24 Fun Physical Activities For Kids

Who doesn’t like watching kids run around outside in a spontaneous game of tag, push them on a swing, or construct a fort from tree branches and sticks with them? But we live in a world where parents fear letting their kids venture outside alone. In addition, older kids are so over-scheduled that they rarely have time for any fun physical activities.

Now, instead of going out to the park with friends and organizing their own game with their own rules, kids are stuck to their devices that are right there in their pockets. When left to their own devices, they feel “bored” and have no idea what to do with themselves. Moreover, there are too few free resources available that offer fun physical activity ideas for kids.

Let’s face it. It really is High TIME to look at how our kids spend their time.

Why Physical Activity is Important in Early Childhood

If we wish to raise a happy, healthy, strong, resilient, and capable generation, there’s no alternative to physical movement. Children need to learn to maintain a healthy and fit lifestyle from a young age. Regular physical activities offer a wide range of benefits for kids:

• Helps them develop a sense of freedom
• Promotes healthy growth and development
• Works as a confidence and self-esteem booster
• Helpful for developing healthier social, cognitive, and emotional skills
• Key for developing concentration and coordination from an early age
• Vital for a healthier body composition, stronger bones, and muscles
• Children learn how to learn new skills and cope with stress
• Helpful for improving motor skills, strength, and stamina

Even these benefits continue to carry to the later stages of their life. A recent study shows that children who are physically active absorb and retain new information more effectively than children who are sedentary and out of shape. So encourage your kids’ physical activity every single day and make it a habit.

How to Encourage Your Child to Be Physically Active

Regular physical activities are important for people of all ages, not just kids, to ensure a balanced life. Here are some ways to encourage your child to be physically active.

1. If you want to encourage free play, start with yourself first. Set an example by being physically active — exercise at least 30 minutes, four to five times a week, both personally and with kids. Also, have regular conversations about the benefits of physical activities.

2. Kids love activities that promote excitement and fun. Encourage them to pick activities that they find fun.

3. Whenever possible, walk to get somewhere nearby.

4. Children need to play with a variety of toys but make sure to buy toys that encourage physical activities.

5. Any physical activities are going to make them hungry. Make sure the kids are drinking enough water, getting enough sleep, and getting the right nutrition.

6. Let them play without much adult supervision. Allow them to play in their own way, to make their own rules, to interpret their world, to make their own amusement, and to enjoy freedom.

7. Try to keep kids off the computers, tablets, and phones. If you cannot do that, at least limit their technology use at home. Try to balance TV, books, computers, consoles, and physical activities during the holidays. In this case, follow AAP’s new recommendations for children’s media use.

Again, remember to set a good example. Get your child to play outdoors, read a book, or play a game together. Don’t drag them around while talking on the cell phone, texting, or browsing.

Ideas of Fun Physical Activities for Kids of All Ages

There are many fun physical activities that kids would love to do. So, instead of wasting away in front of the TV like a couch potato, get your children excited about physical activities. Here are some ideas for daily, quick, and fun physical activities for kids of all ages.

Fun Physical Activities To Do With Toddlers (Ages 2-3 Years)

Apart from reading stories and singing songs/rhymes together, there are a ton of things you can do with your toddler. Here are some fun activities that both you and your little one will love to do together.

Indoor Physical Activities for Toddlers

These indoor physical activities for toddlers are the perfect solution when you’re stuck at home on a freezing cold or rainy day.

1. Follow the Leader

If you have more than one kid, make one of them the leader. Otherwise, you can be the leader. Encourage your kid to follow the leader. Try to incorporate activities such as jumping, skipping, catching something, and more. It’s a simple way to get a good workout done for your kids.

2. Bouncing on the Bed

This is a simple but fun way to get the heart pumping. When your kids can’t sleep, let them play this for a couple of minutes. They will drift off to dreamland in no time.

3. Dancing

Dancing is a fun physical activity to do. Play some kid-friendly music, and let them dance to the music. You don’t have to be an expert dancer; just shake your body and have some fun together.

4. Hide and Seek

It’s a popular children’s game. Keep a toy hidden somewhere in the house and ask your children to find it. You can use different cues to guide them.

Outdoor Physical Activities for Toddlers

Parents should try to spend as much time as possible outdoors with toddlers at this age. Outdoor free play will help stimulate their curiosity, observation, imagination, and love for nature. Here are some fun and simple outdoor physical activities you can do with your toddler.

1. Explore The Playground

Just go out for a walk with your toddler and talk about the surroundings. Not only beneficial for children, but this is also a great activity to boost your mood despite the daily grinding of parenthood.

2. Tickle Tag

Toddlers of this age love to be chased. So, chase them around the house or the yard. When you catch them, tickle them or swing them around. They would love to play this game for hours. Make sure to clear all child hazards in the way prior to this activity.

3. Catching /Throwing Balls

There are endless ways to play with balls both indoors and outdoors. Get some fun balloon balls that bounce and stretch. Throw the balls up and try to keep them off the ground. Or you can just play ball catch. This is a fun way to keep your kids occupied for hours.

4. Outdoor Treehouse Fun

You can build a kids’ treehouse in your backyard with a slide and swing set. Setting up a quality custom playset is the safest option for little kids. Just make sure the stairs are easy for your kids to get up to the treehouse and have a slide. Your little ones will love to spend hours climbing the steps.

