With the summer holidays fast approaching, it’s time to think about planning activities to suit the whole family. Spending time together has a heap of health benefits, including boosting confidence, supporting your child’s wellbeing, and reducing any stress or anxiety. From seasonal sports to baking, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
Here Dr Petra Simic, Medical Director at Bupa UK Insurance, shares fun health-boosting summer activities that not only keep the kids entertained, but provide a much-needed health boost for the whole family.
1. Enjoy seasonal sports
Summer marks the start of many sports tournaments like Wimbledon and even the Euros and the Olympics this year too. This makes it the perfect time to try a new sport and get involved.
Summer sports can be enjoyed from the comfort of your home. For example, you could set up an obstacle course for all the family to take part in or even have a game of penalty shoot-out in the garden. You can also make the most of public spaces to enjoy summer sports too, such as a game of tennis in a local tennis court.
Spending time as a family to get moving will help to improve the physical health of both you and your child. Another added benefit is that it may encourage to adopt healthy lifestyle habits, like regular exercise and spending quality time together.
2. Gardening
The warmer weather and summer holidays make it the perfect time to get your hands dirty and enjoy some gardening. Not only does gardening give you beautiful flowers and fresh fruit and vegetables, but it has lots of other benefits, too.
Gardening is known to reduce stress levels, which can lead to better sleep and mental wellbeing. Your child can also enjoy watching their plants, fruits and vegetables grow – encouraging a balanced diet.
Whilst gardening is fun it can also be a calorie burner with lots of physical benefits. Mowing, raking and digging are excellent for all all-round exercise and help to improve your mobility. Certain activities can also work different muscle groups; for example, squatting while weeding can work your glutes. The cardiovascular benefits from digging, planting and weeding can strengthen your heart, lowering your risk of heart conditions.
3. Baking
Baking is a great activity for all the family to get involved with. From measuring and mixing ingredients to kneading or decorating, it teaches us a range of creative skills. Baking can support good mental health and boost you and your family’s mood as you share in the joy of something you have made together.
Making small changes to your baking recipes, such as baking with fruit and vegetables and reducing the amount of sugar in the recipe, are all small changes you can take to make your treats a little healthier.
4. Go on adventure
Getting out and exploring your local area can be a great day out for all the family to enjoy. Taking a trip to a local woodlands or forest can be made very adventurous. Why not make a game out of spotting wildlife, or follow a treasure hunt?
Using your imagination can help build problem solving skills, boost self-confidence and promote good mental health at any age – both for children and adults. Similarly, being active outside in the fresh air helps your family to get active without it feeling like exercise.
5. Get creative
Drawing colouring and painting are all fun activities that can be done from the comfort of your home. As well as entertaining young children, there are lots of health benefits of creative hobbies.
Activities which involve colour can help to express emotions – this can be a great way to communicate with your children about how they are feeling. Similarly, spending the time to focus on something creative can reduce levels of stress and anxiety, boost happiness and overall wellbeing.
Displaying your child’s creations around the house can also help child to feel a sense of achievement – boosting their self-confidence.
Article by Petra Simic, Medical Director at Bupa UK Insurance.
Photo by Robert Collins on Unsplash
