How to Keep Your Kids Active Indoors

Ways to Stay Active When You Can’t Get Outdoors

No matter how hard we try, it’s not always possible to get outside to enjoy the outdoors as a family. When you and your kids can't spend time outdoors at your favorite trails and parks, try these fun and creative indoor activities.

Play a game of balloon volleyball

You don’t need helium to turn a balloon into a versatile indoor plaything. Hang a sheet across the center of a room and play a game of balloon volleyball!

Don’t want to make things competitive? Work as a team to keep the balloon from touching the ground. Bat it back and forth and see how long you can keep it afloat. You can also play catch or use small brooms or racquets to play a friendly game of balloon tennis.

Play hot potato

This classic game can provide plenty of indoor fun. Here’s how to play:

Have your children stand in a circle.
Play some music and start passing a potato, ball or bean bag around faster and faster.
When the music stops, the person holding the "potato” must leave the circle.
The final player standing without the potato is the winner.

You can set up rules requiring that the potato be passed clockwise or go with a free-for-all method and let your kids pass the potato to anyone they want.

Go camping

Can’t get away to enjoy nature’s splendor? Luckily, you don’t have to go outdoors to camp:

Get your sleeping bags and pitch a tent in the basement or living room.
Load a virtual campfire video onto your tablet or laptop and sing songs or tell ghost stories.
Make some s’mores in the microwave and “rough it” with some delicious, freeze-dried backpacking entrées or delectable desserts.
Have your kids bring along their stuffed animals to add some “wildlife” to your indoor camping adventure.

Play a game of indoor hockey

Use masking tape to section off a pair of goals on opposite ends of a hallway, then divide your family into two teams and equip each player with a small broom.

Using a tennis ball as your hockey puck, work together to tally as many goals as possible, using an egg timer or your phone as the official game clock. Don’t have enough brooms to go around? Grab a small plastic ball and turn your indoor hockey arena into a makeshift soccer stadium.

Create activity stations

Indoor activity stations are a great way to get some exercise inside, and every member of the family can contribute ideas for the stations.

Section off areas of your home and create signs for each activity. Whether it’s jumping jacks, planking, juggling or making goofy faces, each station should feature a fun or challenging activity. Set a timer for a minute or two, then rotate so everyone gets at least one turn at each station.

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