Physical Activities for Preschoolers (Ages 3-5 Years)

Preschool physical activities play a very important role in shaping a child’s personality and improving motor skills. There are lots of fun and creative physical activities that can be included in preschools.

Indoor Physical Activities for Preschoolers

Here are some fun indoor physical activities for preschoolers.

1. Build an Indoor Playhouse

Help your child build a fort using either a pillow or blanket. If you are looking for something more practical, get your child a fort-building kit. You will be amazed by seeing how they architect a little place of their own.

2. Bunge Jump

Bunge Jump is a fun indoor/outdoor activity for preschoolers. It is also great for improving motor skills for preschoolers while burning off some rambunctious energy. Flybar has a great indoor Bunge Jumper for preschoolers that can be easily used in imaginative play.

3. Walking on Balance Beam

Balancing is more than just a physical activity. It develops balance and coordination skills and helps preschoolers learn body awareness. Get a floor balance beam and have your child try to walk along the beam with outstretched hands. Slowly make it harder by incorporating physical movement activities such as walkovers, donkey kicks, handstands, jumps, and leaps.

4. Set Up an Indoor Fun Play Gym

Help your child develop good exercise habits from an early age. Build an indoor gym for your little gymnast. Try to promote fun and imaginative play by incorporating equipment such as indoor climbing toys, trampolines, or balance boards.

Outdoor Physical Activities for Preschoolers

Here are some fun outdoor activities for preschoolers that will keep them busy for hours!

1. Running

This is something you can add to your child’s daily routine. Running not only helps develop children’s cognitive abilities but also improves their mental health. Encourage your child to run daily. You can also set a good example by running together in the afternoon daily.

2. Lily Pad Jumping

Fun outdoor activities like Jumping on the Lily Pads help children develop motor skills, balance, and core muscles. Use chalk, masking tape, or hoops to make four lily pads stretching out in a straight line. Then, put targets on the lily pads and have kids jump like a frog from lily pad to lily pad. Here is a good reference video you can follow.

3. Scavenger Hunt

This is quite a popular game that little kids love because of all the fun surprises they find and the thrill of seeking them out. This game doesn’t require any intense physical activity but can still get the mind and body pumping.

4. Mow the Lawn

Are we telling you to let your child mow the lawn? Hell no! A lawn mower will encourage imaginative play and get your children moving. They will love pushing it around the house and in the backyard. What’s more, some lawnmowers make a fun popping noise when pushed.

Physical Activities for Children (Ages 6-8 years)

Children are designed to move around. They should be making things, trying, failing, and trying again, all while actively engaged. There are ways to get children to be physically active both indoors and outdoors.

Indoor Physical Activities for Children

Check out these fun and creative indoor play ideas for children when they’re stuck at home.

1. Do Chores Together

Age-appropriate chores boost confidence and teach children not to expect handouts. Let them help you clean dishes, put food on plates, feed the dog, etc. Cook a desert from The Unofficial Harry Potter Cookbook. Your little Harry Potter fan will enjoy the whole time in the kitchen.

2. Try Yoga Poses with Your Kids

Do you know that the best age to start doing yoga is 8? Yoga can improve the strength, coordination, and flexibility of your child. Moreover, yoga lays the foundation for a fit lifestyle that children can carry with them for a lifetime. Get a cute yoga mat for your little yogi, put on some soothing sound effects, and start doing some easy and fun yoga poses.

3. Skipping Ropes

Skipping ropes can enhance your child’s coordination and agility. Get a quality jump rope and get started skipping with your child. It can be done indoors as well as outdoors.

Outdoor Physical Activities for Children

Here are some fun physical activities that are perfect for a dry and shiny day.

1. Obstacle Course

If you’re looking for something more challenging and fun, then this is the one for you. This is just like a normal chase but with obstacles in the way to add a little twist. It’s even more beneficial than normal chasing because it tests their reflex skills and mental capacity. You can also make a fun American Ninja Warrior course in your backyard and enjoy a great weekend with your child.

2. Throwing Activities

It is essential for a child to engage in activities that ultimately improve hand-eye coordination, motor skills, and timing. Throwing is a perfect exercise for that. Sports that involve throwing, such as baseball, basketball, and volleyball, should be encouraged to play. If you want to keep it simpler, then just set a target and make the child aim for it with every throw.

3. Racing

Create small running competitions for your children and their friends. Running is a very simple but very beneficial exercise for children. You can also offer incentives to make the game more enjoyable.

4. Bicycle Riding

Bicycle riding can help your child get their calf muscles in shape. Children also love the thrill that comes with bike rides. Just remember to keep their helmets on!

5. Swimming

Swimming is a very important life skill to have. In addition, swimming is fun and a great way to increase your child’s stamina and posture. It’s better to start swimming lessons from a very young age because it can be more difficult to catch onto as they get older.

Read Also: Best Indoor Activities for Kids

How Often Should Children Get Physical Activities?

It depends on the child’s age because children under two years old may not need such regular activity. Older children must take part in regular physical activities to keep their bodies healthy. Physical activities should be simple and less intense for kids. However, after hitting the preschool mark, the intensity should gradually increase with age.

Conclusion

The above list of physical activities for kids can create a foundation for a healthy and fit lifestyle. It is important to emphasize the benefits of exercise to children from a young age. They do not always have to be intense and tiring but can be fun and calming, too.

However, getting them to do activities may not always be easy, so you can offer some incentives in a fun or competitive game. Embrace a healthier lifestyle yourself, and be a role model to your children.