More on KentOnline
More on KentOnline
According to research by sports retailer Decathlon, parents are fitter than their children, with 77% saying they exercise more than their offspring.
If you rarely enjoy physical activities as a family, you’re not alone. Just 11% of 7,600 adults surveyed said that they exercise together.
Whereas adults should aim for 10,000 steps a day - girls should be doing 12,000 and boys 15,000.
From climbing in the tree tops to picking your own fruit, Kent has some great days out that will get children moving without even realising it.
Mum-of-two Natasha Harding chooses some of the best for encouraging active kids across the county:
Tree Top Challenge at Howletts
As well as doing a lot of walking at Howletts, the new Treetop Challenge aimed at people over 1.2 metres tall will give you a full body work out. The high ropes course which takes about 20 minutes to complete will test you as you walk tightropes, negotiate Spiderman webs and ride the zip wire - all up in the trees of course.
You might ache a bit the next day, but the fabulous memories will surely be worth it? For the rest of the summer holidays, the Tree Top Challenge is only a fiver a go - which is a 30 per cent saving.
Swim at the lido in Gillingham
The lido has been in business for 120 years and is currently open every day from 11am to 5pm until September. It uses filtered salt water from the nearby River Medway and includes a paddling area and a lazy river as well as plenty of room to sunbathe. As you’d expect it gets very busy on warm weekends and they operate a queuing system to gain entry.
Parkrun organise free, weekly runs around the world and there are 19 held in Kent every week. Their junior Parkrun takes place each weekend and children aged 4-14 can take part in the timed 2K runs in parks all over the county on Sunday mornings.
Children of any age are also welcome at the 5K family runs on Saturday morning too. If running is beyond you, you can walk or slowly jog until you build your confidence and fitness levels.
Run, jump and hide at Leeds Castle
As well as a lot of walking - it's 2000 steps from the entrance to the play park - youngsters up to the age of 14 will have the time of their lives at the newly updated playgrounds at Leeds Castle. Zip lines, sand pits, slides, climbing walls, cargo nets and firemen’s poles are all on offer at the Squires’ Court Playground and Knights’ Stronghold Playground. They do get really busy at peak times so get there early for extra for extra.
Farms all over the county are open for business during August and at Lower Ladysden you can currently pick strawberries, raspberries and blackberries. There’s also a giant maze - cut from maize plants which will help you to get in even more steps once you’ve chosen all the fruit you can eat.
Walk, swing and climb at Groombridge Place
As well as walking the UK’s longest and highest treetop walkway, kids can play on the giant swings that are high up in the trees. Crusoe’s World, home to a giant ship and two treehouses is full of decks, ropes and lookout posts designed to get kids moving whilst using their imaginations at the same time. There is so much to do at Groombridge and it’s a really great family day out.
Kids will be well and truly entertained at the High 5 holiday camps. The staff are passionate about sports and the summer camps, running in Folkestone, Ashford, Tunbridge, West Malling and Canterbury will offer kids opportunities to learn new skills as well as make new friends. Activities at the campus include Nerf gun battles, multi-sports, wet wild and wacky days and archery tag.
BREAK OUT BOX
A day at home doesn’t mean that you need to be inactive for hours on end. We’ve chosen some of the best toys, games and gadgets designed to keep you moving.
Tig-Tag £14.99 tig-tag.co.uk
Tig-Tag is a flying toy, designed to be thrown at your opponents - whoever it touches, is then ‘it’. An updated version of a traditional game and great fun to play.
Perfly 3 M Badminton net easy set, £24.99 decathlon.co.uk
You’ll be match ready wherever you are as this easy-to-assemble set comes with a net, two rackets and shuttlecocks. Ideal for the park, beach or garden.
Windflyer, £9.99 playmobil.co.uk
The small flyer complete with figure whistles through the air when it reaches sufficient speed. It’s great for improving throwing skills and gets you fit as you run to pick it up.
My first drone, £34.99 themustardstuff.com
The drone works by being thrown into the air and once it reaches enough height, it will hover for up to seven minutes. It has sensors to avoid obstacles.
Kurio Smartwatch, £49.99 smythstoys.com
Sports challenges and a fitness tracker are two activity-encouraging extras with the child-friendly smartwatch - designed to help kids to reach their daily step target.
Geologic Softarchery Archery Set 100, £34.99, decathlon.co.uk
The thing that makes this set so good is it’s so well made and doesn’t fall apart within minutes. It comes with a bow, target and two arrows and is great for encouraging some healthy competition.
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