To spend time as a family
When the aim is shared time, activities the whole family can do together turn being active into a way to connect across ages.
Overview
For some people the motivation is not personal fitness at all but shared time — being active together as a family. Activities that work across ages and abilities let everyone join in, so movement becomes something you do with the people you love rather than something that takes you away from them.
The best family activities are inclusive, flexible and fun, with room for different paces. Cycling together, a swim, a game in the park or a walk somewhere new all count, and they build active habits in children by example rather than instruction.
What to look for
- Shared activity turns movement into family time, not time apart.
- Inclusive, flexible activities let different ages and abilities join in.
- Being active together sets an example for children naturally.
- Fun and togetherness matter more than performance.
Getting started
- 1Pick an activity that genuinely works for every age involved.
- 2Keep it fun and low-pressure so everyone wants to come back.
- 3Build it into a regular slot, like a weekend outing.
- 4Let children help choose to keep them enthusiastic.
Sports that deliver it
Great places to start — each with a clear, beginner-friendly guide.
Cycling
A low-impact endurance sport that doubles as transport, exercise and adventure.
Swimming
A full-body, low-impact endurance sport suitable for almost every age and ability.
Badminton
A fast indoor racquet sport played with a shuttlecock that rewards agility and touch.
Table Tennis
A fast, low-impact indoor racquet sport that sharpens reflexes and is easy to start.
Goals that fit
Family activities
Find sports and games that people of different ages can enjoy together, with something for everyone.
Build an active lifestyle
Make movement a natural, lasting part of daily life through activities and habits you genuinely enjoy.
Outdoor activities
Spend more time being active outdoors, from walking and cycling to trails, water and hills.
Sports for children
Age-appropriate, fun ways for children to be active, with guidance and supervision where sensible.
Ways to train
Exercises and methods that fit — educational, not a prescription.
Jump squat
An explosive squat variation where you spring off the floor at the top of the movement.
Lunge
A single-leg movement where you step forward and bend both knees to lower your body.
Bulgarian split squat
A single-leg squat where the back foot is raised on a bench behind you.
Hip hinge
The foundational bending-at-the-hips pattern that underpins deadlifts, swings and picking things up.
Kettlebell swing
A dynamic hinge where you swing a kettlebell to shoulder height using a snap of the hips.
Band pull-apart
A simple pulling exercise where you stretch a resistance band across your chest to work the upper back.
Frequently asked questions
What sports can the whole family do together?
Inclusive, flexible activities such as cycling, swimming, badminton and table tennis work well because they suit a range of ages and abilities. Keeping it fun and letting children help choose tends to keep everyone coming back.
Explore across the knowledge base
Follow the threads that connect To spend time as a family to the rest of SocialSportHub.
People
- FamiliesHow families can be active together with inclusive, all-ages sports that make movement social and fun.
- ParentsHow busy parents can fit sport around family life with flexible, home-friendly and time-efficient options.
- ChildrenHow sport can fit into a child’s life through play, variety and supported, age-appropriate movement.
- CouplesHow sport can fit two people doing it together — shared activity that doubles as time together, mutual motivation and a common goal.
- RetireesHow sport can fit newly free time in retirement — an opportunity to be active, social and purposeful, at a comfortable and well-guided pace.
Lifestyle
- WeekendMaking the most of weekend free time for longer, more social or outdoor activities.
- OutdoorsSport and activity in the fresh air — running, cycling, hiking and more, using parks, trails and open space.
- 15 minutesShort, focused bursts of movement you can fit into a spare 15 minutes, with no long session required.
- No equipmentActivities and workouts you can do with little or no gear, using mostly your own body.
- Low budgetWays to be active without spending much, from free activities to low-cost options.
Healthy living
- Weekend ActivityUsing the extra time at weekends to be active in ways that feel more like fun than exercise.
- Family Active TimeMaking activity something the whole household does together, so movement becomes a shared, everyday habit.
- Active CommutingBuilding movement into the journey to work or school — walking or cycling all or part of the way, so travel time doubles as active time.
- Outdoor LifestyleChoosing to spend more of your active time outside, where fresh air and surroundings make movement more enjoyable.
- Exercise and SleepThe two-way link between staying active and sleeping well — how movement can help rest, and how rest fuels movement.
Barriers
- No timeWhen your days are full, sport has to fit into small windows rather than replace them — short, flexible activity that adds up.
- An unpredictable scheduleWhen no two weeks look the same, sport needs to be flexible and portable rather than tied to a fixed class time.
- Never played sportWhen you are starting from zero, beginner pathways, basic skills and patience with the learning curve turn "no experience" into a fresh start.
- Sitting all dayWhen work keeps you at a desk, the priority is breaking up long sitting and adding movement around the working day.
- Low confidenceWhen self-consciousness gets in the way, private or beginner-friendly settings and steady, visible progress help confidence grow through doing.
Recommendations
- Recommended for “Family activities”A transparent, graph-based set of recommendations if your goal is to family activities — sports, qualities, a learning path and first steps, each shown with the reason it’s recommended.
- Recommended for “Outdoor activities”A transparent, graph-based set of recommendations if your goal is to outdoor activities — sports, qualities, a learning path and first steps, each shown with the reason it’s recommended.
- Recommended for “Digital detox”A transparent, graph-based set of recommendations if your goal is to digital detox — sports, qualities, a learning path and first steps, each shown with the reason it’s recommended.