Derval O'Rourke: Keeping the kids active - all summer long

Derval O'Rourke: tips and tricks to keep the young ones busy

The summer holidays are right around the corner and while your children are most likely ecstatic about this, it can be a little stressful trying to organise childcare, playdates, work, and keeping up with normal day-to-day life that comes with being a parent. 

Children need daily exercise, according to the World Health Organisation, the guideline is around 60 minutes per day of moderate to vigorous exercise for children aged 5 - 17. 

This week I’ll share ideas that will help you keep your children moving and in food, I am sharing my refreshing and foolproof recipe for my Poke Bowl.

Not only does keeping your children active have a positive impact on their physical health, but it also has a positive effect on their mental health and helps to teach them teamwork and concentration skills.

Here are some fun and simple ways to keep your kids active this summer.

• Take advantage of your local parks. During the sunny weekends, try to plan picnics in a local park. A great resource that we have in Cork is Ballincollig Regional Park. This not only has a great climbing frame where children can spend hours, but it has vast walking trails to explore. Finding a place like this close to you can be a great way to keep your children active and also engaged in their local surroundings.
• Ireland may be a small country but it has a few thousand kilometres of coastline. Swimming is a fantastic form of exercise and who doesn’t enjoy a couple of hours on the beach? When planning a seaside trip keep an eye out for beaches with Blue Flag status. These are beaches that are, amongst other positive attributes, good spots to swim. Ireland has 94 Blue Flag beaches in 2023. Remember to plan ahead and never leave a trace.
• When adults think about chores at home we don’t get excited but kids view jobs in a very different way. They can find the tasks we hate quite engaging and fun. Things like washing the car, helping out in the garden by weeding or planting, or bringing baskets of laundry around the house keeps them up and moving without needing to venture far from the house. Manageable household jobs can be a great option during the week if you are working and need them to be distracted for a little while.
• Now, as much as I’d like to imagine a perfect summer full of sunshine, I must be realistic. Rain is inevitable, so how do we keep our children active on rainy days?
• A lot of imagination is needed, but tasking your children with creating and staging a play or a dance routine is always a fun way for them to stay on their feet and keep their minds engaged. Making a little scavenger hunt around the house, while it takes more planning on your part, is also a fun way for them to spend a couple of hours. Depending on their ages, consider cooking tasks for your kids. My children absolutely love to get involved in the kitchen.
• Joining an organised run is a great family activity. Lots of these events encourage you to take part together and are happy to see children, parents and buggies. The VHI parkrun is a great example. Their
• nationwide junior section is dedicated to 4-14 year olds and their families with the 2 kilometre distance ideal for kids of all ages and abilities.
• Get in touch with other parents and try to organise days where you look after each other’s children, if possible. Just as it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a village to keep them entertained all summer. There are plenty of options out there for keeping your children active throughout the summer, and it may take a little thinking and planning on your part. Every child is different, so what works for one may not suit another.
• There is also a ton of amazing camps that run all summer long too, from drama to art and sports to cookery, ensuring fun-filled days and lots of new friendships.

Wellness Tip: Spend some time planning out some activities - It might save you some stress in the long run!

Fitness Tip: While you are making sure your children stay active this summer, make sure you do as well! It’s just as important for us to keep our bodies healthy and happy as it is for our children!

Hawaiian Poke Bowl

recipe by:Derval O'Rourke

This is a tropical dish made with an Irish twist! It is light, delicious and high in Omega 3 Fatty Acids, B - Vitamins, Potassium, Folate, Selenium, Manganese, Copper, Vitamin C and Vitamin E

Servings

2

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Total Time

 10 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 500g smoked salmon, roughly chopped

• ½ pineapple, peeled, cored and roughly diced

• 1 lime juice & zest

• 50g sunflower seeds

• 50g pumpkin seeds mixed

• 2 tbsp dark soy sauce

• 4 spring onions, sliced

• 1 handful of fresh coriander roughly chopped

Method

1. In a bowl mix the salmon, avocado, pineapple & lime. Place a frying pan on the hob on medium heat and toast the seeds until they start to pop.

2. Pour in the soy sauce and cook for 2 – 3 minutes.

3. Remove seeds and set aside. Place your salmon mixture into a bowl and top with the seed mix.

4. Sprinkle the spring onion and coriander on top. Serve as is or add a slice of crusty sourdough bread.