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I hear so many parents these days talking about how hard it is to get their children out of their bedrooms, or off the sofa and moving about. So many parents describing their children as ‘allergic to fresh air’. This always makes me really sad. Whilst there is a place for relaxation, that is VERY different to spending hours a day on devices inside or shut away on their own. It’s not healthy behaviour and we know it.

To inspire your children to move a bit more this winter, why not get them a Christmas gift to help with this. If you are stuck for ideas, here are a few to help you out. I’ve tried to include ideas from a range of price brackets. Things don’t always have to cost a fortune to be great gifts.

Obviously, their age and interests will have an effect on the gifts you buy them. Think about whether they have a preferred sport, could you buy them something related to that. Football goals or a basketball or netball net/hoop for example? The football goals featured here are the ones we have, they are easy to assemble and we’ve been really pleased with them.

Maybe it’s a swing, trampoline or a climbing frame that could get them outside and moving? There are loads to choose from. Perhaps they need a new bike or a scooter would be a good option. We’ve always loved trick scooters for our children. Trick scooters can be an excellent gift for kids who love to stay active and engaged in physical activities. Trick scooters are designed to perform stunts and tricks, making them perfect for kids who are looking for an exciting and challenging way to stay active. We really rate micro scooters. We’ve had loads of them over the years and been so pleased. They last really well, so you can always pass them on to someone, or sell them on eBay or one of your local selling sites.

If they just can’t leave their games consoles alone, why not at lest get them a game that makes them move their body? Just Dance is a great example and it’s fun for the whole family.

If you think having a goal would help them to move more, the answer could be an activity tracker. Having a goal like 10K steps per day for example might be enough to inspire them to get moving.

If they did love the outdoors but just need something to inspire them to get going again you could consider things like roller skates, skateboards or even a SUP board.

I recently saw a thread on a parent forum where a parent was asking for ideas for gifts for her teenager. Someone suggested a £200 SUP (stand up paddleboard) and the parent came back with “that’s so expensive” – this same parent however had bought their child a £600 games console and a £200 smartphone ! It really depends how you look at things.