I love winter, don’t get me wrong, but there are plenty of stir-crazy days stuck inside with the kids. Days like that call for creative ideas to keep those crazy kids active and help release some energy.

I’ve rounded up some of my favorite ways to staying active with the kids while stuck indoors. Some are impulsive and easy, some take some planning, and some are store-bought games with an active element.

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Ideas for staying active with kids when you’re stuck inside

Obstacle Course

This takes a bit more creativity to manage inside with less space, but it is so fun! Get the kids to help set up a course around the living room or through the kitchen. You can crawl under tables, scoot across couches, stretch up to touch something on the wall, balance an item while weaving around toys. The options are endless!

Follow the Leader

When my youngest was an infant and my little guy was one, we used to do this around the house as our workout. I would hold the baby and my son would hold a stuffed animal and follow me around the house. I would raise her up and down, hold her close and turn circles, hold her in and out, etc. and he would follow along with his doll. Basically, anything Mom can think of, the kids can follow. Once their older they can lead their own game.

Dance Party

We do this all the time! I mentioned before that this is one of the ways the kiddos and I clean the house while they think we’re just having fun. The great thing is that it couldn’t be easier, just find some good songs and groove.

Scavenger Hunt

This is another of our favorites that I mentioned as a tool for cleaning up. Kids love to “find” things. We rarely get so organized as creating a specific list for our scavenger hunts, but it would be a good idea for older kids. For little ones, it’s enough just to yell it out and let them search. I also use it as a way to teach them items and well as function, features, and classes of items.

Simon Says / Bucket List

Simon Says is a great game for staying active indoors. You can choose things that are feasible and safe to do inside the house.

I grouped this with “Bucket List” and I’m sure you’re wondering what this means… I was thinking along the lines of our Bucket List Workout. My kids have fun doing the workout with me, but you could also make up a game similar to Simon Says and place activities such as “find something purple” or “jog in place” on the popsicle sticks and have a fun game.

Hide and Seek

What kid doesn’t like this game? What parent doesn’t like the couple moments their kiddo stays I their Hindi g place?

This is an easy game, but I forget about it all the time. It involves the kids moving around the whole house and keeps them busy for at least a little while.

 

Store Bought Games with Activity Built In

Twister

Y’know I had to mention this one. Twister is pretty classic and it gets the kids moving.

Duck Duck Mouse

I love this game! We found Duck Duck Mouse last Easter and it’s perfect for very young children because there is no reading involved. You hide the Mickey and Minnie pieces and flip cards until you draw one of the characters, then set a time and run off to find the hidden Mickey/Minnie. My kids love it!

Hot Potato Dash

Hot Potato Dash is a little different than the hot potato I remember, although that would be a great game too. This is another game I came across and got for the kids because of how easy it was to play and understand. There are cards with common household items and you race to touch the Mr. Potato Head to those items.

Memory Yoga

This is our current favorite! When my kids were younger we used to take advantage if the kids yoga videos On Demand, and they loved them!

We got this memory yoga game from Think Fun to test out, and the kids were so anxious to open it up. To tell you the truth, we’ve yet to play the memory game because the kids pull it out so often and just do the moves on each card. They’ve even gotten Dad in on the fun, making it some great family time.

Once the thrill of just doing the moves from the cards wears off, we can set them up like a game of memory. Once  we’ve found a pair we have to hold the pose for a certain amount of time before being allowed to keep them. This will definitely give use the advantage over Dad!

 

I’d love to hear some of the ways you and your kids stay busy and active while stuck indoors!

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