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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Mine have started making and looking for painted pebbles. This gets them out and about in local parks and open spaces.they both play sports so get plenty of exercise, but this is something different we can do together.

Hiding their tablet & saying WiFi is down . As soon as I get her out she loves it, it’s just the getting her out bit I have to work on...

My children love being outside no matter what the weather is. But a nice long bike ride or day at scooter park

Mine use to enjoy swimming and would eagerly to jump in the car.

Some nice weather is a must to get them active

lots and lots of encouragement and lots of fun things to do. Aside from the financial cost, I would make sure that it also includes inviting their friends to join them, so that it becomes more enjoyable for them. Also I would make lots of picnics and go for lots of walks.

Good weather is a factor but a time spent out for a walk or at the beach is a great incentive.

By going outside with my daughter so that she feels encouraged to play outside.

With teenagers it's more difficult as they don't want to be seen out and about with me. I'm thinking of paying extra pocket money to do the garden there is a lot to be done so will take a few days. The money I pay them would have been used for days out when they were younger. They are both girls and see excercise as uncool - this I think is a big problem with teenage girls.

Cycle rides, trampolining and park visits but with a teen in the house it is effort getting them up and out

well my kids love sport and a kids bike ride or obsticle course would be a winner.

However, the key thing would be their parent getting active outside- it's time to lead by example

my kids see me workout 5 times a week and guess what- they think that's normal so they do it too

It's difficult my 3dc are 7 15 and 18, it's hard to find something they will all be able to participate in ... last summer we did a rock climbing taster session and everyone enjoyed that so I might find out more about that. He have a few games that we play together on the lawn rounders, crouquet etc maybe thus summer we will do a few more taster sessions

Arranging trips out with friends, they love get togethers, walking, cycling, picnics and if they are really lucky a couple of days to theme parks etc

The barriers are that I don’t have a car and live in a city, so it’s not easy to get out to country side. We do have a park about a mile away and I can sometimes encourage the dc to go if we take a picnic.

Access to a swimming pool

The weather is the biggest barrier and my two are get bored with parks and picnics and we don't have especially great parks nearby. We will team up with groups of friends and plan a day out on the coast and have frisbee games etc the rest of the time it's just playdates at friends houses for us.

The sun shining through the curtains is all mine need. As soon as the better weather arrives they will spend as much time outside as they possibly can.

we are members of English Heritage who are amazing at organising various outdoor activities and its super cheap so we are always out and about.

Other than that we often just go exploring and moo will take her favourite toys too, we take photos and make scrapbooks to look back at. Whether rain or shine we are always finding somewhere new

Some sunshine of course :-)

Kids would like to have a go at growing some vegetables this year, and we have set a corner of the garden for their "mini allotment", should be fun!

I find the local school offering sport summer camps always a good option.

Although we don't have much of a garden, we're lucky in that we have quite a big park at the end of our street, so we're often out there clambering over hills, up trees, running round the play area and feeding the ducks...

Love getting further afield though, and I'm retaking some driving lessons soon so that I regain enough confidence to actually drive! Then we can get out to the local beaches and be free to explore the sand dunes and rockpools.

Fortunately out son is pretty active anyway (aren't all preschoolers, given the chance!?) and loves being outside or going swimming.
This summer we'll hopefully be off camping again, which keeps us all active: even lazy mummy who sometimes wants nothing more than just to curl up with a cup of tea....

Make the most of the nice days in the park and going for walks.
Will be wanting to keep active this summer as getting married in October so plenty of swimming and walking for us this summer

Main problem is Youtube videos. Too many to choose from.

Sure I can take them off screen.

Then they fight (okay, mostly the one DC, but it only takes one attention demander to start a row) with each other or demand my time. I give them a lot of my time, but I'm finite. I need to work or exercise or shop or clean, too. So back on screens...

We try to get to places where we can go on adventures rather than just walks! Big sticks to poke around at things, rivers and streams to paddle, rocks to climb, caves, mud!