Quick tips - simple games for healthy kids

Coming up with new ideas to keep kids busy can be exhausting. So we’ve put together a list for you to use when you need a bit of inspiration. You can also print it out and put it up in the kitchen for as a reminder.

On a budget

• Have a disco in the lounge with some of your CDs
• Look in charity shops for second-hand board games
• Make a den using some chairs, tables, sheets and towels. Why not have a tea-party in there?
• Make an obstacle course indoors or out. Jump over jumpers and zigzag around shoes
• Get a couple of yo-yos for the kids to keep in their pockets to use when they’re standing about – great for getting their arms going
• Have a catwalk at home and get the kids to parade their favourite clothes for you. Make sure they tidy them away as well though!
• Have a toy and clothes swap party with other families. Get new clothes and games for free!
• Have an indoor picnic
• Get skipping – skipping ropes are cheap and can be great exercise
• Hide and seek – it’s free and fun

15 minute fillers

• Have a race to see which kid can change their outfit the quickest
• Play hide and seek
• Play hopscotch outside
• Make up a dance routine to a song

Sandrine Atkins,
Hertfordshire

"The main impact has been to refresh our awareness and break the routine - we eat properly but were getting into less and less exercise as life is so busy. We now move a lot more and look regularly at the website for new ideas."

• Have a go on a skipping rope
• How long can they keep a hula-hoop going for?
• Grab a broom or stick and have a go at limbo - how low can they go?
• Play catch with a ball
• Ask them to help you with the cooking before dinner
• Get the kids to teach you something new - what did they learn at school today?
• On grass, see how many times you can leap frog over each other
• Starjumps – see who can do the most in a minute, whoever wins get to chose what you play next
• See if they can hop on the spot for 10 minutes

All-day games and activities

• Fill a whole day with family Olympics - 3 legged races, egg & spoon, a sack race or a wheel barrow race. You could even take a picnic, have a barbecue or even better team up with another family!
• Get on your bikes! Taking the kids on a bike ride is heaps of fun and gives the heart and lungs a good work-out too
• Go on a treasure hunt. Plan a route and take clues with you for the kids to guess and get them to lead you to the next stop. You could go via the playground or café
• See what local activities are on. Look in local papers for summer and country fairs to go to
• Take a ball and bat to some open green space and play rounders

Whatever the weather – ideas for wind, rain and snow

• When it’s windy, fly a kite
• Catch the leaves – first one to 20 wins
• Run against the wind
• Have a snowball fight
• Make snowman or giant snowball
• Go sledging
• Play puddle jumping
• Dodge the raindrops