During the summer months, it’s a great time to take full advantage of the hot weather. No-one wants to be stuck inside with nothing to do, so we’ve put together some tips on how you can transform your garden or yard area for sport, whilst keeping kids busy until it's time to get back to school.
There are so many benefits to staying active, such as leading a healthier life as well as eliminating the boredom that can easily set in. This is particularly relevant for those with children, who are looking to keep their kids off the Xbox or Playstation for 18 hours a day. Follow these tips to keep the little ones busy and healthy for the last few weeks of the school holidays.
Use Your Side Wall As A Squash Court For £12.99
The first tip is relevant for anyone that has access to any kind of side wall on their home. If you don’t have grass or a garden, it’s no problem, as you can still play a modified version of squash. A racquet sport that has been gaining in popularity for years, it’s actually one of the best games to play to build fitness.
All that you’ll need here is two players, two racquets and a ball. The aim of the game is to alternate in turns by hitting the ball against the wall, until either one of the players misses or the ball bounces twice. It’s as simple as that! The racquets and ball don’t even have to be proper squash gear, as you can also use tennis balls or the wooden racquets you’ll often take to the beach for a similar effect.
Cost: £12.99
Time Taken: 0 Hours
Build Your Own Net For Tennis, Badminton or Volleyball For £16.99
If you have a bit of space in your garden, you can fit a small net in the middle, the size of which can determine the best game to play. All you’ll really need is two poles on either end and then some cheap netting to hang in between. For tall poles, volleyball will be the best shout and all you’ll need there is a ball to hit back and forward. This doesn’t have to be an actual volleyball, as an old football also works well.
If the net is much shorter, you can have your pick of classic tennis (if there is enough room of course), or football tennis, which is essentially the same thing, just kicking a football over the net to each other instead. The great thing about this sized net is that it can be used for Badminton too, so you have these games on rotation.
Cost: £16.99
Time Taken: 30 Minutes
Dig A Small Hole For A Putting Green For £6.00
If your garden does have grass, it’s a unique opportunity to practice your golf game to get an edge on your friends when you reach the putting green. The idea is simple: cut the grass to a very short length, and dig a small hole. You can then practice your putting with a golf ball and a putter. If you already own golf clubs then great. If you’re entertaining children, you can buy plastic clubs for not much outlay.
Once you’ve had your fun and are finished, you can fill the hole back up with soil and wait for the grass to grow back. Then it’ll look as good as new!
Cost: £6.00
Time Taken: 15 Minutes
Lay Down Some Vinyl Wood for a Makeshift Bowling Alley For £42
This one may be a bit more costly depending on how you want to go about doing it, but it’ll be worth the effort if you get it right. Installing an actual bowling alley in your backyard would set you back an extortionate amount of money that branches into the thousands, but you can create a similar experience for cheap.
The first step is to buy a set of ten bowling bins and a few balls. The option is there of course to bowl on the grass or concrete, but a much better choice would be to buy a few planks of wood to create the proper bowling alley feel. The ball will run smoother, it’ll look better, and everyone will have a much nicer time. The actual size will depend on the space available, but the cost of hardwood for 40 inches by 10 inches is around £14, as an example.
Cost: £42
Time Taken: 1.5 Hours
Jumpers For Goalposts For £3.50!
What else could we end on? The most simple yet effective way to get little ones involved and engaged in staying active is the classic jumpers for goalposts. After a brilliant summer watching England reach the final of Euro 2020 and with the Premier League season having begun again, it’s a great time to train your little ones to be the next Raheem Sterling or Jack Grealish.
The best thing about this is that it costs nothing, other than the price of a football. The vast majority will have an old ball lying around, but if not you can get one for every cheap, at around £3.50. You can use anything for the posts other than jumpers too, such as twigs, bottles, or chalk on a wall.
Cost: £3.50
Time Taken: 5 Minutes
