Need some ways to beat the winter indoor blues? I always try to
get my kiddos outdoors for some fresh air, even in the winter, but when the
cold is just too cold, we have to get creative inside.
If you need some help getting your kids to go from this --
to this --
I hope you find this post helpful! =)
Jumping rope: We don’t have space to do this indoors for
real, but we can lay the rope out on the floor and do several jumping games. (If you don’t have a jump rope, just use a
piece of yarn or string.)
- Jump over and back on two feet – or try one foot!
- See how many jumps it takes to get to the end of the rope
- Bear-walk, crab-walk, crawl, roll, etc. the length of the rope and back
- Make shapes with the rope – triangle, circle, square etc – and hop in and out
Parades and Trains:
My boys love music! We have a few musical instruments that come
along with us on our parades. The boys
take time leading or following each other around the house, while we play
lovely music! If you don’t have any traditional instruments, fill up a plastic
peanut butter jar with some rice for a quick shaker and grab a small pot or lid
with a wooden spoon for a quick percussion instrument. If you are joining the parade, I do advocate
ear plugs!
Trains are also fun! Make a train
with your bodies by holding onto the person in front of you. Take turns being
the engine, freight car, or caboose and explore your house… all the while
making amazing train sounds. Of course!
Obstacle courses:
Create a kid friendly obstacle
course in your living room! Crawl under tables or couch cushion tunnels, shimmy
through tight spaces, jump over “fire or water” (red or blue paper), bear or
crab walk over a couch cushion, walk backwards for a specific distance, or make
a limbo rope. Jumping jacks, crawling, turning in circles, and other movements
can be added in specific areas. If you are making a course for older children, add challenge by having them
carry something in their hands or by adding a balance challenge to some of the
obstacles (For example, balance a light book or paper on their heads.).
*Please make sure all fragile items
are out of the way, and there are no sharp corners where your children might
get hurt.
Don’t Touch the Floor! is another game that goes along these
lines. Use pillows, blankets, cushions,
paper etc. to have your children get from point A to a point B without touching
the floor.
“Clean up Parties”
I laugh at how my little guys love “clean
up parties” at our house! Not sure exactly how this originated, but the name
has stuck and we usually do these several times a week –if not every day. We crank up the kids tunes and race all over
the house cleaning up. I have to say
that I love the results of “clean up parties” too! =)
Outdoor toys inside!
This doesn’t work well for us,
because right now we don’t have a good basement space for this, but if it works
for you- great! Outdoor soccer balls, hula hoops, small trikes, scooters etc.
can all be used indoors if you have a safe space to enjoy them.
Making Roads:
There are an incredible number of
options that go along the lines of this idea.
At our house, we make roads through the living room with small alphabet
and number squares. Tiptoeing, hopping, or
jumping along the path or on the squares can help with balance and coordination and burn off some energy.
Red light- Green
Light:
This game doesn’t need a road to
play (just a safe place to run or move), but if you don’t have a large space, a
path can help. We often drive along the ‘road’
and pretend to be cars that have to stop and start, when I say “red light” or “green
light”. If you have a smaller space, but
older children, try racing from a start to finish by crawling, walking
backwards, or doing a crab walk. If they
don’t stop when you say “red light”, you may have them start back at the
beginning.
Balloons!
We LOVE balloons at our house!
Balloons are one of the cheapest methods of entertainment for my kiddos. They run around chasing them, see how long they
can keep them in the air, kick them, throw them, and just love playing with
them. Try turning on a fan to make the
balloons move around more on their own and make them more difficult to
catch. Or, lay down on the floor and try
to keep a balloon up with your feet. If
you have several colors available, have them run to find a specific color and
bring it you. Older children might enjoy
play a game of balloon volleyball back and forth over a string – or even just a
line on the floor.
http://www.teachpreschool.org/2013/12/winter-time-large-motor-play-for-the-preschool-classroom/
Do you have other fun indoor ACTIVE-ities that your children
love? Feel free to share below!
