As children settle back into their school routines, the days are becoming shorter and the outdoor weather less conducive to fun activities. Soon, the familiar cry of “I’m bored” may echo through your home. What can you do to keep your kids healthy, active, and entertained indoors?

Suggested Activity Guidelines

The Canadian recommendations state that preschoolers should engage in at least 180 minutes of physical activity each day, while children aged 5 to 17 should aim for 60 minutes daily. This should include aerobic exercises and strength-building activities for muscles and bones at least thrice a week.

Note that this doesn’t necessarily imply structured sports or lengthy workout sessions. Any active, purposeful movement counts as exercise. Encouraging your kids to be on the move for short intervals—like 15 minutes every hour—can help them achieve their 180 minutes quite easily.

For older kids, it might seem like their sports class counts as physical activity, but don’t be misled. Within a typical hour, they might be sitting, listening to instructions, or spectating instead of actively participating.

Advantages of Physical Exercise

Promoting physical activity among your children helps instill lifelong healthy habits. It aids in developing a stronger heart and enhances muscle and bone health, while also bolstering their immune system and lowering their risk of type 2 diabetes.

Additionally, active children tend to exhibit improved confidence and a more optimistic perspective on life. They often experience decreased levels of anxiety and depression, exhibit better concentration, and generally perform better academically.

There are numerous ways to keep your kids moving even when you’re confined indoors—without the need for costly gear. Explore some of these enjoyable activities that my family enjoys, or feel free to invent your own. The only limits are your creativity and how much lively noise and laughter you can handle!

Whimsical Sports

Have your kids lie on their backs and mimic cycling by moving their legs in the air. While in the same position, encourage them to scissor their legs and lift light cans of vegetables as weights. Create a fun challenge by piling soft pillows on the floor, asking them to “swim” through the air while lying across them. See how long they can sustain each fun activity.

Playmobil Hide-and-Seek

Disguise several Playmobil figures around the house and let the kids discover them. Each time a figure is found, they must race back to a designated “home” base, deposit the figure, and hurry off to find the next one.

Yarn Webs

Use some yarn or twine to weave creative webs around various pieces of furniture and doorways. Afterward, challenge your little “spiders” to navigate through and over the tangled threads.

Timed Scavenger Hunt

Compile a list of quirky items for your child to seek out, giving them clues like “something with polka dots” or “a book featuring an elephant.” You can set a timer to see who finds the most items, or if you have multiple items of the same category hidden, see who retrieves one of each the quickest.

Dance Statues

Play some music and encourage everyone to dance. Occasionally, call out specific moves like “touch your toes” or “make circles with your arms.” Turn off the music unexpectedly, prompting everyone to freeze like statues. Repeat until everyone’s either out of breath or giggling too much to remain still!

Crossing Challenges

Invent as many playful ways as possible to cross the room, such as crawling on hands and knees, utilizing two pieces of paper as stepping stones, or trying to carry each other, sparking creativity and problem-solving.

Hot Potato—Balloon Style

Inflate a balloon and have the kids pass it back and forth using only their elbows! The balloon must not touch the floor, ceiling, or furniture. It’s more challenging than it appears!

Cleaning Olympics

Transform tidying up into a fun competition! Challenge them to toss stuffed animals into their box from a distance, get garbage in the wastebasket, or see who can stack books on the highest shelf.

Teach and Learn

Invite your child to teach you some of the moves they’ve learned, whether it’s a soccer stunt, ballet position, or something else they enjoy. Swap experiences and teach them a yoga pose or dance move you know. This fosters communication and strengthens your bond.

Crab Walk Challenge

Teach your little ones to walk like crabs and have them try to traverse the room while balancing different items on their bellies.