30 Indoor and Outdoor Physical Activities for Kids (2024)

Kids of this generation spend most of their time playing games on smartphones and watching cartoons and videos online. They hardly go out to play games. As parents, you must be looking for ways to get your child to go out and play outdoor games such as badminton, hopscotch, or tag just the way you did in your childhood. But he must have found virtual versions of these games, too. What’s the solution? It would be best to look for more fun and exciting games and activities to get your kids moving – and we have something for you. We bring you a list of engaging indoor and outdoor physical activities for your kids. These physical games for kids will surely keep your child and his friends happily engaged for long.

Physical Activities for Toddlers

Children of this age are too young to be left alone and will require adult assistance. Keeping this in mind, here are some physical activities for kids between 2 and 3 years.

Indoor Activities

Some of the best indoor activities for toddlers include:

1. The Animal Kingdom

This game is quite fun. Your kid will love acting like an animal in the jungle. Ask your child to hop like a frog or walk like a penguin. Imitating the movements of different animals will develop your child’s physical strength, and he will even learn something about the animals he imitates.

2. Over and Under

For this activity, lie on the ground. Elevate your hips so that you form a bridge with your body. Ask your child to crawl from under the bridge. Then, get in the plank position and ask your child to jump over. This is not only a fun activity for your child, but you can consider it a small workout for yourself.

3. Jumping Jacks

Jumping Jacks is a great exercise for adults, but your child can do it too. Encourage your kiddo to do at least 10-15 jumping jacks – he will have fun and get some exercise.

4. Keep the Balloon Up

This activity can be a lot of fun for your child, but you must ensure that your child tries this activity in an open space or a room with no harmful toys or glass objects. Blow some balloons for this activity and then ask your child to keep them floating in the air; they should not touch the ground. You can turn it into a competition to make it more fun.

5. Freeze Dance

If your kid loves dancing to music, he will enjoy this activity. Play your child’s favourite music and let your child dance his heart out. Pause the music every once in a while, and your child to freeze when the music stops. He should freeze in whatever position he happens to be in.

Outdoor Activities

Some outdoor activities for toddlers include:

1. Play Ball

Take your baby to the park for a game of ball. If you have a backyard, that’s even better. You and your child can play catch or kick with the ball. Do not use hard balls; instead, choose ones made for children their age.

2. Go Cycling

Invest in a tricycle and let your little one peddle along happily. This is good exercise and also very fun for your child.

3. Garden Gnomes

This game requires you to have a few little garden gnome figures. You could use any other objects you want as long as they are easy for your child to find. Just hide them around the place and give your child a basket to collect them in when they find them. You can ask them to hide the gnomes around the garden so you can find them and keep things more enjoyable for them.

4. Playground

Take your child to a playground with slides, swings, monkey bars, tunnels, etc., so that he can develop a few extra motor skills, but be sure not to leave him alone as he will still need your assistance at this age.

5. Kiddie Pool

A good activity for your child on hot summer afternoons would be swimming. You can take him to a pool and get him started. With the right gear, you can begin teaching your kids how to swim, one of the best and most fun exercises.

Physical Activities for Kindergarten

Physical activities will help lower the chances of children becoming overweight or developing other health-related issues. They will also help improve your child’s overall growth and development. Preschoolers need at least one hour of properly structured playtime each day and one hour of free play. It is best if all the activities are exciting and your children have fun.

Indoor Activities

Some indoor physical activities for 3-5 year olds include:

1. Balance Beam

For this activity, all you will need is masking tape. Roll out the tape on the floor so that you form a line, then ask your child to walk only on that line. You can even stick the tape in a zigzag to make it fun for your child. This activity will help improve your child’s balance.

2. Follow the Leader

For this activity, you must be the leader and ask your child to follow what you do. Walk in and around the house, and while walking, do activities like jumping, jogging, squatting, and stomping. Ask your child to repeat after you. This is one of the most fun indoor physical activities for preschoolers.

3. Musical Bubble Shapes

Cut some bubble wrap into different shapes big enough for your child to stand on and stick them onto the floor. The activity is meant to teach them about different shapes in a fun way. Play music and let your kid dance, hop, and jump over all the shapes, bursting the bubbles. When the music stops, the kids must tell you what shape they are standing on.

4. The Missing Fruit

You will need some plastic fruit that you can hide around the place and a few fruit cards that match the plastic fruit. Give your child one card to observe, and then ask him to find the matching plastic fruit.

5. Proposition Obstacle Course

Set up the room to form a makeshift obstacle course. Then, ask your child to follow the instructions that you give him. Your instructions should say, “Crawl under the table.” “Climb over the chair.” etc., to pass the course.

Outdoor Activities

Some outdoor activities for kindergarteners include:

1. Hot Potato

This is the game your child can play with his friends. Ask the children to stand in a circle – one child should stand in the centre of the circle holding a ball. The ball is the “hot potato”, and the circle is the “oven.” The child has to try to get out of the circle while pushing the ball around with his feet. The rest of the children have to try and stop the child from getting the ball out, and they, too, are only allowed to use their feet. Pick a different child for the next round.

