Healthy ideas for holiday fun

All smiles ... cycling

FAMILY fun, not expensive gadgets, make for the happiest memories, scientists from the research company Mind Lab have discovered.

We’re most likely to recall simple pleasures such as flying a kite or climbing trees.

And they’re a great way to make sure kids achieve the recommended minimum of 60 minutes exercise a day - a target hit by only one in 40 11-year-olds.

Here are some ways to keep kids happy and parents healthy in the summer holidays:

Family Activities

CYCLING Make this a family day or afternoon out. Log on to the British Cycling Organisation to choose a route near you. And everydaycycling.com offers routes for everyone, from beginners to hardcore mountain bikers.

Cycling is good for your heart, strengthens the lower body and stomach muscles and has less impact on joints than jogging.

Research has also shown that regular cyclists enjoy a fitness level equal to a person ten years younger. Calories burned vary with speed and weight but at 5mph you use around 250 calories an hour and at 10mph it’s around 600 calories.

CONSERVATION

The British Trust for Conservation Volunteers (BTCV) organises one-day or half-day sessions around the country over the summer, suitable for adults and children.

With a mix of education and conservation you could be gardening, planting or clearing, even doing a bug hunt. Log on to www2.btcv.org.uk/display/findbtcv to find your local office and see if there are any conservation days suitable for you.

Energy used will vary with the activities but if you are working or walking continuously it will be around 300-500 calories per hour.

On your bike ... family fun

WALKING

You can do this anywhere but for something more organised you can enjoy as a family The Ramblers Association organises walks for families. Log on to ramblers.org.uk/info/localgroups and click on ‘Walks suitable for people with young children’. Also nationalparks.gov.uk for details of the UK's 14 national parks.

Walking raises energy levels and burns calories and, like all cardiovascular exercise, helps protects the body from various illnesses including heart disease and high blood pressure, obesity and some types of diabetes.

It uses between 300-400 calories an hour depending on your speed and weight.

Under Fives

Castle ... bouncing burns calories

GARDENING

Buy a kit with a little spade, fork and watering can at your local toy shop or garden centre and a packet of seeds. Find them a little patch in the garden or some pots to plant and make their own with your help. It gets them digging and running around in the fresh air.

Digging, bending, raking gets their heart rate up, uses all the major muscles in the back, legs, bottom, abdominals and arms, strengthens their growing bones and burns between 200-500 calories an hour depending on weight and activities.

GAMES

See gameskidsplay.net for rules to children’s games old and new.

Walking, running, hopping, skipping and jumping strengthen muscles and improve co-ordination.

BOUNCY CASTLES

A good investment for summer. With small bouncy castles (170cm x168cmx168cm) starting at ?0 at Argos and ?5 at Woolworths, it’s worth it for the hours of amusement they will get on them.

Simply standing upright works the body's core muscles. Ten minutes jumping burns 80 calories.

FRUIT AND VEGETABLE PICKING

All you need is a Tupperware box and your sunhat (or wellies). You can find your nearest ‘Pick your own’ farm by logging on to pickyourown.org/unitedkingdom.htm

Walking and bending are good cardiovascular exercise.

Freshly picked fruit and veg often tastes and smells better than what the supermarket produces and can encourage vegetable-shy children to have a taste.

Primary School And Upwards

SWIMMING

Log on to lidos.org.uk to find your nearest outdoor pool, or go to your local leisure centre.

Swimming boosts strength, stamina and suppleness and burns around 250 calories in half an hour

ATHLETICS

Organise a sports day in your garden or at the park with a couple of other parents and children.

Running strengthens the bones and gets the heart-rate going, jumping in the sack race strengthens leg and abdominal muscles, obstacle races work all the muscles, while egg and spoon helps balance.

HORSE RIDING

Riding centres in Lanarkshire, Cheshire, Staffordshire and Cardiff are hosting free ‘taster’ open days in August. See nationalridingfestival.co.uk

The first 1,000 readers to email info@nationalridingfestival.co.uk will receive a buy-one-get-one-free voucher for lessons.

An hour’s riding burns a whopping 400 calories. It has aerobic benefits, tones inner thighs, stomach arms and back and improves your posture.

GO FLY A KITE

You could make this a full day activity by starting from scratch and making the kite at home before you go out to fly it. Alternatively buy a cheap one from your local toy shop then go to the park and start flying.

The Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre recommends kite flying for improving general hand function, as well strengthening the muscles in the arms and shoulders.

Mental health charity MIND says it's a good way of relieving stress post exams.

YOGA

Suitable for children of all ages, DVDs and/or books can can take you through the moves.

Animal Yoga for Kids – African Adventures is a good DVD for the younger ones – available from ?.50 at www.amazon.co.uk or Yoga for You and Your Child by Mark Singleton (available at most good bookstores and priced ?.99 on Amazon).

Yoga teaches body awareness, strengthens core stability and increases flexibility without the joint-unfriendly impact of most Western sports.

Also encourages controlled diaphragm breathing and is good for reducing stress.

Senior School

DOG WALKING

Teens can earn money and get some exercise by becoming a dog walker. They’ll also burn around around 200 calories an hour.

CAR WASHING

Get them to set up a car-washing business in the street.

Studies have shown that teens who do chores or have a part-time job score higher on tests for happiness and satisfaction.

CHEERLEADING

Enthusiasm and a smile are the only qualifications required and most sessions cost less than ?. See cheerleading.org.uk.

A great aerobic workout. Burns around 300 calories an hour.