You don’t have to be young, fit, or live near a sport facility to play sport or be physically active. Have fun and stay healthy by finding the type of exercise that suits you. Here are some ideas for different ways you can get active.

Play is a fun and joyful part of life, that also helps develop important physical and life skills. Play is self-driven, spontaneous (doesn’t require planning), and can take place anywhere, at any time, without expensive equipment. Recognised as a vital part of children’s physical and mental development, play also benefits adults.

Play for pikinini

Most children in Solomon Islands are blessed with a childhood full of play and exploration. This may be one of the reasons Solomon Islands has a reputation for natural sports people. Research shows that childhood play is critical for developing:

• physical skills (such as balance, agility, coordination, fitness, and stamina)
• mental skills (such as problem-solving, creativity, and risk assessment)
• social skills (such as self-discipline, teamwork, and emotional control).

Play can also help kids to develop a life-long love of physical activity, which is essential for maintaining healthy habits later in life.

Play for adults

Play for adults includes many of the same activities as children, such as swimming at the beach, playing made-up games with young kids, or even practising a dance routine with friends.

Another way of playing is through physical recreation. This is any non-competitive physical activity done for wellbeing and enjoyment. Examples of physical recreation include swimming, dancing, traditional games, and adapted-rules sport (sport that is played without proper facilities or equipment, such as informal games of volleyball or football at a picnic).

Another way to get fit and have fun is to join a regular class or group that focuses on physical activity. This could involve joining a group such as Zumba or taking part in classes at the gym. Activities like these can teach you new skills and introduce you to new people. Look on Facebook for classes that may be happening close to you.

Some sports run open sessions for the public to come and participate on a casual basis. These are great for people who don’t have time to commit to the regular training and competition of organised sport, but still want to play. Contact your local sports club, Association or Federation to find out if they run anything like this in your area. If not, you could help them get something started.

Keep an eye out for events in your area that you can join. Here are a couple of examples events you could train towards.

• Annual Flysolomons Peace Marathon
• Annual Rotary Easter Fun Run
• Tourism & Cultural Events

If no opportunities like this exist near you, think about starting your own. There are plenty of online classes you can access for free, which can provide inspiration to get you started. Start small with a couple of friends at home, or go big and organise something with your local sports club, church, school or workplace.

For those who enjoy a challenge, competing in organised sport is a great way to socialise, improve your fitness and develop your skills. Lots of people play sport for the healthy routine and the sense of community it provides. For those with talent and drive, higher-level sport can provide opportunities to go new places and have new experiences.

However, competitive sport is not just for the young and talented! Opportunities to play socially should exist for anyone who is interested. To find out more about playing sport in a place near you, please contact:

• the National Federation for the sport you are interested in
• SINU and USP for university sport
• Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development for school sport

In time, with enough interest, veterans or masters sport should be developed to ensure everyone who wants still to compete is able to do so.