British Cycling has today (Wednesday 25 March) launched a daily activity calendar to keep kids moving and help them to develop new skills, as millions across Britain adjust to life out of school.

The first activity, taking place at 11:00 tomorrow (Thursday 26 March), is Fingers and Thumbs, and the full calendar of activities can be found below. The full suite of games and activities can be accessed at any time here and participants can use this page to get the most out of the activities.

Using British Cycling’s HSBC UK Ready Set Ride games and activities, the daily activities will be shared through our YouTube, Facebook and Twitter channels at 11:00 each day, until Friday 24 April. They are suitable for children from as young as 18 months to eight years old, and many can be done without a bike – making them perfect for indoor play.

Launched alongside the Youth Sport Trust as a tool to help parents introduce pedalling to playtime, HSBC UK Ready Set Ride is split into three stages (Prepare 2 Ride, Balance and Pedals) which provide families with all they need to support children to start cycling.

The initiative was first launched following research by YouGov which showed that a third (33%) of all children cannot ride a bike.

British Cycling Chief Executive, Julie Harrington, said:

“The coming weeks and months are clearly going to be a challenge for parents and kids alike, but through our daily activities I really hope that we can help families to have fun and stay active together.

“While it’s true that the fabric of our sport – from elite racing to kids coaching – faces a period of unprecedented difficulty, I’m absolutely determined to ensure that we use the tools we do have at our disposal to make a difference wherever we can.”

Ali Oliver, Chief Executive of the Youth Sport Trust, said: 

“It is vital that we all take personal responsibility during these unprecedented times and play our part in helping to mitigate the impact on children of losing organised sport and activity both inside and outside of school.

“At a home level, it’s a really important moment to help parents manage children with lots of energy. Get them active for 20 minutes every couple of hours. Make sure they get their 60 active minutes a day. Being active is going to reduce their chances of being unwell. It will help them with remote learning. It will improve their concentration and it will make them feel better. It will help make being in the home a more pleasant and positive experience for everybody in the family.”

Luke Harper, Head of British Cycling Partnership at HSBC UK, said:

“The HSBC UK Ready Set Ride activities are perfect for indoor playtime or in the garden, and you don’t even need a bike to get started.

“The initiative is free to use for all, and is a tried and tested way to get your kids up and running on two wheels.”

Calendar of activities:

Once again the full suite of games and activities can be accessed at any time here and participants can use this page to get the most out of the activities.