WORDS BY ERICA NEWTON, MYFIRSTGYM CO-FOUNDER

I write this on the final day of Term 1: Easter hits with full force tomorrow and on Sunday, the chocolate cyclone will be at ground zero aka our house. Usually, I’d be talking all things measured: chocolate is fine, just make sure you move too… that sort of thing. But it’s been an unusual week, with Prime Minister Albanese’s address to the nation firmly at the top of the list. 

A national address is pretty important; the last one we had was as Covid kicked off. So, when our Prime Minister’s voice cut through the radio, I sat up and listened. One phrase really stuck with me:

“It’s the Australian way, that people want to do their bit.”

And honestly, as a parent, that lands pretty hard.

As parents, of course we want to do our bit. We want healthy, happy, well-adjusted kids in a routine that works. Not an eleventy-hundred step program, colour-coded bento boxes and a side of guilt when it all falls apart by Wednesday. Add to that the clear implication that we’re supposed to do it all without a car and it this parenting thing might start to feel even more overwhelming than usual.   

But here’s the rub: doing ‘our bit’ doesn’t have to be All The Things. It can be simple, and simplified.

Easter: the perfect reset button.

Okay, a thousand chocolate eggs and camping with every other person on the planet may sound like the worst reset button ever but hear me out. Albanese had another interesting thing to say: “You should go about your business and your life as normal.” 

Why is this interesting? Because normal life for kids should involve movement: running, jumping, riding, playing… Easter gives the perfect opportunity to foreground those things; we have time together at home. Sugar-fuelled, granted, but time without the normal hectic schedules of school and extra-curricular activities.

This is a fantastic time to reset household and transport habits before the routine of Term Two kicks back in. 

Doing our bit, close to home.

One of the easiest ways to ‘do our bit’ is to make physical movement part of everyday life. Not complicated or scheduled down to the millisecond, but built-in. Like Crunchie bars or Oreos built into big chocolate eggs (how do they do it and WHY can’t they do it all year round????)

This is the best time of year to:

🚲 Get the bikes out and rebuild confidence (hello ride-to-school goals).

👣 Do a few longer hikes to build stamina (so the walk into school doesn’t feel like a marathon).

🏃 Provide opportunities to climb, balance, and move freely after a term of sitting (The Floor Is Lava is the best game ever for this).

These two weeks will fly by. Before school bags feel heavier, the walk through the gates longer and the bike ride impossible, get those kids moving. And if you can do it in a way that means less time in the car, your ‘bit’ is well and truly getting done.

The Reality.

The reality is modern life is challenging enough without a fuel crisis. Parks and open space aren’t always easy to access. Backyards have become smaller or non-existent. Streets are busier and public transport? Miss it and you’re waiting an hour or two for the next bus.

If only there was a one stop shop where you could drop all the kids for a high energy dose of movement and leverage your fuel-efficiency?

MyFirstGym literally doing your bit…

Our gyms are built for kids and families. We’re not here as another thing to schedule into that eleventy-hundred step plan, but something to streamline and simplify your children’s extra-curricular needs.

MyFirstGym is a place where kids can:

⭐ Build strength and coordination. 

⭐ Improve endurance.

⭐ Develop agility, balance and confidence.

⭐ Burn energy in a way that makes them calmer and more focused.

⭐ Expand their resilience and experience the benefits of goal setting.

What a coincidence 😉 all of that helps our kids cope better with school generally AND riding bikes or walking.

For parents? All of this is in one place, with one set of uniforms and a whole heap of variety.

A Simple Easter Reset.

‘Doing our bit’ doesn’t have to be overwhelming.

It might look like:

🚲 A bike ride before chocolate.

👣 A walk between meals.

🤾 A backyard game instead of another episode.

Small, consistent things done without getting in the car all add up. When school goes back, routines return and life speeds up, you’ll be glad you did your ‘bit’. The best part? Your entire family will be healthier for it!

➡️ Check out your closest MyFirstGym here and claim your FREE trial:

➡️ Claim your FREE printable Easter colouring page and download instantly here. Print it, pop out the crayons, and enjoy Easter. 🐣

For more School Holiday tips and ideas visit our Ultimate Budget Friendly Holiday Guide