No matter the reason, sometimes kids need to stay indoors. Here are 13 ways to help kids move their bodies, engage their minds, stay active inside, release pent-up energy, and ditch cabin fever!

  1. Go on a treasure hunt. Everyone loves searching for treasures! Create a scavenger hunt by writing clues and hiding them around your home or classroom to get kids moving and out of their seats. Need some inspiration for a treasure at the end? Use some of our free printable activity packets like Hello Healthy, The Power of You, or the Kindness Printable Pack. 
  2. Dance to music. Crank up the music and let kids dance! To make the fun last longer, turn it into a game of Freeze Dance! Play the music and choose points to randomly stop the song. When the song stops, kids freeze their bodies and hold their position until the music starts back up again. 
  3. Follow along with videos. If you’re looking for a quick and simple way to help kids move, display one of our fit Move videos on your smartboard, TV, or other screen. Our Move videos include fit Field Day: An Inclusive Workout for Kids, Flip or Freeze: A Move Along Activity for Kids, fit Workout: Yoga Flow, fit Workout: Full Body Workout, fit Workout: Sports Moves, fit Workout: Jump Rope and Hula Hoop, and more!
  4. Create a sensory path. A sensory path is a series of guided sensory-motor tasks for kids to follow, shown by markings on the ground or walls. You can create your own in your classroom or home with painter's tape, floor mats, paper and markers, and more. Or you can print and hang fit’s Wellness Way Sensory Path. Check out this blog for more inspiration on creating your own sensory path.
  5. Create a bowling alley! Did you know you can bowl in your own home or classroom? Using materials such as empty milk or water jugs or any other tall, empty plastic container, form a triangle. Kids can use a tennis ball or any other small ball to attempt to knock down the “pins.”  
  6. Practice a yoga flow. Yoga is a great indoor activity because it gets the body moving while also calming the brain. Project the fitFlow Activity on a large screen or phone to start practicing all different kinds of yoga poses with kids!
  7. Keep a ball up in the air. Another quick and easy movement activity is a challenge of keeping a ball like a balloon or a beach ball in the air for as long as possible. Bonus challenge - have kids count how many times they can hit it in a row!
  8. Build an obstacle course adventure. Make up an adventure story with kids then act it out. If you climb over a mountain, build a pile of pillows. If the story includes a forest, use chairs set up in a row that kids must weave through. Check out this article for more inspiration.
  9. Have an indoor snowball fight. Just because there might be snow outside doesn’t mean that you can’t have a snowball fight while staying warm inside! Use scrunched-up pieces of paper to form the snow and let the throwing begin. You can even create forts inside with furniture and blankets to avoid getting hit by the opposing team!
  10. Get a boost! Try using the fitBoost Activity to get moving anytime and anywhere. Plus, you can get new movements and combinations every time you press “Let’s Go!” 
  11. Try a new hobby. Spending a little extra time indoors is the perfect opportunity to try a new hobby. What have your kids been interested in? Do they want to try juggling or hula hooping? 
  12. Play Simon Says. The classic game, “Simon Says,” is the perfect way to get kids moving. Use the phrase, “Simon says,” followed by the action you want kids to do. But, if you don’t say, “Simon says,” and just say the action, kids must not do the action. Some actions include hopping, stretching to the sky, roaring like a lion, or pretending to play basketball. 
  13. Move to the ABCs. Print and hang the free Move ABCs Poster. Then, play some spelling games and have kids perform the movement with each letter. Can they spell their name? What movements are in their name? What about their favorite color or animal? See how many letters and movements kids can do with the words they spell!  

We hope that with these ideas, staying active indoors and getting your kids’ bodies moving is easier than you think! 

Ready for More? You Might Also Like: 
Make the Best of Indoor Recess
Cheat Sheet for Caregivers: Fun Ways to Get Kids Moving
50 Boredom Busters that Kids Love