INDOOR MOVEMENT ACTIVITIES

Kids need vigorous movement, and that can be hard to do inside the house. Here are some ideas. See if any of them work for you.

ONLINE LINKS

For older children

Challenging animal walks https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14BjRxE7f1o

Even harder animal walks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgVwrJZ4stI

PE with Joe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEWcBIvqjDk

Rigorous brain gym workout:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VL4an7UC3wA

For younger children

Animal walks for little ones: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpgKyq3WCuw

Animal exercises for little ones: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26guG6wr5so

Brain gym for little kids:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VL4an7UC3wA

Cosmic Kids Yoga. https://www.youtube.com/user/CosmicKidsYoga

For all

Kung Fu instruction: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78nUyoTFfRk

Kung Fu instruction: https://www.google.com/search?q=kung+fu+for+kids&oq=kung+fu+for+kids&aqs=chrome.0.0l4.3367j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

ACTIVITIES AND GAMES

For older children:

Push-ups, crunches, strenuous yoga asanas, skipping rope, hula hooping, YouTube workouts.

To make the activities more interesting, have the child record the number or repetitions or length of time each day and challenge themselves to improve over time. Avoid comparing children.

Research has shown that praising the effort the child makes rather than the results s/he attains is more effective in inspiring the child to try harder and harder challenges: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWv1VdDeoRY

For younger children (or older if they enjoy and of them):

Jumping in place, jumping jacks, standing on one foot, yoga tree pose, etc.

To make the activities more interesting, have the child record the number or repetitions or length of time each day and challenge themselves to improve over time. Avoid comparing children.

Research has shown that praising the effort the child makes rather than the results s/he attains is more effective in inspiring the child to try harder and harder challenges: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWv1VdDeoRY

Animal walks: crab, alligator, frog, kangaroo—see videos in online section above for more ideas. To make the walks more fun, try:

Animal freeze: Play music, sing, or beat a drum (a kitchen plate will do fine). Then suddenly stop and the child(ren) must freeze. Let them hold the frozen position several seconds before continuing. Holding still in one position also uses the muscles strongly.

Animal change: With or without music, you call out an animal and the child(ren) move like that animal. After some time, suddenly call out another animal and the child(ren) switch quickly to that animal.

Arm circles. Children make circles while holding their arms straight out in front of them. Let the circles build up speed, then at some point say “Reverse!”, and let the children see how quickly they can change to going in the opposite direction. For variety try different sized circles, triangles or squares.

Puppy dog crawl. Child(ren) crawl around the room on all fours holding a small stuffed toy under their chin.

Log roll. Child rolls across the room with hands over head and body straight as a log.

Balloon games:

· See how long players can keep a balloon in the air without it touching the ground. Try it without using hands, or only using elbows or only using feet or head, etc.

· Child(ren) hop all around the room or farther with a balloon between their legs. Don’t drop the balloon!

· Log roll across the room with balloon in hands above the head. With balloon between the knees. With balloon between the ankles.

· Balloon basketball. Toss balloon into a box or laundry basket from a given distance. Increase distance each turn. Can also play with a bean bag or small cushion.

· Foot basketball. Child lies on their back on the floor near the “basket” with feet pointing away from the basket. Put a balloon between their ankles and they have to put the balloon into the basket by lifting their legs up over their head in a yoga plow posture.

Swimming. Child lies on floor on tummy with head raised and looking straight ahead, then:

· Lifts right arm then left arm 5 times.

· Lifts right leg then left leg 5 times.

· Lifts right arm and left leg, then left arm and right leg 5 times.

Tummy surfing or flying. Child lies on tummy and:

· Lifts both arms off the floor and count seconds for how long child can hold this position.

· Lifts both legs off the floor and count seconds for how long child can hold this position.

· Lifts both arms and both legs off the floor and count seconds for how long child can hold this position.

Dog tricks. Child is on hands and knees on the floor, then:

· Lifts right arm straight in front of him/her

· Lifts left arm straight in front of him/her

· Lifts right leg straight behind him/her

· Lifts left leg straight behind him/her

· Lifts right arm and right leg straight in front/behind

· Lifts left arm and left leg straight in front/behind

· Lifts right arm and left leg straight in front/behind

· Lifts left arm and right leg straight in front/behind.

Good dog! You get a (pretend or real) biscuit—even if you couldn’t do them all. Remember, praise the child’s effort, not the result!

To make harder, have child turn head right and left in each position.

Penguin/Pigeon. Child is standing up straight with feet slightly apart, then:

· Call out “penguin” and the child gives a little jump and lands with feet pointing away from each other

· Call out “pigeon” and the child gives a little jump and lands with feet pointing toward each other.

· Call out “penguin” and the child gives a little jump and lands with feet pointing away from each other and hands by their side with palms facing the front.

· Call out “pigeon” and the child gives a little jump and lands with feet pointing toward each other and hands by their side with palms facing to the back.

· Try this several times until the child is getting good at it, even when you call one after the other fairly fast. Then:

· Call out “penguin” and the child gives a little jump and lands with feet pointing away from each other and hands by their side with palms facing toward the back.

· Call out “pigeon” and the child gives a little jump and lands with feet pointing toward each other and hands by their side with palms facing the front.

Musical Bumps. Child(ren) dance or move while music is playing or someone is singing or drumming. When music suddenly stops, the child(ren) sit down as fast as they can. How fast can they sit, or who is the first one down?

Roly poly starfish: Child(ren) lie on the floor on their backs. Parent calls out “Roly poly, roly poly, roly poly.” The child curls up with knees tucked up to chest and head off the ground. Can hold knees with arms, or if that is too easy, can cross arms across chest, and roll back and forth on rounded back. Parent suddenly calls out “Starfish!” and the child spreads arms and legs out to sides so the he/she is in the shape of a star. Back is slightly arched and chin is pointing to the ceiling. Kids love this!

If more than one child is present, or if an adult is willing to play with a child:

Backward London Bridge. One child who assumes a crab position (hands and feet on floor, tummy toward ceiling, back arched high) is the bridge. The other child(ren) are alligators who crawl under the bridge, keeping their tummies on the ground. How many times can the alligator can go under before the bridge collapses

Crab chase. One child is an alligator. The other or others are crabs. The crab(s) must walk in crab position, with hips off the floor, and the alligator must keep its tummy on the ground at all times while it chases the crab(s). When a crab is caught, it then becomes an alligator.

Kneeling ninja warriors. Two children face each other in kneeling. They bow to each other with a “namaste,” then extend arms and touch palms. One who is designated pusher tries to push the other over. Change roles. Ninjas bow at the end of the match. Match children for strength. If an adult is playing with the child, let the child use their full strength, then, if the child is the pusher, fall over dramatically. If you are the pusher, push hard but then “give up” before the child falls over, at least part of the time