Alternative sporting ideas to get your family active
Winter approaches, and no matter what you can’t avoid it. For some people the cold season is all about staying inside, keeping warm and waiting until the weather changes. Exercise is often not a considered option!
Keeping fit doesn’t just have to be a warm weather activity. There are plenty of sports you can get your family involved in when cold weather arrives. So, get your winter clothes organised and try out a few activities that will help keep you all as fit as possible and contribute to you and your family’s good health.
Cross country skiing
You don’t have to head off to the wilderness for this, although you could. When there’s plenty of snow on the ground, wrap up warm, get the right kit on (skis, sticks helmets and good ski boots) and go to your local park. Cross-country skiing is great for upper and lower body workouts, and it is great fun for kids to slide across the crisp whiteness. You could head for a ski slope but if you want to save money, heading for your nearest park will cut your costs.
Other gear you’ll want to consider include ski goggles so you can see when the sun is very bright and bouncing off all that snow.
Head for the slopes
It is more expensive, but for sheer fun and exhilaration, there’s not much to beat downhill skiing. It doesn’t matter of you and your family are novices. Once you learn from at the resort’s ski school, with experienced instructors for adults and children, you’ll have years and years of enjoyment and exercise ahead. Being active is an enormous benefit for your entire family, helping to keep everyone fit and healthy all year round.
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Sledging
No, this is not about what cricketers say to each other on the pitch, it’s about finding a snow-covered hill and taking your sledge – or toboggan – to the top and gliding down to the bottom. It may sound simple, but think about the fact you need to walk back up the hill to do it again. This is excellent exercise. Kids love sledging, and they also get to use multiple muscle groups as they attempt to steer in a relatively straight line.
Ice skating
You don’t need an ice rink, although it helps when you’re learning and teaching your kids. If there are frozen stretches of water near you, then it’s a fun way to exercise and spend some time together. A note of caution: always take advice about places where water has frozen to ensure they are as safe as possible. Many will have signs that will warn you if it’s not safe.
Keep active
It’s easy to do nothing in the colder months, but you and your family can have a great time if you explore these winter opportunities for learning new skills and being active. Keep warm, keep safe and keep active.
2 Comments
Mellissa Williams
September 11, 2015 at 2:41 pm
Some great ideas for when the weather gets cold. It seems so hard to motivate yourself to exercise in the Winter
Emily
September 12, 2015 at 8:03 pm
Hi Mellissa, thanks for your comment. It can be hard to get motivated in the darker, colder months can't it x