By Amy Meyer, Fit Kids Coordinator
When the wind chill dips, as much as we’d like to, some days we just can’t get outside for fresh air and exercise. Yet physical activity is vitally important in the winter. Exercise can brighten our mood, help with sleep patterns, and of course keep our bodies healthy. So this winter, why not move your physical activity indoors?
I have learned many things working with young children, especially to make whatever you are doing fun. So when it’s too cold to play outside, entertain your family with these inspired indoor activities!
- Dance to your favorite music
- Do Yoga
- Play Musical Chairs
- Play Balloon or Beach ball Badminton
- Play Hopscotchindoors
- Set up an Obstacle Course (walk on pillows, crawl under tables, jump over lines, roll across an open space, tight rope walk on a tapeline)
- Pretend to be Animals (walk like a crab or bear, slither like a snake, hop like a frog or bunny)
- Have an Indoor Snowball Fight with Rolled-up Socks or newspaper
- Walk a Tape Path
- Play Twister
- Build a Fort
- Have a Glow In The Dark Dance Party with glow sticks
- Act out your favorite nursery rhymes
- Run and jump on some Bubble Wrap, use a rolling pin to pop the bubbles
- Toss Bean Bags
- Water Bottle or Block Bowling
- Have a Pillow Sack Race
- Twirlwith Ribbons
- Set up Crawl Tunnels using couch cushions, pillows, and blankets.
- Make a Mountain Out Of Pillows and Blankets and Jump Into Them
- Skate indoors using paper plates or wax paper as skates
- Play follow-the-leader, be sure to add jumping, crawling, slithering and dancing
- Play the Limbo using a pool noodle or yardstick
- Play hockey using pool noodles and balloons
- Make up an exercise video and take turns being the instructor
Fun Children’s Books To Get Kids Moving
- Hokey Pokey: Another Prickly Love Story by Lisa Wheeler (preschool)
- If You’re Happy And You Know It by James Warhola (ages 3-5)
- Hilda Must Be Dancing by Karma Wilson (ages 3-7)
- The Ants Go Marching (Traditional Songs) by Sandra D’Antonio (ages 4-8)
- Clip-Clop by Nicola Smee (ages 3-6)
- Boing by Nick Bruel (ages 4-7)
- Trashy Town by Andrea Griffing Zimmerman (ages 4-8)
- The Hubbub Above by Arthur Howard (ages 3-7)
- The Tortoise and the Hare: An Aesop Fable by Janet Stevens (ages 5 and up)
- The Enormous Potato by Aubrey Davis (ages 3-7)
Fun YouTube channels to get kids moving
Debbi Doo Kids TV: Great movement routines to simple songs, perfect for younger kids.
Cosmic Kids Yoga: A large collection of yoga routines presented as adventures for kids; Check out the short 2-minute videos for brain breaks or the longer stories if you have more time.
PBS SteveSongs: The Steve Songs videos feature a popular PBS performer and fun songs to move to.
The Learning Station: A huge range of fun action songs kids will love.
Have Fun Teaching Fitness Videos: As an adult, the fitness songs are on the repetitive side, but young children will like that.
Tumble Tots Action Songs: Very fun, upbeat songs to get kids moving.
Kiboomers Action Songs: More fun songs to move to.
GoNoodle Get Moving: “GoNoodle videos get kids moving to be their strongest, bravest, silliest, smartest, bestest selves.”
Koo Koo Kanga Roo: Videos from the Third Best Dance Duo in MINNESOTA! Very silly and fun!
