Tried and testedBoogie BabeProduct: Moving 'N' Grooving DVD, rented from amazon
Normally we put on my Rock School CD and head bang (yes, really) to Queen's We Will Rock You (or as Holly calls it 'Rock It') or swing our hips to Elvis Presley. As we have seen from Darren Gough's comments, this alone is a fun way to get kids fit but we thought it would be good to try a more structured dance DVD: Moving 'N' Grooving. The DVD comprised five routines to different pop songs, increasing each time in difficulty. The easiest, The Macarena didn't appeal to Holly but I found myself dancing to it (blush). She just sat there looking at me before declaring "We can't dance to
this because we're not wearing trousers" (we were both in skirts while
the dancers were in combat trousers). I said, "Of course we can, darling;
you can wear what you want to when you dance" and then promptly heard
a worrying rip in my skirt as I attempted a high kick. (I hate it when
my daughter proves me wrong…) The second song, Las Ketchup Song took her interest, particularly the chorus, so she got up off the sofa and tried it. However, her interest was short-lived and she soon turned away and started drawing pictures of her mummy dancing with a ripped skirt instead. Difficulty rating: This was difficult to follow, apart from The Macarena. To be fair, the DVD was aimed at older children, and most of the dancers on there appeared to be seven, eight or older. But even I found it tricky to do! (I might be too past it though.) Fitness level: This depends on your ability to do it. If, like us, you stand there in complete bewilderment you won't be getting out of breath at all. However, if you can crack the routines, you'll be boogieing your heart out.
Holly's verdict: She prefers to dance freestyle, thanks very much. Generally though dancing is one of her favourite activities so would follow Darren Gough's recommendation to stick anything on the CD player and let your hair down. Darling DucklingProduct: Swimming class offered at David Lloyd Leisure.
I would encourage her to kick her legs in that and then take her out to get her used to moving in the water. As long as we avoided water on her face, she grumpily accepted it. Nine months ago, I signed her up for proper swimming lessons at David Lloyd Leisure in Oxford. The club runs a series of classes depending on ability and the group size is never greater than five children. Classes start out in the baby pool and progress to the bigger pool. Holly was wary at first, but seeing her classmates attempting to swim with kickboards encouraged her to try. It has taken her eight months to become confident to put her face in the water but now when I take her swimming on our own, I can't stop her from jumping into the pool! Difficulty rating: Teaching a child to swim yourself would be tricky but attending a class with a proper instructor helps and means the child develops at their own pace without stress. Fitness level: Holly jumps and splashes about so much in the pool that she comes home happy and exhausted. Fun level: The swimming at this basic level is taught often through games, such as grabbing rings at the bottom of the pool, running in the water to warm up, and gripping the side of the pool and moving round it like 'monkeys'. Holly thinks it's fantastic - I can't get her out at the end! Holly's verdict: It's never long enough mum! I want to stay and play! Is it swimming today? Why not? Please? Please may I go! The Kickboxing Kid
Review: This might be a little difficult to try at home although you don't need much equipment! I bought a pair of focus mitts from Argos for around £14.99 originally so I could practise my kickboxing at home, with my poor husband holding the pads. However, Holly got interested and I ended up showing her a few moves. She's too young to learn the kicks so I showed her a basic jab and cross routine. She thinks it's great to try occasionally but gets a bit bored soon after and prefers to jump around to the music instead. If you fancy trying this at home (it's a fantastic way to get rid of stress and tension for everyone - hyperactive kids, overwrought mums etc), there are a few basic rules to ensure that you don't harm yourself. The first is how to make a fist. Clench your hands together, tucking all your fingers into the palms of your hands. However, with the thumb, tuck it over all the other fingers, as if you are trying to keep them firmly in place. Never punch with your thumb facing upwards or tucked underneath your fingers, unless you want to break it!