2. Hula Hooping

One of the best outdoor physical activities for preschoolers is hula hooping. Place some different-coloured hula hoops on the ground randomly. Then allow the children to gather around and follow instructions such as “hop into the green hoops in groups of four.”

3. Treasure Hunt

You will need a small treasure box decorated by the children to collect inexpensive treasures like a few beaded necklaces, trim rings, play money, and perhaps some candy. Hide the treasure box in the yard, and give instructions or clues to help the children find the treasure. The clues or instructions should also be simple enough for the kids to understand, like “Go to the place where the flowers grow” or “Take ten steps to the right from the benches.” Kids will enjoy the Treasure Hunt activity. Thank you for introducing this activity to you.

4. Outside Animals

Ask the children to stand in a line in the garden facing the direction they will be running in. Draw a line at some distance – it will be the finish line. The kids must go to the finish line like a particular animal would. If you call out “Penguin!” they will have to race by walking like penguins to the finish line. This makes for fun physical activity for 4-year-olds.

5. Blind Trust

This activity will help your child learn to pay attention to and follow instructions. Set up a simple obstacle course with a few hula hoops, cones, skipping ropes, and small boxes. Give him a ball, blindfold him, and then guide him around the obstacle course with verbal directions.

Physical Activities for Children (Ages 5 to 8)

If your children develop healthy habits that include lots of physical activities at a young age, they are far more likely to carry them forward for their entire lives. Here are some indoor physical activities for kids you can do with your children to keep them active, healthy and happy:

Indoor Activities

Some indoor activities for kids of this age group include:

1. Headstands

Handstands are a great way to harness your child’s energy into one thing. They can be tricky but fun to do. Place a pillow in a corner against the wall and help your child learn to do a handstand. Always supervise, as you do not want your little one hurt.

2. Musical Chairs

This game is a lot of fun and is loved by all. Set up a bunch of chairs and ask kids to run around them while the music plays. The kids should sit on the chair near them when the music stops. Whoever is left without a chair will be out of the game. This means you will need to have one chair less than the number of kids playing, so be ready to shuffle those chairs about.

3. Jumping Rope

Get a skipping rope for your child and have some fun. You can teach your child to skip the usual way, backwards and even have him jump rope while singing some rhymes.

4. Duck, Duck, Goose!

Make the children sit in a circle and have one of them be the “goose” while the rest play “ducks”. The child will then have to walk around the circle, tapping everyone on the shoulder and saying “duck.” The goose should randomly tap someone and say “goose.” The child who gets called a goose will then have to chase the other around before he sits in the empty spot.

5. Bowling

Fill some water bottles with balls and use any ball you have at home as the bowling pins. Place the bottles in one line near a wall of your drawing room and ask your child to bowl. It’s a fun game, and your child will love it.

Outdoor Activities

Some outdoor activities for kids from this age group include:

1. Hiking

Hiking not only works out the muscles but also builds endurance in children. It is a way to show your child the outdoors and distract their attention from screens. It is one of the best ways for your child to interact with nature.

2. Swimming

Swimming is one of the best exercises for those who cannot cope well with too much stress on their muscles. The water soothes the muscles and also provides an element of fun during this incredible workout. It is also a perfect physical activity for children.

3. Walk the Dog

Dogs are the best companions for children as they are loving, playful and, if well-trained, obedient. Your child will have a great time playing with the dog, especially if they are an only child. Getting your child involved in exercising the dog will help him get more exercise while teaching him how to be responsible for another living creature.

4. Roller Skating

Take your kids to the rink for roller skating, as this exercise is fun and will teach your child some confidence.

5. Badminton

This is another fun way of exercising your child while keeping the element of fun. Practising badminton now will help improve your child’s game in the future.

FAQs

1. Why are physical activities important for children?

Physical activities are essential for kids because they aid their growth and development and teach fine and gross motor skills. It also makes them fit and physically healthy by improving muscle strength and cardiovascular health.

They are also good for their mental health because they give them a break from their daily routine, allowing them to have fun while exploring a new hobby. Such exercise releases serotonin and endorphins and changes the level of stress hormones, which leads to a good night’s sleep.

Additionally, physical activities often require socialising with others, improving children’s social and emotional skills.

2. How much physical activity do children need each day?

Children require a minimum of 60 minutes (1 hour) of physical activity per day, which can be done in one chunk or short spurs of 10 to 20 minutes each.

3. How can parents make physical activities enjoyable for kids?

One of the best ways to get children excited about physical activity is to participate in it yourself! Showing up for your children, participating, and guiding them through activities makes you a role model that they want to emulate.

It is also important to choose age-appropriate activities so that they do not overstrain them and rob them of the joy of enjoying them. Create a safe space for them, provide them with toys or equipment where required, and focus on the fun it gives rather than the performance of the activity itself.

Not only do these activities provide your children with exercise, but they also gain more self-confidence and can better cope with different situations later in life. However, despite all the other good benefits of physical activities, the best one by far is that they have direct and immediate contact with other individuals, making them able to bond with others on a deeper level.

Also Read:

Fun Water Games for Kids
Learning Activities for Children
Amazing Summer Activities for Kids
Interesting Creative Activities for Children