Now that the colder weather is here and days are shorter, I find myself looking for ways to occupy my family. My son was diagnosed with combined type ADHD about 5 years ago, and the energy still remains high and present…especially on days where the weather is not conducive to being outside. Kids spend a lot of time in school and being focused, which is a “recipe” for energy, too.
Like him, I find that I do better, mentally and physically, when we can get outside, but there are just those days, like extreme cold, ice, or rain, that make those days particularly difficult. That is when we get creative with our indoor time to burn that excess energy. These are some ways to get the “wiggles” out.
Here are six fun indoor exercises to burn kids’ energy that you can do with your kids this winter:
Bust a move
Having a dance party is one of my favorite activities to do with my son. We find some fun music and just let loose. He is always coming up with new moves and makes me laugh. We also like to play the “copy-cat” game where he does a move, and I try it, then we switch. Add a fun costume, hat, or sunglasses to jazz it up.
Find a fun YouTube video
We do limit screen time in our house (and he does much better with it), BUT watching workout videos is also good fun. This can be anything, like copying a workout video or finding a dance-off video game. There are even videos where you can work out with your favorite superhero or princess. I totally underestimated these videos when we first started doing them, but I was proven wrong after a 20-minute video….then you do 2 videos, and your body feels the burn. He is too old for Cosmic Kids Yoga now, but we loved those videos, too.
Play Hot Lava
Hot Lava is a game that I grew up with on the playground, and children still play it to this day. To play in the living room, or in your house, put pillows, blankets, stuffies, or boxes on the floor and make it an obstacle course. For older kids, you can add a timer to see how fast they can complete the course.
Do a weight session
Weight sessions can be done using small weights, even if they are 1lb. You can even get creative and use things around the house, like water bottles or soup cans, in place of weights. There are plenty of videos to follow on YouTube that are targeted for arms, legs, abs, or the full body.
Create flash cards to mix it up
Another activity that we created was using flash cards. On each card, write down an exercise (jumping jacks, push-ups, crunches, squats, etc) and rotate through the stack. The exercises can be as many and anything you want. You can make each move 30 seconds or 1 minute, depending on what you want the increments to be. You can use a timer or stopwatch if you want to be accurate with the intervals, or just count. This is a unique activity since you can shuffle the cards to keep it fresh, and no two workouts are alike.
Find a nearby playspace
The above options can be done at home, but you can also find a nearby playspace. Look for a local play area, like a trampoline gym, bowling alley, or playground. Check out this Indoor Play Spots Guide to find a fun place near you.
Get outside when you can, but on those cold days, enjoy these suggestions and create a new workout routine with your kids. I would love to hear your ideas for keeping your “busy bees” busy in the comments.
