Active family playtime with Mark Warner

When I was a child, we regularly played games as a family. Dad taught me to dribble in football like a professional. Mum always ensured I had the best tennis and badminton racquets even though I had hardly any natural sporting talent. It did not matter. I remember playing sports on dirt tracks at the back of our house, in the garden and on the beach. Happy times where I was convinced I was the next Chris Evert.

Even when in their seventies and eighties, Mum and Dad encouraged family sports as grandparents. They would always take part themselves too despite arthritis taking hold. I remember Mum encouraging my oldest son by saying “You’re an athelete!” and he turned round most put out and said “I’m not an athelete! I’m a Roman Catholic!”

I am not sure that we do as well as parents in encouraging the family to be active. It is too easy to accept that they love their computer games. We have certainly had little family sports days and played badminton and swing ball but all too infrequently.

Mark Warner have challenged us to become more active and to blog about how it goes for us as a family.

We had fun when we went for a spin so we attacked our next task of family playtime with gusto. We went to a supermarket and got some cheap and cheerful equipment.

The weather was by no means perfect but if you have the right attitude that does not matter. Fun and memory-making is what it is all about.

Today’s activities included a football match, swingball, basketball and velcro target practice. We did plan rounders but got rained off. The strange thing is that having started to get active, we know we will be out tomorrow for that rounders’ match.

I don’t think any of us will be qualifying for the Olympics anytime soon but so what? We are together and we are laughing a lot. The boys also did a lot of chasing each other round the garden and had the occasional wrestling match.

This week we invested in an affordable family sports kit that will probably come out year after year. My youngest son reminded us that you can be active for free wherever you find a tree.

As for the cat, she did manage to jump into a chair today but has yet to show any real interest in getting active.

We are taking part along with 9 other bloggers in Mark Warner’s Active Family Challenge.

Active Family Blogger Challenge

Your challenge is to commit to spending a minimum of one hour per week taking part in a designated activity as a family. We’d like you to write a blog post about your experience each week, inspiring your readers with photos and maybe even asking your children to write about their experience.

Entries will be read by a carefully selected panel of judges from Mark Warner holidays.

Judging and Prizes

Judges will be looking for a creative and inspiring approach to family fitness and the winner will be awarded a family holiday for up to four at Mark Warner’s resort in San Lucianu, Corsica

Check out the Mark Warner Active Family Challenge