With the school year underway, the days are becoming shorter and outdoor activities are less appealing. Before long, you might hear the dreaded phrase, “I’m bored.” So, how do you ensure your kids stay active, healthy, and entertained while indoors?

Suggested Activity Levels

As per Canadian recommendations, preschoolers should engage in at least 180 minutes of physical activity throughout the day, while children aged 5 to 17 need a minimum of 60 minutes daily, which includes aerobic exercises and muscle and bone-strengthening activities at least three times weekly.

This doesn’t necessitate structured sports or lengthy workouts. As long as they’re energetically moving with intention, it qualifies as physical activity. Encouraging kids to move around for just 15 minutes each hour can help them easily reach that 180-minute goal.

For older kids, it may seem straightforward to consider a sport or physical class like dance as active time, but that could be misleading. In a typical hour-long session, your child might spend a significant amount of time sitting, standing on the sidelines, listening to a coach, or observing demonstrations.

Advantages of Physical Activity

Promoting physical activity allows you to instill lifelong healthy habits in your children. It not only helps strengthen their cardiovascular health and fortify their muscles and bones, but also contributes to a more resilient immune system and lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Active children tend to have higher self-esteem and a more optimistic perspective. Research indicates they experience reduced anxiety and depression, better focus, and improved academic performance.

There are countless ways to get kids moving indoors without the need for pricey equipment. You can use the enjoyable activities our family enjoys or create your own. Your only limit is your creativity—and how much noise and laughter you can handle!

Creative Sports

Have your children lie on their backs and simulate cycling with their legs in the air. While in the same position, encourage them to scissor their legs while lifting light weights like cans of beans. Finally, stack some pillows on the floor and have them “swim” through the air, challenging them to hold each position for as long as they can.

Playmobil Hide & Seek

Disperse Playmobil figures around the house for a fun scavenger hunt. Each time a child finds one, they must sprint back to a designated “home” location, place the figure there, and then head back out for the next one.

Yarn Webs

Using wool, yarn, or twine, create a maze by tying it around chair legs and doorways. Then, ask your little ones to crawl over, under, and through the tangled web.

Timed Treasure Hunt

Compile a list of items for your child to search for, but add an element of challenge. Use clues like “something spotted” or “a book featuring an elephant.” See who can gather the most items within a time limit or have them find one of each specified item in the shortest time.

Dance Statues

While music plays, everyone should dance. Call out specific moves like “touch your toes” or “make circles with your arms,” then suddenly stop the music. Everyone must freeze like a statue until the music starts again, playing until everyone is either exhausted or giggling uncontrollably!

Room Crossing Challenge

Invent various methods to cross a room: by crawling, using sheets of paper as stepping stones, or carrying each other. This task is excellent for stimulating creativity.

Hot Potato—Balloon Style

Inflate a balloon and direct kids to pass it back and forth using only their bodies, ensuring the balloon doesn’t touch the floor, ceiling, or furniture. It’s a challenging but entertaining activity!

Tidying Olympics

Transform cleaning into a game by creating fun challenges. Can they toss stuffed animals into their boxes from far away? See how high they can reach to put books on a shelf or organize the room within a time frame.

Teach Me

Ask your child to share some skills they’ve picked up, whether it’s a soccer pass, ballet stance, or a favorite dance move. In return, you can demonstrate a yoga pose or a dance step. This is a fantastic way to improve communication and bond with your child.

Crab Walking

Show your little ones how to walk like crabs and then challenge them to move across the room while balancing different items on their bellies.