Aim with those big knuckles instead and you're sorted! Finally, choose some great rock music with a steady four beat and pump up the volume. Difficulty rating: For very young children, this might be tricky but they will have fun pretending to be punching the pads and you can bounce around to the music. Fitness level: Again, this varies depending on ability. For adults, boxercise is reputedly the highest calorie-burning activity and the best for beating stress. For kids, aim to have fun not to produce little Bruce Lees. Fun level: Holly laughs and has fun for five minutes and then prefers to jump around to the music. Holly's verdict: She likes the idea of bashing the pads but thinks the music is better used for dancing. Yoga YoungsterProducts: My Daddy's a Pretzel , published by Barefoot Books, and Yoga Kids 3: Silly to Calm for Ages 3-6, DVD by Gaiam (£12.99 from amazon) Review: Having recently taken up yoga myself and enjoyed the calming benefits, I thought this would make a more relaxing change to Holly's normally hectic pace of life while still using up her surplus of energy. The DVD is excellent for children as it contains very clear instructions in a fun manner, encouraging children to be animals, trees, mountains, etc, which appeals to their imagination. For some reason, Holly seemed a little less impressed by the DVD than the yoga book and kept trying to turn it off. That might have been embarrassment factor as her dad and I tried to do the moves and seemed more intrigued by it than she did… The yoga book went down a storm with everyone except my husband who, being quite inflexible, got worried every time Holly insisted he try to be a pretzel (it's the trickiest position in the book and involves wrapping various body parts around each other). She took it down when she visited her yoga-practising granny and made her attempt the pretzel position and was impressed by the result. Her favourite poses are the lion (you get to roar in this one) and the bridge, as you get to go upside down. She likes the tree too but finds keeping her balance a little difficult. Difficulty rating: Both the DVD and the book are fantastic as an introduction to yoga and build up the positions slowly, through a series of interlinked movements. Fitness level: This won't have your little ones breathless but their flexibility, naturally brilliant at this age, will increase even more. Additionally, it does have a calming effect so could be good to do at the end of the day when overtiredness is starting to kick in. Fun level: The book and DVD are great fun for both children and adults! Holly is always keen to do a bit of 'Ogre' in the evenings. Holly's verdict: Being a lion is pretty cool but the best thing is trying to make daddy into a pretzel. A tumbling totProducts: Camp Energise, a locally run gym session, similar in
approach to Tumble Tots and Gymboree. Review: When we first walked into the large sports hall at Oxford Brookes University, Holly and I were taken aback by the sheer noise. Around 50 kids, aged from six months to four or five years, were dashing around like mad things to rock music. The two qualified instructors had a bit of trouble getting everyone to calm down but soon had most of the children gathered around for some basic warm-up moves involving stretching and tossing up a silk parachute. Once this was over, the children were given free reign over the apparatus. There were climbing frames of varying difficulty, gym benches to balance on, things to jump off, hoops to throw and twist with, a bouncy castle to jump on and various ball games to play.
Fitness level: Holly loved the manic atmosphere and ran herself ragged, falling asleep on the way home from sheer exhaustion. During the hour-long session, she never stopped running, jumping and throwing! Fun level: The rock music, the gung-ho instructors and the sheer delight experienced by all the kids meant everyone found this fun. Holly’s verdict: Can we go back next week please? And next? And next…?
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Fun
level: Dancing is great fun for everyone once you forget your inhibitions.
This DVD probably didn't score highly on the fun factor because it was
aimed at older children. 
Review:
Holly didn't always like being in the water. Bath times could be difficult
and washing her hair was, until recently, a complete nightmare. When she
was younger, I used to take her to the council pool and swim a few lengths,
with her in one of those inflatable chairs that I would push along.
Product:
None - I used to teach fitness kickboxing so used my experience! 
When
you punch, aim for the mitt with the big knuckles of your index and middle
finger, not with the knuckles in the middle of your finger. Keep your
pinkie away from the pad. (Apparently one of the most common injuries
in A&E on a Friday or Saturday night are broken pinkies from drunken blokes
in fights who take a swing at someone and clip them with their little
finger.) 
Difficulty
rating: Variable. You can adapt the exercises to suit your child’
s ability and age (and in our case, temperament!). 
