Hayley Kerrison School Events Coordinator WBOP Sport Bay of Plenty

Sport Bay of Plenty assists local primary and intermediate schools in the Bay of Plenty area by promoting and supporting inter-school events and competitions to increase levels of participation and encourage children to lead active lives.

These primary and intermediate sporting events have concluded for 2013 and the holidays are fast approaching.

Whether an adult or a child, at this time of the year it is easy to fall into the trap of not staying active during the Christmas break and school holidays.

If those around the children can look upon physical activity as a positive and exciting experience, then hopefully this approach will maintain healthy, active lifestyles we encourage.

Keeping active has many benefits, two of which include maintaining a healthy lifestyle and avoiding boredom during the school break.

Forming and continuing good exercise habits is important for a child to develop early on. This comes down to opportunities and support provided to get out and get active with an emphasis on enjoyment.

Time, cost or facilities should not be an issue when it comes to keeping children physically active.

Staying active can be as easy as playing tag in the backyard, or at the playground with family or friends. We are very lucky as the Western Bay of Plenty has plenty of naturally-resourced activities to be enjoyed, such as walks up and around Mount Maunganui, checking out the Te Puna Quarry, or mountain biking up the Papamoa hills.

While some organised sports take a break during the Christmas period there are other opportunities to participate in holiday coaching programmes, which provide an enjoyable environment for children to learn and develop their skills.

An excellent goal to help motivate children into keeping active during summer is to enter in the Weetbix Kiwi Kids Triathlon being held at the Tauranga Domain on Sunday, February 23, 2014. This is a fun event where the focus revolves largely around enjoyment and participation, but also caters for any budding triathletes aged seven to 15 years old.

There are plenty of positive outcomes from organised and recreational sports activities. However, it is good to remember that keeping active does not necessarily need to be structured or exhausting. When keeping active during Christmas period and the school holidays make sure the emphasis is on having fun.

For any further information on keeping children active during the holidays, email

Hayley Kerrison at: hayleyk@sportbop.co.nz