Active kids thrive on movement and love to explore the outdoors, but bad weather can force them to stay indoors. Don’t let this challenge dampen your child’s spirits, and use it as an opportunity to try out some fun indoor activities that can help them burn energy and boost their physical development.
Tape Lines
For this activity, you’ll need painter’s tape. Stick five to ten separate lines of tape on your floor or carpet, keeping them about a foot apart. Make the first line your starting point, then explain the following instructions to your child:
- Long jump – Count the number of lines your kid jumps over. Encourage them to set a new high score whenever they play. And for more fun, let them jump while swinging their arms or putting them behind their back.
- Run & jump – In this activity, your child will run and then jump as high as possible.
- Long jump, but backward – The name says it all: your kid jumps backward.
- Hop – See how far your child can jump on one leg.
- Reach & stretch – Your kid puts a foot on the starting line, then jumps to another line.
Penguin Waddle
Place a balloon between your child’s knees and make them waddle while holding it. Or, for a challenge, set up an obstacle course. Dropping the balloon means your little one has to start again.
If you’re looking after several kids, you can turn this activity into a team game. Let the children learn to waddle, then see how fast they’ll go using your timer.
Balloon Taps
Tie a balloon to a string, then hang it over your doorway. Next, get your child to tap the balloon and count how many times they do it. After that, challenge your little one to tap with the top of their head.
Sticky Note Wall Bop
Get 26 sticky notes, place them on the back of a door, and write a different letter on each note. Arrange the letters in random order.
Next, draw or mark a starting line several feet from the door. Tell your child to stand behind it with a softball, bean bag, stuffed animal, or rolled-up socks. Then, they’ll use their chosen object to hit a letter on the door.
You can also have kids hit the letters in specific words. If they miss a letter, they must try again.
Ping-Pong Ball Catch
Next, draw or mark a starting line several feet from the door. Tell your child to stand behind it with a softball, bean bag, stuffed animal, or rolled-up socks. Then, they’ll use their chosen object to hit a letter on the door.
As for single players, they can throw the ball or small object in the air and try catching it.
Alligator Alley
You’ll start by spreading “islands” or “boats,” like pillows, stuffed animals, or books, across the floor. Players must jump between the “islands” or “boats” perfectly. Otherwise, the hungry “alligator” will chomp on them. You can make the game more fun by assigning a grownup or chaperone as the alligator.
Movement Chain
This next indoor physical activity for kids needs at least two players. One player will do a specific action, whether easy or challenging. Then, the next player will repeat the action and perform another one. Other players will do the same until someone breaks or forgets the “chain,” meaning it’s game over for them. The last one standing wins the game.
Mirror, Mirror
To play this next game, you’ll have to stand face-to-face with your child, around a foot apart. Perform any movement your little one should copy. For example, you can stretch your hand toward the sky, do ten (or more) jumping jacks, run in place, or mimic a monkey. A fun game will make you sweat right away.
After your turn, you can then try imitating your kid’s actions. It’ll tickle their (and your) funny bone.
LEGO Color Hunt
Prepare some construction paper in four colors and ten LEGO pieces in those colors. For example, ten yellow bricks correspond to yellow construction paper.
Next, hide the LEGO pieces in one room or area within your home and place the colored paper on a table or the floor nearby. Get a timer to start the hunt and see how fast your child finds the LEGO pieces.
Obstacle Course
An obstacle course is another great way for your child to release their energy indoors. But how do you build one in a small space? Creativity is the key.
Smaller furniture makes for the perfect obstacle course in limited space. Try these ideas the next time your child does an indoor obstacle course.
- Turn pillows into stepping stones.
- Create a passage for an army crawl and place two chairs between it.
- Let your child hop from one end of your couch to the other.
Silly String
Go to a confined space within your home, then run crepe streamers across the area in a random pattern. Create a challenging maze by running it from the middle of the wall to the floor for a mini obstacle course.
In a silly string, your child must cross the maze. But for a more exciting game with multiple kids, time each player’s turn to see how fast they cross the maze without taking down streamers.
Help Your Child Let Out Their Energy Through Play
Potentially risky situations, like chilly weather, leave high-energy kids stuck indoors. Still, keeping these little ones active is essential. So give the activities we’ve listed a go to help your child grow and develop, even when they’re at home.
Looking for more stimulating activities for kids? Get great ideas from the Rayito de Sol blog.
