With the summer holidays not too far away mums will be thinking of ways to keep the family entertained. New research from Argos shows British families spend on average two-thirds of family time sitting down, but with a summer of sport coming up, there has never been a better time to get active.

To help families do this, Argos, the UK’s number one toy retailer, has teamed up with television presenter and exercise enthusiast Laura Hamilton to create a summer Playcation Guide.  Here they share some great tips for helping families getoutside and enjoy a ‘Playcation’ this summer:

It doesn’t have to take a long time. As the summer days get longer there is no excuse not to get outside as a family, even if it is just for 30 minutes. Have a quick game of ‘hide and seek’ or swingball before dinner.  Both games are quick to set-up and play and will leave everyone ready for bed.

Reward sportingactivity to motivate your family. A certificate can make even the simplest activity into something fun for your children.  The Argos Playcation Guide has a great template that you can print out and adapt to any activity or game.  Watch your children enjoy filling out the certificate for you!

Activities don’t have to be expensive.  A quick game of ‘hide and seek’ is just as fun as setting up a full obstacle course. When looking for new equipment Argos sells 800 outdoor toys from as little as £3.99 so has something for every budget.

Get a big grouptogether. A big team game like cricket or rounder’s is a great way to get friends and family outside and playing together.  To allow even little ones to get involved swap the bat and ball for a football and let the person in bat kick the ball instead. Having a large group will mean a large range of abilities and ages so no one will feel left out.

Don’t be put off by lack of space.  The Argos Playcation Guide has games that can be played in even the smallest garden.  If you fancy playing something on a bigger scale or don’t have any outside space, just head to your local park instead.

Argos is urging families to get outside and enjoy a Playcation this summer. To download the full Argos Playcation Guide please visit the Argos Facebook group at www.facebook.com/argos