19 Ways to Get Kids Moving Indoors When It’s Too Cold to Go Outside

Winter can be tough for many parents, especially those in colder climates. It seems like when the weather drops and the kids come inside for the season, they quickly run out of things to do. Suddenly, it’s all TV and video games all the time.

While that may be okay in spurts, it’s essential to find ways to help your kids stay active during the winter. While there are some indoor places, like bounce houses you can pay to visit, there are other things you can do at home. In this guide, we’ll explain the importance of physical activity and offer a variety of ways to get kids moving indoors.

Why Movement Is So Important

It’s essential to find time during the winter months to get kids moving indoors because their health depends on it. A healthy lifestyle as a child can create positive habits that follow them into adulthood. Plus, young people are still developing, so they need to be strong and healthy to grow into capable adults. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control, the health benefits for children are numerous, with physical benefits including:

• Building stronger muscles and endurance
• Improving blood pressure
• Maintaining healthy blood sugar levels
• Strengthening bones
• Regulating body weight
• Reducing the chances of chronic diseases that can develop later in life, like obesity and type 2 diabetes

There are also many benefits of exercise for children's mental health. For instance, playing sports and games can also improve memory and attention skills, helping them become more well-rounded individuals.

Being active and around other kids can also help to reduce the risk of depression both now and when they grow older. Plus, while we try to preach body positivity, it is possible for people to become depressed when they don’t look how they would like or if they’re not able to do things they wish they could. Encouraging exercise when they’re young could be the key to a healthy future. 

Fun Ways to Get Kids Moving Indoors

It’s clear that being physically active as a child has value, so what can you do when the temperatures drop? Here are a variety of fun activities to consider this season.

Indoor Obstacle Course

Depending on the size of your home, you can set up a pretty complex obstacle course that will require kids to walk, zigzag, jump, and roll through obstacles you place around the home. Arrange couch cushions, lay out painter’s tape, and create armchair tunnels. Rotate furniture on a timer to make it more interesting. 

Balloon Volleyball

Stretch a piece of yarn between two chairs to create a net. Then provide a balloon to act as a “volleyball” and watch the kids have a blast. In addition to being safer indoors, a balloon will also slow down the play so that kids of all ages can get involved. Volleyball is a great sport that keeps kids moving while also helping with hand-eye coordination. 

Freeze Dance

An easy way to get kids moving is to introduce the freeze dance. Play a song on Spotify and stop it randomly when the kids are supposed to freeze in place. There are also fun freeze dance songs and videos on YouTube that are great for all ages. You can also add themes like “freeze on one leg” or “freeze like an animal.”

Simon Says

Perhaps the best way to get kids moving indoors is to tell them to move via a fun game of Simon Says. Make it a movement game where Simon tells them to do jumping jacks, spins, or crab walks. Just be sure to make enough space in the house so the kids don’t get hurt.

Hallway Bowling

Line up empty water bottles or find a plastic bowling set online and play a game of bowling in the hallway. Your kids will get exercise as they gently roll the ball and then run to the pins to set them up again. Bowling is great for motor skills and problem-solving.

Indoor Relay Race

If you have a house with a long hall or an empty room, consider hosting an indoor relay race. Give the kids safe items to pass between runners, like stuffed animals or beanbags. Instead of just running back and forth, you can also make a game where everyone has to tiptoe, run backward, or move like their favorite animal.

Animal Movement Game

You can dedicate an entire game to animal movements. Watch your kids slither like snakes, stomp like an elephant, or hop like a frog. The activities can improve imagination and gross motor skills. If they want to try a different animal, they can watch a YouTube video and learn about a whole new species.

Dance Party

A great way to burn a ton of calories is by dancing. Dim the lights, play your kids' favorite songs, and let the children go wild. You can even look for an affordable toy disco ball to make the dance space legit. Or, try playing a dance-along video.

Yoga Breaks

For a different type of movement, consider encouraging yoga breaks throughout the day. You can find kid-friendly yoga routines on YouTube or make your own. Yoga and stretching exercises are key to improving flexibility, range of motion, and posture. Plus, it will give the kids a chance to relax.

The Floor Is Lava

For a guaranteed good time, consider playing a classic game of The Floor is Lava. You can find a pre-existing song online or play any song, and when you pause it, announce that the “floor is lava!” At that point, the kids need to find a way to get off the ground, whether that’s by jumping on a couch or getting on a towel. Either way, it will flex their problem-solving skills.

Follow the Leader

Either you or one of the kids can be the leader and decide which movement the group should do next. Whether it's hopping on one foot, crawling, spinning, or tiptoeing. It’s a great way for the kids to build their sense of control and creativity. Let every child get the chance to be the leader to make things fair.

Tape Balance Beam

Get painters' tape or colored electrical tape, place it on the ground, and have the kids try to walk across it like a balance beam without falling off. You can make straight lines, zigzag lines, or circles. Have the kids try to walk the line forward, backward, and while holding weights.

Laser Maze

Tape crepe paper or yarn across the hallway in a crisscross pattern. Then pretend it is really lasers, and have the kids get from one side of the hallway to the other without touching them! It’s just like an action scene in the movies, and the activity will do wonders for their balance and coordination. 

Get Out the Mini Trampoline

If you don’t already have one, invest in a mini trampoline you can place anywhere in your home for a surefire way to get kids moving indoors. Most kids never get bored with jumping on a trampoline, and it’s a great way to burn off excess energy. You can make it interesting by making a challenge to see how many times each kid can jump.

DIY Basketball Hoop

Hang a laundry or waste basket from the wall and play a game of indoor basketball. Use a foam ball so you don’t cause any damage. If you don’t feel safe with kids running or jumping in the house, you can still play a game of H-O-R-S-E, where the kids stand in one place while shooting the ball and see who wins!

Rolling Races

Small kids and toddlers can have a blast playing rolling races across a carpeted floor. Start at one side and roll to the other, and see who wins. You can put little foam toys and balls in the space to make it more challenging.

Build a New Fort Each Day

There’s nothing like a cozy fort made of blankets and pillows to satisfy those winter chills. So, why not challenge your kids to make a different fort every day? They’ll work on their logic and problem-solving skills as they learn to use household items to build a new temporary home. They’ll also get plenty of exercise along the way.

Workout Circuits

If you really want kids to maximize their physical fitness, have your kids engage in workout circuits, alternating exercises every 30 seconds. Exercises can include jumping jacks, wall sits, planks, frog jumps, and anything else you can imagine. Try to make it fun by playing music or challenging the kids to break their own record every time.

Clean-Up Race

At the end of the day, you can try a final strategy to get kids moving indoors: a clean-up race. During the race, set a timer or play a song. Then, challenge the kids to pick up and put away as many items as they can before the song ends. That way, when playtime ends, your house is clean, and you can relax.

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