How do you get your kids — especially teens — active, playing sports and taking part in activities outdoors? They moan, they ignore us, they complain it’s ‘boring’. But once they get up and going, they have a whale of a time, and the health benefits are unignorable.
We asked for your top tips and got ideas for novel activities, competitions that will whet their appetite and treats to keep them fueled up.
Make the activity a competition
- Encourage teens to go to gym with a buddy or make their own circuit in the garden to keep fit @JSO500
- For wet days when you get the kids out, have a hula hoop competition @kiwi7001
- Cross-country family runs get quite competitive! @edoody2001
- We used to have handstand competitions in the garden. @JadeBarni
- A pedometer competition, winner with the most steps, encourages walking lots more than usual @pomander123
- We have dance-offs in our house. Good fun except for the ‘dad dancing’ hehe. @sarahmuoffive5
- Bike trick competitions. https://t.co/JG6cMNWGuG @sandy_hope
- The kids do outdoor sports like football and hockey in winter so forever running around. @bella165
- Construct homemade boats and have a race at the local pond.
- Local tennis courts are often free or very low-cost. Because bookings are for ‘just an hour’ they know when it will end — which makes it easier to get them out in the first place
Introduce some novelty
- Go to the local swing park. Your never to old I’m 48 I love the park https://t.co/z4FkAoo3vy @mummyoflove
- Paintballing is my son’s favourite. @welshbeauty99
- Our Country Park as a great wooden ‘assault’ course – great for older kids. @angep1969
- Enjoy the great outdoors even at this time of year! High ropes courses challenge us all. https://t.co/MuoV6E0Fef @oceanrise1
- Visit a local skate park and if they feel inspired, encourage them to learn on a second-hand skateboard or trick scooter themselves.
- An idea for teen sports in cold months/evenings: give everyone glow bracelets/necklaces as it gets dark. Makes it fun! @JHowze
- Make bird feeders, head out to your local woods and hang them there. @mariajkknight
- Visit an outdoor sculpture park — makes an outdoor walk more interesting.
- I can often get my daughter out with outdoor decorating activities — hanging up fairy lights in the garden or arranging plants and furniture @JHowze
- We love surfing no matter what the weather. You can always rent a wetsuit and they’ll be working so hard they won’t mind you doing it too! @BritMums
- Go on a tour of street art. You could even charge them with finding the best street art nearby and guide the walk.
Indulge in classic family activities
- A good long walk along our seaside track with our dog gets the blood flowing and burns off some energy. @sarahmumoffive5
- Den building is a family fave! https://t.co/DcV30DhQF5 @missielizzieb
- Outdoor ice skating is brilliant to stay active (we could only watch last year though). https://t.co/H7P0LNzUhV @cazbeet
- Run from one end of the park to the other, use a timer for the kids, ask them to beat their original time. @cupcayke_lufc
- A bike ride always burns the energy and warms them. @Raindaisy5
- In winter it is a lovely way to explore outside, watch the world go by, from your log boat! https://t.co/QNyCAO1K7Q @LondonBirdLucy
Get practical for outdoor fun
- Get out walking – it’s all just about wearing the right clothes! https://t.co/ANuKUuMYNz @angep1969
- Be prepared for the cold, layer up and you can get outside and do anything you want @JadeBarni
- Get them to create a playlist. Playing sport or going for a walk is more fun for teens when they have their favourite jams.
- Some parents love to set outdoor chores for older kids — raking up leaves, painting a fence, mowing the lawn. Helpful and active!
- We were always paid to wash my parents’ car when we were kids @JHowze
Keep fueled with snacks
- We chuck peanut butter in Tupperware and use it as a dip with breadsticks @angep1969
- Gluten-free peanut butter cookies made with Sun Pat and ground almonds! @catlovinkesh
- We love a power smoothie! Frozen banana, tbsp peanut butter and nut milk https://t.co/3LXk0rIjhD @missielizzieb
- My British twist is toasted crumpets with my peanut butter and a good dollop of strawberry jam. Quite indulgent. @brook_so
The last word
- Refuse to give the wifi password till they’ve been for a walk? @EmilyK1983
- Even grandparents like to act like kids. https://t.co/XwhA9AZMrT @angep1969
More ideas for parents of teens
About
BritMums is the UK’s original collective of lifestyle bloggers and digital influencers, fueling the country’s most influential social content. We lead the online conversation with members who are parent social influencers creating content on topics ranging from food, parenting, travel, politics, style and more.