htat they have never seen ( your child hood favourite ? ), complete a jigsaw in a size they havent done before, eat a food they have never tried, give something to charity, write a sentene where every word beginds with the same letter, walk x steps in a day, wear clothes back to front for a day etc

My DH has AS and he hates being outdoors and opening the doors so we struggle going outside especially in the summer.

We go over to MIL's house so we can go in and out as much as we want. DD loves being outdoors when water is involved. So we fill up some buckets with water and let her go crazy. So paints with the water, makes recipes, waters the grass, etc. She loves playing in the water outside.

My DD is signing up to NCS (National Citizen Service) for 4 weeks of fun in the summer.
My eldest DD did it a couple of years ago, and absolutely loved it. A thoroughly worthwhile event.

A barrier for us is that we have teenagers and younger children and it's often difficult to find things to do as a family that are suitable for us all.

computer games are our biggest challenge and sometimes as tempting as it is to let them sit and amuse themselves with their gaming, I just have to get motivated myself to get outdoors and get them to come along too. We always feel better for it!

walks in the countryside are great and we love spotting things in nature.

We once did a 'park crawl' (like a pub crawl but with parks) over the easter hols where we tried to visit as many parks and playgrounds as we could in the holidays. that was good motivation for the kids.

sometimes just taking along something fun like a scooter or balls to play with can help them want to get outdoors.

Open door, put pre-schooler in garden. Leave him to tire himself out.

Some sunny weather certainly gets everyone motivated. Our biggest barrier is just getting out the house, getting everyone dressed, packing snacks and lunches to keep costs down on days out is time consuming.

Since my husband past away I suffer from anxiety and panic attacks. while I do manage it mostly, change, such as long summer holidays can trigger attacks. I live on the edge a fairly rough area so I dont like doing much locally as there is dog muck and other anti social things laying about in the parks, There is nothing for older kids so they hang around looking for trouble throwing stones and stuff. So I drive to the forest but I am a little anxious on the roads, when you have kids bus and train fares mount up.
When I was little there were summer play schemes and play busses, clubs and summer schools, The fact that there is nothing free or affordable anymore is a barrier. We had a sport center but they are building houses on it now, the ice rink and swimming pool have closed too. Also one of my DC is on the autistic spectrum on days he is having a melt down I can not take the others out and there is not enough in our area to keep him focused or its too rough. The good thing is I am a teacher so we do have summers together but its can be challenging,

We have a group with the other parents at school and all organise days out with each other

we've found weather to be the biggest barrier: we have lots of lovely places to go if the weather is nice but if it's raining or cold it gets a bit miserable. More drop in things that kids could do to get active in the area would be brilliant. Lots of wonderful things for pre-schoolers but now DD is 7 that's a bit trickier.

We live near a beach so the summer is always spent swimming and exploring the coastline. During the colder months we like a brisk walk on the beach if the tide is out.
I have teenagers and it’s so hard to get them off their games consoles and out enjoying fresh air! Often a hot chocolate or ice cream bribe works though.
I have just bought a cycle carrier for my car - been too nervous before but as I’ve sepetated from the boys Dad I have to step up and put my brave face on! I’m planning on taking them out for cycle rides and hoping to explore some new places with them. Taking a picnic helps keeps the cost down too!

Dynamite!