When it is dark and chilly outside, it can be hard to motivate children to get out and move around, but it is important to keep up their fitness levels during the winter months.
Here are some tips on how to encourage kids to continue their physical activities even when the temperature plummets:
- Organised sports
Most of us find it hard to feel inclined to head out of the house when it is pitch black outside, but signing up to organised sports like netball classes keeps children accountable.
As they have to turn up to their lessons at a certain time every week, kids – and parents – are more likely to stick to it than a loose plan to go for a run around the park.
- Join a team
What’s more, signing up to a team sport means kids are more likely to get off the couch as they will want to see their friends.
They will also learn the importance of not wanting to let their team down, particularly once they start playing matches, so will take part in the activity to show loyalty to their side.
- Indoor hobbies
Playing in the skate park, rollerblading or cycling might be harder to do when it gets dark at 4pm, and freezing conditions can make outdoor hobbies, such as horse riding, scooting or climbing trees much trickier in the winter.
This is why it is sensible to have some indoor hobbies they enjoy doing that will still raise their heart rate.
Lots of sports can be enjoyed indoors, from gymnastics to swimming, or you could book them on to climbing wall or trampolining sessions to keep them active without having to wrap them up in plenty of layers.