Do your kids’ normal at-home activities need a little more excitement? Take a look at their daily schedules. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that caregivers keep a child’s day as routine as possible and, although it can be challenging, ensure media time is managed appropriately. Make sure to plan time for meals, snacks, movement, and rest. Check out the guide from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) for age-appropriate recommendations.
Now don’t get us wrong, routines help children immensely but just because their day-to-day schedule is routine, doesn’t mean their activities have to be the same every day. We’ve put together a list of 25 easy activities to do with kids at home!
Get Creative
- Make a family menu full of nutritious choices with what you have available. Use the Build a Meal printable to help you create your menu.
- Make your very own brain break spinner.
- Use unique materials to create a card for a family member or friend.
- Turn on the fit Music Playlist and have a dance party!
- Build towers with blocks.
- Write or draw pictures in the sand. No sand? Use sugar or flour in a plastic bag and lie flat.
- Create a maker space. Find art supplies and miscellaneous items to make original creations.
- Play with shaving cream! Spray a glob of shaving cream on a table and get messy!
- Create Peace Rocks.
- Make a Calm Down Bottle.
Get Moving - Try a fit Workout Video with any of these video options: fitBoost Sport Moves, Full Body Workout or Jump Rope and Hula Hoop.
- Try yoga as a family with the fitFlow activity or the Yoga Flow and Yoga for Kids videos.
- Indoor Bowling: Fill up water bottles and use any ball you have.
- Have each family member try to crack the code to discover ways to add movement to the day with the Every Day Dance Routine printable.
- Scavenger Hunt: Write clues and hide them around your home. Kids race to find each clue, leading them to a small prize at the end.
- Hopscotch: Create a path indoors by using tape or outdoors by using chalk.
- Use a deck of cards for exercises. The suit is the type of exercise and the number is the number of reps. Here are some easy exercise options:
- Hearts: Jumping Jacks
- Diamonds: Side Twists
- Spades: Arm Circles
- Clubs: Toe Touches
- Animal Races: Hop like a rabbit, waddle like a duck,
- Balloon Ball: Try to keep the balloon off the ground or play catch with it.
- Indoor Ice Skating: Attach paper plates to children’s feet and watch them “skate” through the home.
Get Together
- Have a family board game tournament. The winner of each game gets to choose the next board game they play. Most board games help teach logic, critical thinking, and strategies.
- Share reading. Ask your child to join you in reading a book. Read the pages together, or have your child point to the words while you read. Be expressive!
- Play a game of cards. Go Fish and Slap Jack are easy to learn and fun to play.
- Start a family healthy choices challenge and use the fitMarathon printable to track all the healthy choices you and your family make together.
- Check out these Healthy Cooking recipes you can make with your family.
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