Date of publication 07/09/2026
Tips for keeping kids active on vacation
Our family hotels offer outdoor activities and sports for every age, providing the perfect setting to try out some simple ways to keep kids active while traveling.
Below, you'll find some clues as to why vacations are one of the best times to get kids moving, along with practical tips that really work. Adapt them to the setting and your children's ages. And if your accommodation offers kids' programs and family sports activities, take full advantage.
Why vacations are the best time to get kids moving
One of the things that defines a perfect family vacation is the absence of obligations, goals, and final exams. It’s quality time shaped by freedom and connection, as well as a unique opportunity for younger travelers to enjoy nature and give free rein to their energy, creativity, and curiosity.
Turn all that enthusiasm into challenges and laughter with the following tips for getting kids to exercise on vacation. They’re even easier to put into practice at hotels with kids’ activities, helping fill your days together with fun.
Tips that really work to motivate them
Turn exercise into play and a challenge
The number-one rule is simple: turn an adult concern about exercise into something kids genuinely want to do. Spontaneous fun should always be part of the equation, so inspire them with games and small challenges they can complete throughout the day. It’s not about “winning,” but about joining in. And having a great time exploring.
Let them choose the activity
At hotels with kids’ activities, a schedule designed for children helps guide the choice of plans, making things much easier. You can also give them several options so they feel they’re making the decision themselves, whether they really want to swim in the pool or join a beach soccer game.
Exercise as a family
Playing sports together at family hotels does more than encourage kids to try something new. It’s also a wonderful opportunity to spend more time together doing something different, discovering the world and making decisions as a team. Including every member of the family when choosing what to do is one of the keys to a successful family vacation.
Games and sports for every setting
At the beach and along the shore
Beach hotels for families with kids provide the ideal setting for children to spend hours inventing games by the sea. Pack buckets and shovels in your beach bag, along with a ball and anything else that encourages them to move. On the sand, they can build castles, practice long jumps, play soccer, try volleyball for the first time, or turn the shoreline into their own Roland Garros court. With adult supervision, the waves even become moving hurdles to jump over.
At the pool
The controlled environment of children’s pools opens the door to other active games, including water polo, aquatic obstacle courses, or a water-based version of “capture the flag.” Choose hotels with water slides and the kids may feel as though they have their own amusement park right outside their room.
The trick is to turn the destination and resort into one big playground, where imagination can run free, lasting family memories take shape, and there is always something new to explore. Sport simply becomes the path to a more rewarding vacation for kids and adults alike.
Out in nature
Then there’s exercise in the great outdoors, where classic games and active tourism in harmony with the environment come together. The possibilities are almost endless, bringing all the ingredients mentioned above into play: imagination, fun, discovery, and social interaction. This time, though, the backdrop might be an enchanting garden, a forest filled with friendly wildlife, or a trail surrounded by remarkable plants.
Ideas by age
For younger children
Try seeing your family hotel through their eyes and imagining it as the setting for a storybook adventure. At a young age, everything feels new and special. Younger children will be fascinated by active plans that combine outdoor movement with discoveries, helping them learn about their surroundings while also exploring their own emotional world.
A few ideas? Short bike rides and roller-skating races, treasure hunts, easy hikes, and team sports that everyone can join. If you’re traveling in summer, choose early morning or late afternoon to avoid the hottest part of the day.
For kids and preteens
With older kids and preteens, the approach changes. One of the biggest vacation challenges may be tempting them away from their screens. At this important stage in their development, spending time with others their own age matters more than ever.
Classic sports such as beach volleyball, soccer, basketball, and tennis provide exactly that opportunity. Hiking and cycling tap into their appetite for exploration and adventure. If the sea is nearby, it may also be the perfect time to try scuba diving for the first time. Slower-paced activities such as yoga can help them connect with their bodies and navigate their often complex emotions.
The role of hotel entertainment and activity programs
Iberostar’s Star Camp program
Family sports should be one part of a varied vacation, leaving children plenty of opportunities to make new friends their own age and enjoy entertainment programs created especially for them.
Our hotels with Star Camp offer schedules tailored to each stage of development, led by expert activity leaders who encourage children’s natural curiosity and imagination. Divided into three age groups, kids can take part in active games, sports, and workshops that teach them to interact respectfully with nature. The idea is to give them the freedom to explore, try things out, and choose what they enjoy most. Every young guest has their own idea of fun, and the key is helping them discover it.
Fit & Fun activities for the whole family
Another advantage of the professional teams at our hotels with kids’ activities and sports is that activities take place at carefully selected times, making it easier to balance time together as a family with activities just for kids.
