How to keep up with the kids

While that may seem like a great opportunity to spend more time with your grandchildren, it can also be exhausting – especially if you're not used to being particularly active.

Here – courtesy of the experts at Voltarol, maker of pain-relief products – are some tips on how to survive the school holidays without bringing on any extra aches and pains:

Stay active   Regular exercise helps to strengthen muscles, make joints more flexible and improve stamina and circulation. Short bursts of low-impact exercise while you're minding the kids can help you keep fit, including swimming, cycling or going for country walks.

Improve your balance   Experts believe those without a good sense of balance often suffer from more problems with pain and injury. Try practising standing on one leg around the house to improve your balance (and get the kids involved too, as it can be lots of fun).

Stretch it out   If you want to keep up with the kids, you need to be flexible. Incorporate basic stretches into your daily routine, especially if you tend to sit for long periods of time or you have an injury.

Strike a pose   Good posture is essential if you want to avoid joint aches and pains. Remember to practise good posture while sitting and standing – don't slouch. And if you have good posture, your grandchildren may learn to have it too.