Games with movement: 8 movement activities for kids

8 movement activities for kids

If you have squirmy children on your hands, playing movement games can help get out their wiggles and provide the entertainment they’re looking for. Movement activities and games aren’t just fun though; they also help the development of their motor skills.

“Play is the best way to help develop young children’s large motor skills,” says play advocate Meryl Neiman, a co-founder of Playdate Planet. “Once they can understand basic rules, children enjoy movement games, and they can be wonderful incentives for kids to get the physical activity their bodies need.” She adds, “For little ones, I recommend looking for low-key or non-competitive games.”

Physical games can do more than just get the blood pumping, as well. “When it comes to children under the age of 5, imagination is key,” says Mari Hughes, co-owner of The Little Gym. “Following a set of strict rules and instructions will not keep the game going very long. Instead, by giving them a chance to use their minds and create, they will build up their cognitive skills, their social skills as well as their confidence and leadership skills. ”

With that in mind, here are eight fun and easy movement games for little kids:

1.

Tag

Tag teaches your child how to capture things and navigate challenges using a little healthy competition, and there are many ways they can play. “You can try freeze tag and have children simply freeze in place until they are set free by the touch of another child,” suggests Neiman. “Improvise with fun variations like requiring tagged children to do a number of jumping jacks or spins before rejoining the game.”

2.

Tape jumping

For this game, all you need is some tape! Lay out six to eight strips of tape on the ground about a foot apart. The object of the game is to see how far your little one can jump. Number the pieces of tape to help keep track. As they master jumping all the strips of tape, add more for difficulty.

3.

Hopscotch

Hopscotch is a classic on school playgrounds, and is “great for working on everything from balance and spatial perception, to fine motor skills drawing the board [to] executive functioning in planning your next move,” says Neiman. Plus, it’s great practice for number recognition!

4.

Puddle jump

You don’t need a rainy day to do some puddle jumping; all you need is a jump rope and some cups of water. In this game, two people swing an extra-long jump rope, and every other child holds two cups of water while they jump into the rope’s jump space. After five jumps, they exit. After each child takes a turn in the jump rope, the one with the most water left in their cup wins!

5.

What Time Is It, Mr. Fox?

“To actively engage a 4- to 5-year-old for any length of time,” says Hughes, “they need to be involved in the creation and running of the game.” To play this game, the kids line up a good distance away from the player chosen to be Mr. Fox. The kids shout, “What time is it, Mr. Fox?” And “Mr. Fox” answers with a time of day. The kids then get to take that number of steps toward him.

Hughes, however, suggests a twist: “When the kids are called over, the parent (or Mr. Fox) can implement the use of imagination by saying things like ‘Take two elephant steps over,’ or ‘Take three steps like a mouse.’ Kids love to pretend to be animals.” The first player to pass Mr. Fox wins.

6.

Rolling

Rolling your body across a surface isn’t only fun — it also helps with the development of your child’s brain and body coordination. Rolling horizontally helps assist in balance, linear movement, strength and understanding tactile space. Once your child has mastered turning over on a flat surface, take it outside and try rolling down a grass hill. The first one down the hill wins!

7.

Tissue dance

This is a fun game that works on posture, body control, balance and concentration. Have everyone start by placing a tissue on their heads. When the music starts playing, everyone starts dancing. But be careful; don’t let the tissue fall off your head! If the tissue hits the ground, you’re out.

8.

Obstacle course

Kids of all ages love to create. Hughes suggests giving them a bunch of big empty boxes, toilet paper rolls, paper towel rolls and markers, and sending them into a room to build an obstacle course. Step back and watch their problem-solving and planning skills soar. When they’re done, they can engage the tricks of the obstacle course they just created

Stephanie Glover is a freelance writer who lives outside of Philadelphia.

Indoor Games for Cold Weather Days

Whether the weather is keeping you inside or you’re on lockdown (again) active play is not only stimulating for the body, but it can also boost the brain. From balloon games to literally acting like animals, we’ve found 28 inventive ways to keep kids moving indoors and keep their little minds occupied. Check out our favorite indoor games for when it’s too cold to play outside.

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Active Imagination

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Take the kids on a walk through the forest without leaving the living room. For each prompt, demonstrate a movement while you tell the story out loud. For example: 

You are walking down a path in a forest (walk in place).

You see a deer leap across the path (leap!).

You chase after the deer (run in place). 

But you trip on a branch and fall (slowly fall in place). 

You roll down a hill (roll around on the floor).

You can take this in any direction you want and make it last as long as you need to! 

Grow, Little Seed, Grow!

