‘Summertime and the living is easy,’ is what Ella Fitzgerald sings but let’s face it, parents, ‘summertime and the living is a hard slog’ is often more realistic!  This year is potentially even harder with restrictions on foreign travel continuing and you may be scratching your lockdown-weary head for ideas on how to fill the weeks. 

Being able to suggest something new and sporty do is always a good time-filler whilst keeping children active and tiring them out too!  You could set mini challenges for your children such as achieving a ‘personal best’ or conquering a skill (and maybe even you!).  Let me help as I have some great new stock that I’d like to share with you.

New sporty stock!

Croquet Set

Croquet is synonymous with English country gardens, the aristocracy and, most definitely, summertime and sunshine.  But it really is an easy game to set-up and play and suits all generations from young children (just watch them with the mallet though!) through to grandparents.

Believe it or not, there is actually a World Croquet Federation and international tournaments take place so it may seem like a bit of fun, but you could start your children off on an international sporting career!

Buy the set here and you can read the rules here, but it’s definitely the kind of sport to have some fun with and be creative!

Swingball

This is a timeless classic that’s a lot of fun and will help you satisfy many a bored child – the Swingball.   

The beauty of it is that it can be played alone or with someone else, and you never lose the ball – it’s not going to fly off into someone else’s garden or be stolen by the dog!  And the set is really durable too so it’s a great investment – you’ll be able to bring it out school holiday after school holiday!

Sport and being active is great for mental health as we know, and Swingball definitely hits the spot.  The repetitive nature of hitting a tennis ball that you know will come back to you is great for mindfulness and being in the moment.  Alternatively, if you or your children are having a bad day, you can take out some aggression on the ball too!  

It’s been around for a long time and I’m sure it’ll be around for a lot longer too.  You can buy yours here.

Punch bag and boxing kit

The Olympic Games are now taking place, a tournament that showcases many future stars.  This is often the case in boxing – it was at the Games that Nicola Adams and Anthony Joshua first became household names and they now have great achievements under their belts. I’m sure that children watching the Games will be enthralled by the bouts but to make sure they don’t start trying to jab or uppercut their little sister or brother, give them a punch bag! 

The punch bag comes with hand wraps and boxing gloves or mitts to make sure that your little one looks the part and can punch properly, plus a skipping rope so that they can start to work on their overall fitness.  Brackets to attach the punch bag to the ceiling are also provided. 

Punch bags aren’t just for children though!  Boxing workouts are hard work and readily available for free on YouTube so be a role model and show your child how it’s done!  And don’t forget the Rocky celebration at the top of stairs!

Dartboard

Darts might not have your children out of breath but it’s a great sport to hone other skills.  To be good at darts you need good hand-eye coordination and patience as well as the will to persevere when you don’t hit the dartboard.

This holiday activity comes with a warning though as it will need some adult supervision: the darts have sharp tips and I would recommend it for children 10 years old and over, but it is great for bringing a little calm to the day.

The dartboard would work best in a garden pod or shed, or just attached to an outside wall or fence; if you put it up inside, just be prepared for some marks on the walls around the dartboard as those darts go sailing by! 

And let’s not ignore the fact that it’s great for developing maths skills too!  There are double and triple points areas on a dartboard and calculating those is great for mental arithmetic. If you want to play like a professional such as Fallon Sherrock or Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor, then start at 501 or 301 and work backwards.  The winner is the first to zero – a definite brain workout!

Skateboarding

Skateboarding is a new sport at this summer’s Olympics and with British 12-year-old medal contender Sky Brown, it’s sure to take off. 

You don’t need lots of slopes to start skateboarding; in fact, you really need the opposite.  Skateboarding requires balance and a strong core, and a flat surface such as a patio area or flat path in the park means that you can build your balance and ‘feel’ the board and the skills you need in order to start moving more adventurously.

Our skateboards are great for beginners – they’re durable, robust, and come with some cool features which children will love!  Read my blog about skateboarding here. 

Five new bits of kit which will definitely keep the children entertained this summer whilst keeping them active and fit!  This is a great summer of sport so get involved and maybe try something new!