Our actions as parents have a huge impact on the behaviour of our children. In fact, children of active parents are more active themselves. So it's very important for parents to get out there and set the example - show kids it's fun to be active and they'll be happy to be active too! Getting active together helps improve relationships. Try these suggestions for being more active as a family.

Get active together on a family adventure

• Go somewhere new for a healthy picnic.
• Explore a national park.
• Go camping or hiking together.
• Spend an afternoon at the beach.
• Get on some bikes and explore your local area.

Get together for family games

• Play cricket, soccer, Frisbee or barefoot lawn bowls in the backyard.
• Show kids some of the active games you played as a kid like hopscotch, quoits, skipping games, hide-and-seek or tiggy.
• Get a basketball or netball hoop for the yard - try making one!
• Fly a kite.
• Join neighbours at the local park for a fun game of footy, cricket or softball.

Remember: play it safe in the sun.

Think about safety at the park

When you're at the local park with your kids, have a quick look at the play equipment to make sure it's in good working order. Make sure the ground under the play equipment is of a soft material.  Even do a quick check to make sure there are no sharp objects lying around.

Get the kids involved

• Go to the markets together to shop for fresh food.
• Do some active household chores or gardening together - make it fun and rewarding.
• Start a vegetable or herb garden - kids will love helping something grow from a seed into a tasty, fresh meal.
• Try cooking together - even chopping and stirring is being active and they'll learn a new life skill!

Screen time

Try and limit the time you and your children spend watching TV, videos or DVDs, surfing the Net for fun or playing computer games, especially during the day and on weekends.  One way to do this is to identify what TV programs you and your family members want to watch at the beginning of the week and only turn the TV on to watch your chosen shows, rather than having it on all the time.  Set a limit for the number of programs watched. 

Get smart about how you get about

Walking, cycling or using public transport instead of the car is a low cost way to get the family more active. TravelSmart has plenty of active transport ideas.

Print out the Tips for families fact sheet for easy reference.

Our actions as parents have a huge impact on the behaviour of our children. In fact, children of active parents are more active themselves. So it's very important for parents to get out there and set the example - show kids it's fun to be active and they'll be happy to be active too! Getting active together helps improve relationships. Try these suggestions for being more active as a family.

Get active together on a family adventure

• Go somewhere new for a healthy picnic.
• Explore a national park.
• Go camping or hiking together.
• Spend an afternoon at the beach.
• Get on some bikes and explore your local area.

Get together for family games

• Play cricket, soccer, Frisbee or barefoot lawn bowls in the backyard.
• Show kids some of the active games you played as a kid like hopscotch, quoits, skipping games, hide-and-seek or tiggy.
• Get a basketball or netball hoop for the yard - try making one!
• Fly a kite.
• Join neighbours at the local park for a fun game of footy, cricket or softball.

Remember: play it safe in the sun.

Think about safety at the park

When you're at the local park with your kids, have a quick look at the play equipment to make sure it's in good working order. Make sure the ground under the play equipment is of a soft material.  Even do a quick check to make sure there are no sharp objects lying around.

Get the kids involved

• Go to the markets together to shop for fresh food.
• Do some active household chores or gardening together - make it fun and rewarding.
• Start a vegetable or herb garden - kids will love helping something grow from a seed into a tasty, fresh meal.
• Try cooking together - even chopping and stirring is being active and they'll learn a new life skill!

Screen time

Try and limit the time you and your children spend watching TV, videos or DVDs, surfing the Net for fun or playing computer games, especially during the day and on weekends.  One way to do this is to identify what TV programs you and your family members want to watch at the beginning of the week and only turn the TV on to watch your chosen shows, rather than having it on all the time.  Set a limit for the number of programs watched. 

Get smart about how you get about

Walking, cycling or using public transport instead of the car is a low cost way to get the family more active. TravelSmart has plenty of active transport ideas.

Print out the Tips for families fact sheet for easy reference.