How do you encourage movement and activity in your young children? Share your tips - £200 voucher to be won

[EllieSmumsnet]

We all know how important it is to keep kids active, but did you know that regular physical activity in early childhood is key to supporting their health, development, and confidence? Small bursts of movement throughout the day can help children build important skills, stay healthy, and even improve their focus and mood.

If you’re looking for inspiration, the Youth Sport Trust’s Healthy Movers resources are full of fun, practical ways to add more movement to your child’s daily routine – whether it’s through active play, short exercises, or creative activities that get them up and moving. We’d love to hear from you: How do you encourage your little ones to stay active?

• Post your tips in the thread below to be entered into a prize draw
• One lucky MNer will win a £200 VEX voucher for a store of their choice.

Here is what Youth Sport Trust has to say:

“Did you know fewer than one in five children (ages 0-5) in the UK are moving enough to stay healthy? A lack of movement in childhood can have lifelong implications on brain development and lead to serious health problems later in life, including obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and other preventable health issues.

"At the Youth Sport Trust, we have launched a new film to raise awareness of the potential health impacts of a lack of movement in childhood. Starting healthy habits from an early age builds strong bodies, minds, and life skills. We’d love to hear about how you encourage your little ones to stay active or any challenges you face."

Thanks and good luck with the prize draw!

MNHQ

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We go for a walk with the dog most evenings, they take their balance bikes, we love going to the park - there's plenty to do there in terms of a maze, pedal machines, and in the summer ball games.
We have a trampoline - a great way to release energy.

We have a dancing DVD with actions, and will go to the leisure centre where the Council runs after school and half term activities for children (though with the cutbacks I hope this is not one to go)

By action songs on the tv, walking where we can instead of short car journeys, swimming lessons once a week, and dance lessons once a week.

Try to walk where you can.
Go for walks. And if walks don't hit the spot make it a destination to somewhere. so the shops, the park, to buy something random.
Go find parks as much as possible.
Get yourself gifted a national trust card. Sooo.many picnic and days out.
Get them into any sports they want to do but don't force it.
Badminton.
Swimming Is great because even when playing they are moving.
Going to find leaves or flowers.

At home a timed activity...cleaning, fetch something, find a certain colour,letter,items etc
Dance with them. And never make them feel that all dance and movement is OK and not to feel self conscious. So adult try to be included!
Even yoga together or breathing can be soooo helpful no matter their ability.
Swingball set.
obsticle cpurse within your meansnindoor and out.
Jig with them.
Playing catch with soft balls and hard depending where you are.
Always have a ball available be it football or other.

Keep movement without the definition of shame,weight or size.
Keep it away from food connections.

We are fortunate to have a garden for the kids to run around in. We also like to spend the bulk of our weekends out of the house at parks or national trusts so we're always on the move. If we're indoors, then playing tag or dancing is a fun way to be active.

Toys in the garden, netted trampoline, balance bikes, and ride on toys. We go for walks to grandma's and school, and to the fun swim at the local pool.

Build exercise into everyday things. If it's somewhere you can walk to your walk there. Do active stuff together as a family. Lead by example.

Mine always enjoyed a trampoline or play in the park.

This! This is us too. Walk to and from school every day, to the high street, the park. Weekend activities often involve a walk in the countryside. Our 6 year old doesn’t do any organised sport beyond swimming lessons but that will likely change as she gets older and into netball and possibly tennis.

Park further away from school and walk or scoot in.

We have lots of play areas near us so walking, scooters, bikes to get there. Or other outings like feeding ducks, posting letters...any excuse to be out of the house, washing car, helping with gardening, collecting leaves.

We walk a lot. The dc have grown up walking for a purpose like to the library and to the shops, and also going for walks in woods and playing in parks.
I made walks interesting for them by getting them to look for things like smooth stones, the biggest tree or relating our walks to references they'd know know like "do you think the gruffalo lives here?"
They loved playing with a ball so we'd play catch or kick a ball around.

I'm lucky in that I don't have to encourage my DC to be active, they hardly sit still! Even when they can choose to rest and chill, they'll be kicking a ball around or doing cartwheels!! They have joined sport and activiy clubs and seem naturally sporty. We walk whenever we can too and limit screen time.

We do kitchen discos. Always goes down well.

We always walk when we can, as long as it's not too far, we have bikes which we take on holiday with us, we have a good size garden with a climbing frame and swing and slide combo so they love playing on that. Occasionally swimming.

By swimming - jumping in and out of the pool with their armbands is fun and they are getting comfortable with water before they are a confident swimmer, just being outdoors running around and if you have a garden, kept tidy, outdoor toys are a must for keeping children active.

ride on toys in the garden - with orange cones from amazon to keep the direction of flow clockwise if there is more than one child with a ride on toy.

We walk where we can - just the best time for chatting to your dc's - how are you ? how's school ? do you have any worrys ? - I feel my dc's get the close time with me without distractions when we are talking - visiting a museum - they are walking running around and absorbing lots of information on things without realising.
Sports clubs, football and gym for my two.

Instead of suggesting a 'walk' if you can make it more fun, the walk becomes more appealing.
Scavenger hunts can be anything from looking for things on a list - we have a lot of countryside around us, so balance bikes and scooters are something we take with us

@EllieSmumsnet is this thread still live or have you chosen a winner ? thanks you

Swimming, bikes, trampolines in the summer and indoor activities with Mr Tumble or similar

Hiring a badminton court and having a family match - always a winner!

Walking to get places.
'Fun' swimming.
Dog showjumping in the garden!

Hopscotch - it's a great game, improves balance agility and dexterity.
And only costs a piece of chalk for you garden path. (or make one with paper drinking straws)