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In this scenario, you’re going to “plant” your kiddo and watch them grow. 

Have your child curl up in a little ball on the floor. If they’re small enough, you can carry them to the spot. 

Declare you are a gardener, and you are planting the rarest seed. 

Tickle their back while you say, “Water, water, water!”

Lightly tap their back while you say, “Sun beats down, sun beats down!” 

Now the seed can start to unfurl. “Oh, the seed is reaching through the soil!”

As your child slowly comes to standing, at each stage say things like, “Oh, the leaves are unfurling!” and “Look, there’s a flower on the top.”

Finally, have your child stretch to the sun. 

You can end it there, or you can go and pick the flower, having the kiddos collapse in a giggling heap as you “chop” at their heels. 

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The Alphabet Workout

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This one takes a bit more prep, but it’s super easy to learn and guaranteed to burn off energy in no time. First, you need to associate a specific exercise with letters of the alphabet (example: A, 5 burpees, B, 10 jumping jacks, C, 10 jumps in place). You can repeat exercises, so you don’t have to come up with 26 new ones! You can also find a pre-made one, like this one from Leash Your Fitness. 

Next, you take turns doing the exercises based on your name. Adjust to kids’ ages and fitness levels. For example, you can do middle and last names if the kids need more. Or choose random words. Your heart will be pumping in no time (It makes a great break from work for adults, too.).

Pool Noodle Jousting

Okay, we’ll admit this one could be a recipe for trouble among certain siblings, but it’s ever so easy and ever so fun! Just be sure to establish rules like no hitting faces, body parts, etc.

All you need are two pool noodles. If the kids are small, you can cut a pool noodle in half.

Arm each child (or yourself and a child). 

Joust away. 

No noodles? You can get a set of two 52″ long noodles for $21.99 on Amazon right now. 

Color Match

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Choose a few colorful old socks; fill each sock with dry rice, beans, or something similar, and tie the ends together. Place sheets of paper on the floor—with one for each color of the sock. Your child can toss the homemade bean bag onto the corresponding color of paper.

Related: 21 Easy Play Ideas for Kids (Whether You Have 5, 15 or 30 Minutes)

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Animal Antics

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Can your kiddo waddle like a walrus? Walk like a penguin? Gallop like a horse? Call out animal names and watch as your child imitates the creature’s antics.

Indoor Games for Kids That Use Balloons

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Bat the Balloon

Fill a balloon, toss it into the air and count how many pats your child can bat the balloon before it falls to the ground. Add another balloon to make the game more challenging.

Balloon Ball 

All it takes to play balloon volleyball, baseball, basketball, or hockey is hot air (to blow up the balloons!) and a little ingenuity. Use trash cans on opposite sides of the room as baskets and a simple painter’s tape line to divide the room for a volleyball net. For hockey and baseball, use pool noodles to bat balloons in the air or on the ground.

Balloon Challenge

Blow up as many balloons as you can, and divide them up so roughly half are inside a painter’s tape-made circle and half are outside of it. Then free the kids, challenging one to get as many balloons into the circle while inviting the other to keep out as many as possible. It’s a Ying/Yang situation that’ll wear them out faster than you can say, “nap time!”

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Active Indoor Games for Kids

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Mirror Mirror

Take follow the leader to a whole new level. Pretend your child is a mirror and have them imitate your movements—reflection style. Reverse the course and give them a chance to play the role of leader as you mirror them.

Family Freeze

Are you looking for games for kids that don’t require materials, cards, boards or anything else? Try a quick game of freeze. Let the kids run, dance, twirl or move to their beat. Yell, “freeze,” and watch them suddenly turn into statues.

Musical Chairs

Don’t count out the games you played as a child. Set up chairs in your playroom, turn on the tunes, and play a game of musical chairs.

Indoor Hopscotch

A long stretch of wood or tile flooring is all your little ones need to play indoor hopscotch. Lay out the game using painters or washi tape so it won’t stick to your floors. Then off they go, tossing and hopping down the alley until they reach 10. Get more on this sweet idea over at Toddler Approved.

Pillowcase Race

Who doesn’t need an excuse to change the bedsheets? Have the kids stuff themselves into their pillowcases, then send them off down a carpeted hallway or across a room with a rug toward an imaginary finish line. Add in obstacles to make it more challenging and to keep the fun rolling.

Potato Relay

To play this silly game, all you need are buckets, potatoes and kids with a good sense of humor. Set the buckets up at one side of the room. Next, ask each child to carry a potato between their legs (no hands allowed) across the room and plop it in the bucket before turning and running back to tag the next player in line.

