Recent research by David Lloyd Clubs* shows that 90% of its members said family is the most important thing in their lives.
As parents begin to feel more disconnected from their children and family time becomes a thing of the past, a further 46% say they want to spend more time with their children and wider family members in 2024.
Alongside this, mobile phone usage among children is on the rise, with 79% of parents feeling that children have used screens more since the pandemic**.
Some 44%*** of parents are concerned about the amount of time their children spend on mobiles, leading to a disconnect within families on how to spend quality time together.
And it works both ways with almost 6 in 10 parents saying they spend too much time on their smartphone too, leading to feeling distracted from spending time with their kids****.
To help encourage families to spend time together in a fun and healthy way, the UK’s leading premium health and wellness group, David Lloyd Clubs, is rolling out four ‘REBELS’ a family-friendly adaptation of the Clubs’ exclusive range of Signature classes, aimed at parents and children aged between eight and fourteen years.
Kelly Cooper, Head of Group Family Products at David Lloyd Clubs gives simple tips to encourage kids to get active to support their mental and physical wellbeing:
Keep it Simple and Fun
“A great way of encouraging kids to step away from their phone or iPad for an hour or two and to take up physical activity is to keep it simple and fun!
Playing with balloons, a bouncy ball, creating obstacle courses in the garden using items you have at home, going for short walks and then a play in the park are simple activities that help encourage physical activity.
Our new REBELS BLAZE class has elements of gamification with the heart rate monitor which can intrigue children, while the REBELS IGN1TE class is a high-energy fun choreographed cardio-based workout that all the family will enjoy.”
Work out together
“Parent and child relationships can become strained as children get older for a number of reasons; partly due to friendships becoming more complex and significant which has an impact on peer pressure and influence, as well as children becoming more aware of their physical appearance and self-image.
Multi-generational fitness has many benefits for relationships as well as mental wellbeing as parents and grandparents can help to pass on valuable life skills whilst spending quality time together.
Activities such as REBELS BATTLEBOX, that work as a team using speed, agility and balance in an action-packed workout, are the perfect style of workout for kids, parents and even grandparents to do together.
Take It Slow
“It will come as no surprise that physical activity also has mental wellbeing benefits for young people.
Data from Sport England***** shows that happiness measures for those who are active are higher than those who aren’t, with children aged between 7-11 seeing the largest drop in positive attitude over the past few years – perhaps due to a reduction in physical activity at school.
Encouraging physical activity for young ones doesn’t always have to mean intense workouts. Don’t forget to take time for activities that are less high energy but can have great benefits on the mind, and also attention span of young people.
“These activities not only promote fitness but also boost mental wellbeing, lower stress levels and enhance mood.
Consider joining our “REBELS SPIRIT” class, where yoga, Pilates, and meditation merge to re-energize your spirit for the day ahead – helping to promote holistic wellness and joyous movement for our youth.”
Dr Alex George, the Government’s Youth Ambassador for Mental Health, former A&E doctor, TV personality, and Podcaster, comments on the impact that screentime is having on parent and child relationships, and why classes like REBELS can be seen as a solution.
Dr Alex George says: “Physical activity is a powerful tool for building mental resilience and improving overall well-being.
The classes created by David Lloyd Clubs to encourage children to get active, and do so with all generations of their family, is such a great way to get people moving more while also building crucial bonds and connections.
We know that activity like this massively improves our mood, reduces stress and boosts our self-esteem.
“With an increasingly online world and mobile screen time at an all-time high, encouraging our children and young people to get moving in whatever way they enjoy, whether that be boxing, walking or tennis, is so important.”
Community and family sit at the heart of David Lloyd Clubs, as it offers a wide range of health, sports and wellness facilities, as well as busy and thriving Clubrooms, ideal for families to relax and catch up over a healthy meal or a drink.
The new REBELS programme includes four classes for the whole family to enjoy including:
- REBELS BLAZE: Boutique-style HIIT (high-intensity interval training) in a dedicated hi-tech studio. Each class features a series of short bursts of activity to get the heart pumping, combining mixed martial arts with cardio and strength training.
- REBELS BATTLEBOX: The ultimate bootcamp-style outdoor workout for families. Work as a team using speed, agility and balance in an action-packed workout.
- REBELS IGN1TE: Kick, punch and jump your way through this totally inspiring martial-arts inspired HIIT workout. Get ready to IGN1TE your endorphins.
- REBELS SPIRIT: Re-energise your SPIRIT in this fun-filled journey. Fusing yoga, Pilates and meditation is a great way for families to become not only strong and flexible, but also more focused and calm.
- To find out more about David Lloyd Clubs, please visit https://www.davidlloyd.co.uk/