The school holidays are here. (“Yay!” said no parent ever.) Which means your tween is officially entering screen-watching, snack-guzzling, furniture-blending mode. Adorable? Sure. Active? Not so much.
But don’t panic, Virgin Active’s got you. Whether your 8-13-year-old is an aspiring Olympian or only moves when the WiFi cuts out, we’ve got clever ways to keep them moving… and maybe sneak in your own workout too.
Here’s your semi-sane parent’s guide to keeping tweens active, happy, and (fingers crossed) tired out this holiday:
Make a splash (and avoid shower arguments later)
Want them clean and tired? Enter: our gloriously heated indoor pools. Just supervise, toss in a pool noodle, and boom: two hours of splashing, shrieking, and vaguely cardio-scented chaos.
And if your child swims like a confused garden gnome? No problem. Our Learn to Swim coaches are miracle workers. One-on-one or squad sessions will have your kid gliding like a dolphin in no time.
For the older kids, it’s an opportunity to perfect that stroke, blow off some steam (like bubbles in the water, but make it look cool) and learn how to put your swimming cap on without squashing your nose or pulling your eyebrows to the back of your head. Trust us, we’ve all been there.
Bonus: They’ll sleep like a rock that night. (Results may vary. T&Cs apply. Parental optimism not included.)
Gym zones = tween adventure parks (with actual gym stuff)
Under your watchful eye, your tween can explore our gym like a budding Indiana Jones – only instead of discovering treasure, they’re discovering functional fitness.
For the 8-13-year-old crowd, we’ve got a smorgasbord of tween-friendly equipment that’s safe and sneakily strength-building:
- Think dumbbells, kettlebells, and slam balls (all < 5kg – no hernias here!)
- Bulgarian bags, ViPRs, battle ropes, TRX bands and resistance tubes for all the pretend ninja training they could dream of
- Core bags, foam rollers, skipping ropes, stability balls, and balance pads to wobble on, jump off, or roll around like they’re auditioning for a Marvel stunt team
- Plyo boxes in various heights to test their superhero landings (or just for epic TikTok tricks – we don’t judge)
Need cardio? Oh, we’ve got cardio:
- Upright bikes, rowers, ellipticals, climbers and treadmills they can use (powered treadmills only under your supervision)
- Even SkiErgs and assault bikes for the particularly ambitious
They can stretch beside you on the mats, pretend to be doing Yoga, or tackle a mini circuit with the speed ladder, hurdles and sled (no weights, just vibes). And yes, they’re allowed to “accidentally” beat your score.
Bonus: They’re moving their bodies, building strength and coordination, and learning to love exercise on their own terms. That’s a parenting win if we’ve ever seen one.
Club-V Holiday Camp = parental freedom (sort of)
The three most beautiful words this holiday? Supervised. Holiday. Programme.
Our Club-V and Club-V Max Holiday Camps are jam-packed with crafts, games, fitness classes, and child-wrangling instructors who somehow stay peppy post-lunch. So, if your child is still into camps, just sign them up, drop them off, and enjoy some alone time (or reconnecting with your fellow moms without keeping one eye on the hockey field or catching up on online grocery orders. You do you, Boo!).
They’ll have fun, make friends, and you won’t hear “I’m booooored” every six minutes. Everyone wins.
Make it a (reluctant) family thing
Sure, they’ll groan. But deep down? They love it.
Challenge them to a plank-off. Race them in the pool. Buy matching smoothies and hold a “Who can pronounce ‘spirulina’ properly?” showdown. (Spoiler: no one wins.)
It’s heart-healthy, hilarious, and perfect for that group pic you’ll definitely post, and they’ll pretend to hate.
Holiday survival isn’t about perfection. It’s about movement, memories, and managing one screen-free hour at a time.
So, bring the tween. We’ll bring the fun (and the coffee, and the pool, and the snacks). Think of Virgin Active as your holiday co-pilot: part gym, part jungle, part sanity-saver.