On the move
Your all-important goal should be to get the children outdoors and moving. Football games, however informal, guarantee some children will feel left out so, while there's a time and place for ball games, you should also encourage plenty of individual efforts. Pogo sticks are big news again and are guaranteed to entice the most sedentary of children to have a go. Early Learning's new pogo bouncer is bouncing out of its stores at an incredible rate and is all set to become a best seller. This pogo is suitable for three-year-olds and upwards, squeaks as it bounces and folds away for easy storage, priced 15.
* Telephone 08705 352352
Slightly older children are catered for by Ozbozz Pogo Stick range which features character designs like Action Man; Betty Spaghetti; Gundam; Shrek; Power Rangers and, coming this month, a selection of premiership football teams including West Ham United, Chelsea, Aston Villa and Tottenham. Suitable for six-year-olds and upwards, these pogo sticks are built to take up to 80kg in weight and work using a tight steel spring action. The makers recommend that knee and elbow pads are worn to begin with, especially if the stick is in use on hard ground, and it's a good idea for a member of staff to have first go to loosen up the spring a little. The sticks are priced from 6.99 to Pounds 19.99.
* Telephone 0141 613 2525
One way of gently easing children towards team sports is to let them build up their confidence through practice. New to the Great Little Trading catalogue is the Football Trainer - a PVC ball and bungy cord attached to an adjustable belt. This is suitable for five-year-olds and upwards but you would obviously need to mark out a safe space within which it could be used and provide adult supervision. Priced 6.99.
* Telephone 08702 414080
Younger children who haven't had much luck with catching and throwing a ball should be given something else to try with before they lose heart. Asco's new Activity Bean Bags come frog and turtle shaped which should take their minds off the effort involved and give them a greater chance of catching hold. Priced 8.80 per set of four.
* Telephone 0113 2707070
Some children may prefer to practise co-ordination and accuracy on their own and this can be achieved with games like quoits where they can concentrate on improving their own score and performance. For younger children Hope has a new Foam Ring Toss game which can be used indoors as well as out. The Ring Toss consists of five posts on a 40cm diameter base with 12 rings to throw, all in primary colours. Priced 10.50.
* Telephone 08451 202055
A more grown up version of the game has been included in the summer Lakeland catalogue. This comprises a hand-crafted, polished hardwood stand and four rope quoits. The posts have different scores up to 20 and the whole thing measures 42cm square, priced 19.95.
* Telephone 015394 88100
It's important to vary what's on offer outdoors as much as you can, so that this kind of play is something the children always look forward to. The Great Little Trading Company stocks a set of five games which includes Flip Toss; Boules; Frisbee; a foam football; two bats and a soft tennis ball. Suitable for three-year-olds and upwards, the set comes in a transparent PVC carry holdall, priced 19.99.
* Telephone as before
On a larger scale, Asco's Activity Box is billed as an 'out of school' pack and includes more than 100 pieces. The box measures 60 x 40 x 30cm and contains 12 throwing rings; 12 bean bags; six plastic tennis rackets; six 7cm foam balls; 50 spacemarkers; ten 7cm SP balls; ten 9cm SP balls; and five 1.6m streamers.
* Telephone as before
