Like Olaf from Frozen sang, “Winter’s a good time to stay in and cuddle,” but that can’t be all we do during the cold-weather months!
It’s important to stay active year-round, but some days it’s just not possible to bundle everyone up, load the kids into the car, and drive 20 minutes to a gym or a playground for kids to get the exercise they need to stay healthy. But don’t worry! There are plenty of fun indoor activities that will get your kids moving, help them stay healthy, and fight those chilly winter blues!
Balloon Volleyball
Just like regular volleyball, the goal of balloon volleyball is to keep the balloon from touching the ground. The catch is that you can only move the balloon by blowing on it, no limbs allowed.
Hang a piece of ribbon, yarn, or string across the room where you are playing to serve as a net. The balloon has to go over the string and land on the other team’s side of the “net” to score a point.
If your kids are younger or less competitive, you can skip the “net” and try to keep the balloon off the floor by hitting it back and forth. Each player can only touch the balloon once in a row.
Indoor Obstacle Course
We all know that kids have huge imaginations, so use that to your advantage by creating an indoor obstacle course! Imagine that the floor is lava, rushing water, or something else that would be unsafe to step in. Place pillows, towels, chairs, or anything else that you are okay with your kids standing on at various points around the house, designating them as “safe.” Then challenge players to get from point A to point B without touching the floor.
For an added challenge, come up with tasks players must accomplish along the way (still without touching the floor), like putting on a pair of tennis shoes, crossing over or under a certain piece of furniture, collecting certain toys, washing their hands, etc.
Laser Maze
(This will take up some space, so be prepared to dedicate whatever area you are playing in to the game while it is going on.)
Create a web of “lasers” by stringing yarn or rope around furniture or taping it to walls, criss-crossing it back and forth. Once your laser web is built, instruct players to get through the “lasers” without touching them!
Have fun!
-Bethany Helm