5 ways to keep your kids active and entertained (that won't break the bank).

School holidays can be a challenge for parents.

They’re long, and can get super-expensive, especially when it comes to all those activities kids need to keep them from getting bored…

When I was a kid, we just hopped on our bikes and our mother didn’t see us until sundown – unless we were hungry, and then we’d mosey on back for a no-frills Vegemite sanga before continuing on with our day.

But times have changed. That won’t cut it anymore.

So here’s a list of five fun, healthy activities that both kids and parents can get excited about.

1. Premier’s Active April.

The Victorian Government is spearheading a movement to get families active, healthy and entertained these Easter school holidays (and beyond).

Related: 4 ways to exercise when you have small children.

It’s called Premier’s Active April and it’s all about encouraging Victorians to do 30 minutes of physical activity a day during April. Best of all, it’s open to everyone, so kids, mums and dads, workmates and friends can all take up the challenge.

There’s the chance to win tickets to the 2015 AFL Grand final and a whole bunch of other really great discounts and offers.

It makes the idea of signing up and getting involved pretty enticing, especially for the kids.

I think the best thing about this idea is that my son loves competition, thrives on competing and is super excited to download the app onto his iPad and chart his activity and progress through the entire month of April.  Then, just quietly, I hope this inspires our whole family to incorporate 30 minutes of exercise into our lives ALL of the time.

Just as an FYI, this post is sponsored by Premier’s Active April. But all opinions expressed by the author are 100 per cent authentic and written in their own words.

2. Take them for a bike ride.

If you already have the bikes, then the best part is that this activity is free. And if you don’t you can often still hire bikes for next to nothing. It’s a great family activity that suits kids of almost all ages.

Related: “I don’t have time to exercise.” So now what?

3. Shoot some hoops.

Grab a basketball, head to the nearest park or courts, and voila. Shooting hoops can keep them entertained for hours. Simple, cheap family fun sorted.

4. Have a hit of tennis.

Again, hiring courts and equipment is pretty cheap compared to lots of other school holiday activities and not only is it great exercise, it’s also a great skill to have. And they might just become the next Pat Rafter…

 5. Frisbee competitions in the park.

It doesn’t have to be fancy. Just packing up the kids and taking them to the park with a Frisbee is good fun and it beats sticking them in front of yet another DVD. You can play along with them or you could organise a group of their friends to get together for more formal competitions. Easy – and free.

See? It’s actually pretty easy to think of simple, relatively cheap and fun school holiday activities for the kids. If you organise even a couple of these for your children, they’ll be over the moon. You won’t even need to switch on the TV…

Premier’s Active April encourages all Victorians to get more active and do 30 minutes of physical activity a day during April. Every individual that registers will receive:

• 10 free YMCA passes
• 15% discount at Sportsmart (in-store and online)
• one free hour tennis court hire at Melbourne Park or Albert Reserve
• a 2 for 1 ticket offer to SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium
• entry into the draw to win four tickets to the 2015 Toyota AFL Grand Final.

It’s fun and it’s free. Registrations are now open at www.activeapril.vic.gov.au