12 Indoor Movement Activities for Active Kids

I felt a little silly putting this list together. The truth is that right now it’s probably beautiful outside in most places. Usually indoor movement activities feel like they are for rainy days, stormy days or too hot to play outside days. I knew I needed this list NOW, but was having a hard time putting my finger on why.

Then it occurred to me…  even though we are getting plenty of outside time, the kids are still really active when we NEED to be inside. When I’m doing the dishes and they just want to be near me. Or the two hours of the day that it is too hot to be outside, I feel like I am repeating “It’s time for some calm activities.” “Find something quiet to do.” way too often.

It’s time to stop fighting it and embrace the active… no matter what the reason is that we’re inside!

indoor movement activities for active kids. YES please!

Indoor Movement Activities for Active Kids

These are the best indoor movement activities I could find. There are some affiliate links mixed in.

  • Tape Activities – Use some painters tape on the floor to create a few different tape activities that involve jumping and stretching.
  • Activity Cube – Create an activity cube with lots of movement ideas built right in!
  • Dancing – Throw a good old fashion dance party. Turn on the music and dance. Have your kids teach you some new moves and then return the favor by teaching them some of your old favorite moves. We love Kidz Bop Dance Party. (affiliate link)
  • Charades – Charades is a great way to have fun moving while your inside. We made our own animal charade cards but you can buy some here.
  • Bean Bag Toss – Set up a ball and bean bag toss with objects you have around the house. One of our house rules is no balls in the house. Setting up a “safe” area for tossing balls into a bin is a great way to let it happen without fear of something getting broken.
  • Obstacle Course – Half the fun is setting up the course, provide the wild ones with course materials and let them make up their own obstacle course. (Use cones, blocks, chairs, pillows, boxes and jump ropes.)
  • Balloon Fun – Balloons are perfect for playing inside. Make a balloon tennis or balloon hockey game.
  • Ring Toss – Grab a store bought ring toss or make your own ring toss. Either way a ring toss is a fun way let kids move around inside.
  • Catch – This one takes a little extra planning, of course a Velcro catch ball would be a ton of fun… but you wouldn’t want to worry about broken lamps. Pick a spot that can handle a ball being tossed around.
  • Indoor Hockey – Tape a few squares on the ground and make a soft hockey game with pom poms and cardboard tubes.
  • RUN! – When their bodies just need to move sometimes the quickest and easiest thing to do is encourage running in the house.

What are some of your favorite indoor movement activities?

6 Comments

  1. Pingback: Back to school
  2. I just started a new job and I try to take my group of kids outside every day, but yesterday was a wet and stormy day, so it was down to the gym instead. We set up cones for children to run, weaving in and out. We played “What Time Is It Mr. Wolf” and “Round and Round the Garden.” That’s a great game for my 3 &4 year olds. You make a circle and everyone holds hands and starts slowly walking around while the teacher says “Round and round the garden goes the teddy bear. One step! Two step! Chase you everywhere!” Then the children run while the teacher chases them around the gym, or yard if you are lucky enough to go outside in winter.

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