Indoor Games for Kids That Like Color

Erica Loop

Paint Race

Who can paint a portrait, landscape or still life the fastest? Choose a subject, hand out the canvases and race to see who can paint their masterpiece the fastest.

Rainbow Race

Add science to your indoor games for youth! Preschoolers and younger kiddos will get a kick out of this fun-filled full “STEAM” -ahead game. Drip a few drops of food coloring into water and freeze colorful cubes. When the ice is ready, place different colors on one side of a piece of poster board paper and race the cubes to see which one melts the fastest—and wins!

Color Wheel Magic

Preschoolers will dig this simple game you can make with construction paper. Place colored papers around on the ground cakewalk style and turn on some music. Then start your crew out around the circle. Whatever color they’re on when the music stops becomes their challenge color, and they need to race through the house to find an object in that color. The first one back to the circle wins!

Indoor Bowling

Gabby Cullen

Put your plastic dixie cup collection to use. Line the bottles up bowling pin-style and use a soft, squishy ball to bowl!

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Icy Building Blocks

Erica Loop

No blocks? No problem! Freeze colorful cubes of ice and use them to build skyscrapers in your kitchen. Have a parent-child contest to see who can build the highest tower—without toppling the freezing blocks.

Related: 14 Low-Key Games to Play with Grandparents

Dress-Up Challenge

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Raid the dress-up bin or pile all your best costumes together. Then call out open-ended prompts your kids can respond to with their clothing choices. Dress up as someone who helps others. Dress up as someone who builds things. Dress up as a hero. Have kids race against each other or set a timer for singletons as they take on this best-dressed challenge.

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Cup Flip Fun

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This simple game is a total energy burn. To play, grab 20 paper or plastic cups from the cupboards and scatter them around the room—10 facing up and 10 facing down. Divide your crew into the Up Team and the Down Team before setting a five-minute timer. Once the timer is set, send the teams off to flip cups in their direction (up for Up Team, down for Down Team).

Storybook Show

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Combine two favorite activities into one when you help your kids get their favorite book ready for its stage debut. Think out costumes and dialogue as you prepare them to act out their favorite book for the most approving audience around—you and your parenting partner! It’ll be standing ovations and encore applauses when they’re done.

Family Wrestling Match

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This simple activity pits your kiddo against mom or dad in a battle of physical strength. To play, create a circle using painter’s tape or something that will easily peel off your floors. Make sure it’s big enough to move around in. Plant yourself firmly in the middle before motioning to your sidekick Matrix-style to try and wrestle you out of the circle. Set a timer for each round, or keep it going until you finally get pushed out.

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Dance Party

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Host an indoor dance party with a game-filled twist. Turn on your kid’s favorite tunes, and dance follow the leader style. The leader twirls, whirls and swirls around the room while everyone else follows.

At-Home Obstacle Course

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Indoor games get an activity boost with this obstacle-filled option. Use all the cardboard delivery boxes in your basement or pile pillows together. Then have your ninja warriors test their skills on the course that gives them a legit reason to climb the furniture.

Scavenger Hunts

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Photo Scavenger Hunt

Make your kids’ day with this simple activity that you can play virtually anywhere. Write a list of random items your kids can find around the house. Then, send them off with your phone to find and snap pictures of each of the items. Make the list as long or as short as you like and change it every time you play.

Color Hunt

Stage a rainbow-filled scavenger hunt at home. Give your child pieces of colorful construction paper and ask them to find something around the house that matches each one.

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Games for movement

Tired of the usual board games and want to move a little? Then go ahead with games in which you will learn how to depict a boiling pot of beets without words, you can reach your left heel with your right elbow and learn the dance of the blue turtles from the planet Sparkle. Go!

Pétanque and Antipetanque

This game was already known in Ancient Greece. It was believed that the game of petanque develops accuracy, eye and shows the intellectual superiority of the people playing it. The modern and exciting game of petanque does not require much thought and conclusions. According to the rules of the game, petanque is most similar to golf, but without clubs and holes. Even the smallest children can play it, who will surely like the bright balls. The essence of petanque is to take turns throwing large balls so that they are as close as possible to the goal – a small wooden ball. The difficulty of the game is not just to throw balls, but also, if possible, to move the balls of opponents from the target. It is best to play petanque in nature, as balls

are usually made of heavy plastic or metal alloy which can damage the floor.

For cloudy days and lovers of soft textures, a special version of petanque has been created – “Antipetanque”! The rules of the game are the same, but the metal balls are replaced by special balls stuffed with soft cloth. Now you can play petanque anywhere without fear of damaging the furniture.