Hands up who made a resolution to get fitter this year? Whether you’ve signed up to David Lloyd Clubs like us, it’s great to be getting active again.

Although, most parents know that a resolution or promise like this to yourself always has one big obstacle; kids. Namely, I’m referring to the lack of time you’re afforded while taking care of family business. It’s something that puts a lot of parents off exercising and sticking to some sort of routine where you can get a good level of physical activity under your belt.

Parents can be as sneaky as kids can be though in how they manage exercise time. The smart (or devious depending on how you look at it) way to hit your goals is by getting the kids involved in activities that don’t seem like exercise to them. With the NHS recommending that kids between 5-18 do at least 60 minutes of physical activity a day, think of it as a mission for everyone to get behind.

Now, this doesn’t mean smuggling the whole family into the gym in the evening. There are some great sports and activities you can all try out together that don’t require too much time-wasting. Here are some sports that are proven to be remarkably family-friendly.

Yoga

You can’t touch your toes, and your kids can seemingly bend in every direction. Yoga is a fantastic activity to try at home with kids, and it doesn’t need to cost you a thing. There’s no need to buy yoga mats or any equipment. As long as you have YouTube on the TV, the whole family can take turns on the living room floor trying to see who has the best chair, downward dog or half-moon pose.

A little advice for any parent with poor balance. You’ll often see people use Yoga blocks to try and balance themselves, but they can be dear to buy. Instead, a good sturdy hardback book can work just as well.

Skiing

This is less a local activity and more a fun way of the family being able to do an activity holiday together. Family ski holidays can be a great way to burn calories all the livelong day and ensure you don’t feel guilty when it’s time for après ski. The other beautiful thing about them is that with the remote nature (they’re up mountains after all), they’re tailor-made as holidays where the transfers and equipment are all taken care of. If your family usually flies out of London or Manchester, have a look at some of the Mark Warner Ski Holidays that include children’s lessons and childcare.

Mini Golf

Without going 18 holes, a round of mini-golf is the best way to level the playing field. It works great by achieving two very different things for everyone involved. Firstly, parents can get their steps for the day to stay on track as you walk around the course. Secondly, it works wonders in helping to improve a child’s hand/eye coordination.

A few goes of mini-golf might not result in your family having the next Woods or McIlroy, but it’s the perfect combination of an easy-going activity that still works as great exercise.

Dancing

You don’t need the fully Strictly crew in tow to have a little family dancing. While there are video games and apps that aim to get you off your feet and have a groove, one of the easiest ways of making sure the entire family is getting their heart rate up is cranking the speakers up first thing in the morning.

When it’s a struggle to get everyone up and ready for the school run or the weekend lie-in is dragging on a bit too long, start asking Alexa (or whatever smart speakers you have around the house) to play an undeniable banger/tune/beat/boogie to get everyone out of bed and dancing their way to the kitchen for breakfast.

You put Earth, Wind & Fire’s September on any morning and I defy you to find someone who won’t dance along.

The Park (all of it!)

This last suggestion is slightly broad on purpose. If your family isn’t going to the local park every chance you get, you’re missing out on the easiest opportunity to get active. It’s an open book in terms of what you can do together, be it a jog around the green or making sure every piece of equipment in the park gets played on before everyone is allowed to go home.

Oh, and to make sure it works all the time, have everyone (including you) leave your phones and tablets at home, so there are no excuses for distractions. Just remember to bring enough jumpers for goalposts.