Help for an active family

Ways to be active

Hitting the gym. Pounding the pavement. Some of the terms for exercise sound unappealing, but it’s all about finding things that make you feel good – find a fit and you’re halfway there.

Being active is vital for children. The NHS recommends kids are active for an average of at least 60 mins a day. It strengthens bones and helps them avoid illness, but it can also improve social skills, improve mental health and even boost results at school.

If you’ve got a child who’s not that into sport at school, that doesn’t mean they can’t be active at home. There are even ideas for tech-heads. Discover more on the links below. If you have any concerns on exercising with your children, remember to check with your doctor (or your Be Your Best nurse if you’re in the programme.)

Activities with the kids

Moves for younger dudes - Disney Shake Ups

From Finding Nemo to Frozen, and Toy Story to the Incredibles, there are loads of free games from Change 4 Life to get your son or daughter moving for 10 minute bursts

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Not just for runners! - Junior Parkrun

Junior parkruns are open to anyone, of any ability, aged 4-14. Courses are 2km and can be safely run, walked, or even skipped either by children on their own or alongside parents. Find your nearest weekly event, register, then just turn up – no booking required. Your child’s result will be shared with you every time they enter, but most importantly it’s fun and supportive. (Lots of parents go on to do a full 5km adult course.)

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Bop to the beat – Disney Dance Alongs

Got little ones who like to join in with what they see onscreen? Then watch these clips on the This Girl Can website and get into the groove alongside your son or daughter.

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Yoga for young ‘uns – Cosmic Kids Yoga

Already used by some schools to help relax and get kids concentrating, children aged 3+ can go on a yoga adventure to help get them moving (and tire them out!).

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Head for the hills with the family – Explore Surrey collection

We’re lucky to have some great countryside around us, and these 50 self-guided walks cover the whole of the county. You can start off with smaller distances on the flat and build up to tackling the Surrey hills, thanks to these downloadable details.

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Get back in the saddle with the kids – Surrey cycle routes

Cycling to the park or around a lake or woods is a great way to get your kids active.

But provided your child can cycle safely on the road, you can tackle pretty much any of the more advanced routes that are listed here.

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Activity apps for children

Search for the term ‘kids exercise’ into the app or play store and you’ll be inundated with choices to help get screen-happy children moving. Here are a few to get you started:

Pokemon Go

A free app – with optional in-game purchases - getting you and the family moving around real-world locations collecting and hatching eggs! For children aged 9+.

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Sworkit Kids

While the adult version of this app has in-app purchases, all of the content for kids in their library is free. Available for Android and Apple, this app features exercises designed to improve strength, agility and flexibility and helps reduce time spent sitting, which is vital for child development. Any age can try it but it’s aimed at 7-14 year olds.

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GoNoodle Kids

If you can handle the pace of the videos on this American website – which is also available as a free app for Android and Apple – interactive videos help children to control energy and focus through dance, exercise, deep breathing and mindfulness. For children aged 6-12.

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Activities for mums and dads

For parents and teens – NHS workout videos

Want to get fitter but can’t escape the house? These videos will give you a workout and the most technical equipment you need is a bottle of water. From wakeup exercises to aerobics and even belly dancing, you can even squeeze a session in while your toddler is asleep.

FREE

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Up your steps with Active 10

A Public Health app which logs the amount of time you’ve spent walking briskly, with the aim of doing at least 10 minutes a day. Even small amounts of exercise you might get after you’ve walked the kids to school, or got off the bus a stop or two early can make a difference.

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Time out for parents to get fit – Couch to 5k

1000’s of people have downloaded these free podcasts which can genuinely get you from your sofa to completing a 5km run in just nine weeks. And it all starts with just one minute of running followed by one and a half minutes of walking for 20 minutes…

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Mums only – HSBC Breeze cycle rides

Group bike rides for all abilities, run by an experienced Breeze Champion who’ll lead the group and make sure everyone stay safe. Input your postcode for details of your nearest ride – you’ll be surprised how far you can go.

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Find an activity to suit you – Surrey Activity Finder

Active Surrey run an activity finder where local clubs, leisure centres and fitness providers can post details of their sessions. All of them are open to newcomers and you can click on the filters at the top to find a particular activity, or input your postcode.

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