There is a severe lack of physical education in schools across the country and because of this, there has been a rise in extra-curricular activities for kids. These activities are not always free, so for families on a budget trying to keep the kids burning energy through the year turns into a challenge. It’s a challenge almost every parent wants to meet, as the activity levels for our children are so important! With the fact the iPads, tablets and games consoles are so prevalent in our society, it’s harder now to get kids to get moving, go outside and soak up some sunshine. Why would they want to when they have an interactive screen in front of them whenever they want to play games? You can even play virtual reality tennis and football and while this is fun for a rainy day, it’s not a patch on actually playing these outdoor games.
Unfortunately, with the lack of open spaces in built up areas there are less places for kids to be kids and just play now. Parents everywhere utilise their gardens in any way they can to keep the kids as active as possible during the school holiday weeks and weekends in the year. Sometimes, the back garden or the drive-in front of the house are the only places kids can get active and get those hearts healthy! Every year, shops have their seasonal displays of outdoor equipment. Everything from basketball hoops to trampolines complete with Propel trampoline reviews are on offer for the children to let loose and burn energy.
Active kids make for happy kids and their health is dependent on a good balance of healthy, hearty food and exercise. Football clubs, gymnastics clubs and soft play centres are great for focused attention to a particular exercise and even just kicking a ball around the yard in the fresh air can make a big difference. People don’t always realise that the mood of their children is directly related to their activities they do on a day to day basis. There’s nothing wrong with allowing children to get a bit bored and have to use their imaginations to discover new games. Most of us remember being deathly bored during the long summer holiday and breaking up cardboard boxes to slide down the stairs in. Looking back, it seems dangerous and we could have broken our necks, but it was fun!
By understanding the importance of activity, you can alleviate summer time boredom without interrupting the imaginative process in children. Have the equipment ready and let them create their own games. Let them pretend they’re astronauts bouncing to space on the new trampoline. Let them pretend to be a famous footballer by drawing a chalk goal into the side of the garden fence where they can practice scoring goals. Imagination and activity are good for the mood, the heart and the mind and all this exercise encourages a good, healthy appetite. Healthy children matter and you can make it happen.