Up to eight different activities are on offer for beginners across the county (excluding Tandridge) as part of the 2023 Specsavers Surrey Youth Games programme. Training sessions kick off after Easter but parents should register now for available spaces.

Dependent on children’s age and home or school address, parents can sign them up for:

• Boccia (a type of seated bowls for those with additional needs)
• Boxing skills & fitness (non-contact)
• Dance
• Go Tri (indoor row, cycle and run – a teens’ fitness boost)
• Judo
• Girls’ tag rugby
• Street basketball
• Tennis

All training takes place locally with friendly, approved coaches whose role is to encourage and help children do their best. The emphasis of the whole programme is on having fun, joining in and having a go so it’s ideal for those who can’t always afford to join a sports club or might normally shun organised activity. 

Following 6-8 weeks of free coaching, everyone in the family gets invited to a free celebratory event in June to see the young ‘Gamers’ show off their new skills.

Moving more for better mental wellbeing
For over 20 years this unique Surrey programme has been giving young people a chance to try new activities for free. In that time – and particularly post-pandemic - the benefits of moving more for mental wellbeing as well as physical health have become widely accepted.

While giving young people a break from screens, three of the NHS’s five steps to mental wellbeing relate directly to what 7-16 year olds will experience by getting involved in the Games - connecting with others, being physically active and learning new skills. 

The programme aims to appeal to those who might otherwise be inactive or would benefit from a confidence boost and help them build new, healthy habits in a non-judgemental way. As one parent whose son took part last year put it: “[My son] was nervous before the first class but the coach helped him feel at ease with humour and clear, easy to follow instructions”

Emma Das, the Lead for the Games at Active Surrey is keen that young people recognise their own progress through the training: “Last year’s Specsavers Surrey Youth Games programme saw communities come together again after COVID, but it’s still the case that engaging kids in fun activities makes a huge difference to their wellbeing. 

“The Games are unique to Surrey and we urge hard-pressed families whose children don’t attend a sports or activity club to give the programme a go – and encourage their friends to register too, so they have a ‘buddy’ from day one.”

Parents or carers can find out more and register their child by visiting the Active Surrey website: Specsavers Surrey Youth Games