Coronavirus: Keeping active at home

Service update

The coronavirus situation is fast moving and having significant effects on all of us. The health and safety of our participants, volunteers, staff and wider community is our main priority. Therefore, to avoid the spread of coronavirus we are following government advice to cancel events to avoid mass gatherings and prolonged social gatherings of any size. We will keep you informed and up to date on any changes to our services on this page. Find the latest advice on coronavirus here. 

Keeping active at home

It is important to stay active whilst we remain in lockdown. Being active is good for our physical and mental health. We have lots of tips on how to stay active within the home for those who are self-isolating and for those who are allowed to leave the house once a day for exercise. Follow the links below to find out more.

Healthy at Home

 
Stay active in a way that is right for you. Find ways to keep you and your family moving, and get tips on how to look after your physical and mental well-being. Visit  Leicestershire and Rutland Sport here.  
 

Ideas to get you walking

Whilst towpaths remain open, use of them should be limited in line with Government advice, and strictly local only. We are asking people to limit their use of canal towpaths, avoid stretches where multiple boats are moored where possible as people aboard may be self-isolating, and always apply social distancing measures.

As towpaths in some places can be narrow, when you pass someone, please make sure you use the full width of the towpath, keep moving, stand aside to allow others to pass, in single file, when necessary. If you can’t avoid passing a moored boat please keep as far away from it as possible and pass quickly by. Find more guidance from the Canal & River Trust here. 

 

Walk the right way

It’s important to keep active even now, for our own wellbeing and to avoid health problems for ourselves in the future. Just a 20-minute walk can help to prevent long-term health conditions like Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers. Living Streets’ have lots of useful tips to help you keep safe whilst walking, and ideas to keep your walk fresh. See more here. 

Find a walking route near you

 
Are you wanting to explore your local area whilst you take your daily exercise? We are regularly updating our Walking Routes page with new walks to help you keep active close to home. Download routes to print off or let your phone be the guide with the GoJauntly app – where you can find a growing selection of our walks.

Go on a scavenger hunt or try a game of I-Spy!

Spend your one form of exercise outdoors per day by seeing if you can find all of the items on this scavenger hunt. Or you could play a game of I-Spy and name an object for every letter of the alphabet! Remember to stay local, only go out with other members of your household, and keep 2 metres apart. Download Living Streets’ Scavenger Hunt sheet and I Spy Sheet.  

Create a rainbow

Stuck for ideas for things to do in the house? Create a rainbow and put it in your window. See how many rainbows you can find on your next walk in your local area. Remember to only go out with others from your household and keep 2 metres apart!

Challenge yourself this National Walking Month

 
To celebrate National Walking Month, we have been sharing some fun walking challenges with you on @ActiveLeicester and @CHYMLeics.
From being a historian on your local walks to climbing Leicester’s St George’s Tower on your stairs, we have plenty of ideas to help you #WalkThisMay. 

 

Get moving with British Cycling's daily activities

Help your little ones to stay active, and learn to ride a bike with British Cycling. There are lots of free, quick and easy games to help you teach your child how to pedal, having lots of fun along the way! Find out more here. 
 

Air Quality activities for the classroom and the kitchen

Air Quality Education is no longer just for school. Since being sent home we’ve been busy working to find you some practical and theoretical activities for you to try out with minimal resources – and using what you find around the home or classroom. All activities and resources have been found online, or are our own creations, and are available to download and use. The best bit – they are all FREE! Download our Air Quality experiment guide here. 

BetterPoints - an app for an ever changing world

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Someone using the Betterpoints Application on a smart phone
 

BetterPoints are changing their challenges to reflect the new normal. Rewards for public transport and car-sharing have been paused, making way for new home-based activities. Download the app today to be rewarded for exercising indoors, offering kindness to others, and making the most of this opportunity to try something new. Read more here. 

@CHYMLeics on Twitter

Changing habits for a changing worldFind out more