0-5 years

You're never too young to start getting active!

Movement in the early years is vital for a child's physical development. It helps their social, emotional, and intellectual growth too.

Here are some ways you and your child can have fun while building a healthy future.

• Massaging your baby, teaches them body awareness, and develops their tactile senses. It's nurturing and relaxing too.

• Lying on the floor with your child can count as being physically active! Short amounts of tummy time for your newborn or infant help develop muscle tone in their arms, hands and fingers, upper body, and neck.

• We all love to boogie, and your infant is no exception. A little dance session with your tot helps with their spatial awareness, balance, and eye tracking.

• Kids can be animals! Crawl around the floor pretending to be different creatures. Don't forget the noises ... grrrrrr! Add some music to the game, and they're well on their way to improving their imagination, hand-eye coordination, and muscle tone.

• In the house or out in the garden, wheelbarrow walking your toddler around heightens the tactile sense in their hands, builds awareness of the environment, and strengthens their upper torso - and it's fun too!

• While you're walking along the footpath, see who can get the furthest without stepping on a crack. It'll increase coordination, balance, and concentration - and anyway, who wants to marry a rat?

• Children's classic songs are classics for a reason. Sing and move along to some favourites like 'Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes', 'Incy, Wincy Spider' and 'The Wheels on the Bus'. It will improve your children's rhythm, hand-eye coordination, and concentration.

• A simple balloon can do wonders for your child's development. Just batting a balloon in the air can boost their skill levels in coordination and concentration, as well as strengthening their eye muscles.

• Hanging out the washing helps your child develop new skills. Using the peg action develops their pincer grip - important for holding a pencil. It'll also improve their motor skills and balance. Just make sure they're on a steady chair, and there are no grey clouds looming!

Check out SPARC's Active Movement brochures for more ideas.

Our links (links in kidzone) page lists heaps of organisations that can help you with more information and resources.

Or you could contact your local regional sports trust on 0800 ACTIVE.

If you or your child have a disability, visit the Halberg Trust website to find out who your local sport opportunity advisor is, and how they can help.

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6-9 years

There's no excuse for stopping activities with the kids once they're in school.

Children need to Push Play for 60 minutes or more a day - twice as much as you.

Building on early physical development will benefit them more than just physically. It will improve their mental, social, and emotional abilities, which will stay with them through to adulthood.

Here are some activities that don't require much time or money - just a bit of energy and enthusiasm!

• The more the merrier! Meet and greet some of the other parents at your child's school and set up some fun activities you can all take part in - games like Kilikiti (Samoan cricket) or Ultimate Frisbee.

• You don't have to go out to get active - there are a million ways to Push Play at home. Build an obstacle course around the lounge or in the garden; a game of Hide and Seek always gets the kids going; and cranking up the music can make their chores seem like fun - sort of!

• Join the school's Parent Teacher Association (PTA) to have a say in your child's activity programme at school. While you're at it, why not arrange a fun activity day for everyone, or a games event with a neighbouring school?

• Tana says Team-Up! Check out the Team-Up website it's a great way to find out how to get really involved with your kids, their teachers, and the rest of your family - to encourage and support your kids as they learn.

• Arts and crafts don't have to be sedentary - they can be a lot of active fun too. In fact, you'll be feeling pretty puffed after you and the kids spend an afternoon making and flying a kite, building and breaking a pi'ata, or designing and playing with poi.

• Travelling to and from school is the perfect Push Play opportunity. Work with other parents to set up a walking school bus or cycling group.

• Get involved in your community to make it Push Play-friendly for your kids. Lobby for a playground in your area, and for roads that are safe for kids (e.g. with road signs and judder bars). Encourage your council to design walkways through parks and reservoirs.

• Help your kids with their knowledge and skills in a range of sports and recreational activities by learning more yourself. Become a coach or volunteer. Check out SPARC's volunteers programme to get started.

For more activities, resources, and information, see our Useful links page or contact your local regional sports trust on 0800 ACTIVE.

If you or your child have a disability, visit the Halberg Trust website to find out who your local sport opportunity advisor is, and how they can help.

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10-12 years

Now that your child is getting older, can you keep up?

Of course you can! There are heaps of ways you can make sure your child pushes play for 60 minutes or more each day. Here are some ideas to keep you both involved and motivated.

• Buying presents for your child is sometimes tricky, but gifts like a hacky sac, tennis racquet, boogie board, and skates, will get them out and about, last longer than the latest video game, and you can play with them too! Check out a local sports store for more ideas.

• Neighbourhood Watch takes on a whole new meaning when you challenge the local kids to a game or three. Hold time trials for a bike-athon, hours will pass during a treasure hunt, and check out the smiles on their dials as they compete in an egg throwing competition.

• Going for a run, a swim, or a bike ride? Make it a family affair. Take the kids, the dogs, and the grandparents - just leave the kitchen sink behind!

• Back to school - for you! Get involved with the Parent Teacher Association or simply support the school by running lunchtime or after school game sessions, managing or coaching a sports team, developing a school garden, or offering to paint play markings on the school grounds.

• Encourage your child to join a club. From volleyball to fencing, there's something to suit all ages and interests. For a full list see the SPARC website.

• It's hard not to find a hill nearby in New Zealand, and where there's a hill, there's an activity. A piece of cardboard and a grassy slope equal hours of sliding and climbing - but watch out for the road below! Rolling races will get you all going. Or try out some mountain biking (remember to check whether it's OK to bike there).

• Coaching your child's team encourages them to keep up the sport, and will keep you fit at the same time. Find out about volunteering for a local sports club or see if your employer is part of SPARC's CoachCorp scheme.

• The great outdoors is a fantastic place for you and your child to get active - and learn about the environment at the same time. Go for a bush walk, check out the coastline, or paddle down a river to enjoy our flora and fauna.

• Make the most of organised community events - there's one coming to a neighbourhood near you soon. Whether it's a fun run the whole family can do, or a concert in the park everyone can dance to, it's fun, it's easy, and it's all arranged for you.

• Your local regional sports trust is there to help you and your family get more active. Contact them about up-coming events, to get resources, and to find out about local clubs and recreation centres.

See the links page.

Or contact your regional sports trust on 0800 ACTIVE for more ideas and resources.

If you or your child have a disability, visit the Halberg Trust website to find out who your local sport opportunity advisor is, and how they can help.