One simple way to create small vacation routines while keeping everyone moving and smiling is to sign up for active experiences together, such as an all-ages dance class, a snorkeling session, or a bike ride.
Safety and wellness tips
Sun protection and hydration
There’s one basic safety and wellness tip to start with: always use sunscreen and keep children hydrated. From there, imagination can take over. For sun protection, consider non-toxic mineral formulas that are gentle on both skin and marine ecosystems. For hydration, always carry a refillable water bottle or canteen that keeps water cool. Fresh juices and seasonal fruit also provide water, along with vitamins and minerals.
Finding the right balance between activity and rest
The winning formula at family hotels balances activity with downtime. A family vacation has room for both. Alternate energetic plans with time devoted to relaxation and wellness, perhaps an all-ages spa circuit, a nap in the shade, or simply being present as the sun goes down. Rest gives everyone time to recharge and can also make kids more enthusiastic when it’s time to get moving again.
Where to go: Iberostar family hotels
Iberostar Waves Royal Andalus
One of the benefits of staying at hotels with Star Camp such as Iberostar Waves Royal Andalus, set right on award-winning La Barrosa Beach in Cádiz, is that kids may soon find themselves swapping screens for the excitement of spending time outdoors, trying activities, and laughing with others their own age. Its children’s pool with water games and family-friendly rooms show how much thought has gone into making families feel comfortable.
Iberostar Selection Anthelia
Located on Tenerife’s Costa Adeje, Iberostar Selection Anthelia is especially well suited to families and couples. At this large resort with a conscious philosophy, guests of every age can find their own space. Its three children’s pools feature a pirate ship and water slides. Named the best All Inclusive hotel in Spain, it also offers dining options for different tastes and an extensive sports and entertainment program.
Iberostar Waves Gaviotas Park
If you’re looking for hotels with water slides in the Canary Islands, Iberostar Waves Gaviotas Park keeps younger guests in mind with a children’s pool featuring an inflatable ball and a mini water slide designed especially for them. Its extensive Star Camp program is only the beginning. Located on Jandía Beach in Fuerteventura, the hotel also has spacious, bright family rooms. Just ask for what you need, whether that’s a stroller, baby carrier, scooter, baby monitor, bottle sterilizer, baby bathtub, or bathroom step stool. Here, families come first.
Iberostar Waves Playa de Muro
Iberostar Waves Playa de Muro sits directly on the shores of Playa de Muro in Mallorca. This hotel, beside calm, warm waters, is designed for families looking to experience the north of the island through its sports and natural surroundings. Facilities for cyclists, the Aquafun water area, and children’s menus are among the thoughtful details that make family travel easier.
Iberostar Selection Creta Marine
Iberostar Selection Creta Marine is one of those beach hotels for families with kids that becomes part of the vacation memories. It offers direct access to the beauty of Crete, Greece. Recently renovated and set right on the seafront, its three intimate coves with crystal-clear water, bungalows with shared pools and views, and water sports create an ideal setting for different generations to unwind and reconnect.
Iberostar Waves Club Palmeraie Marrakech
Iberostar Waves Club Palmeraie Marrakech enjoys an exceptional location in Marrakech’s historic palm grove, just 15 minutes from the Medina. Its spaces draw inspiration from local culture, creating a fun, active family experience. This oasis-like hotel offers an almost endless range of sports: volleyball, spinning, tennis, archery, darts, trapeze, soccer, badminton, and basketball. There’s also a gym, dance classes, a golf green, and, of course, Star Camp.
Iberostar Selection Zanzibar
Iberostar Selection Zanzibar welcomes adults and families into a peaceful atmosphere, with elegant suites designed for slowing down and taking in the moment. Choose it if you want to combine gentle movement with activities inspired by Zanzibar’s culture alongside older children. It sits on Muyuni Beach, overlooking the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean. The setting of this new five-star resort in Tanzania sets a gentler pace, inviting a quieter, more mindful approach to movement.
Iberostar Selection Paraíso Lindo
The spirit of the Mexican Caribbean flows through the gardens and ocean-view rooms at Iberostar Selection Paraíso Lindo. With a lazy river, wave pool, and water park, it combines the fun of hotels with water slides with all the variety of a larger resort complex filled with family-friendly accommodations. Everything you need is right there: fun, great food, and time to relax in a picture-perfect setting.
Discover the rest of our family hotels in destinations around the world and keep inspiring your kids to stay active on vacation.
