Rainy days and stormy weather can sometimes make outdoor play impossible, but that doesn’t mean kids have to miss out on exercise and fun! When the skies open up, and the rain won’t let up, finding creative ways to keep little ones active indoors is essential to help them burn off energy and stay engaged.
Being stuck inside for too long can leave children at a Rockville day care feeling restless or cranky. Plus, regular movement is crucial for growing bodies and minds. If your usual indoor activities are starting to feel stale, it’s time to shake things up with some exciting and creative ideas. Here are some of our favorite ways to keep kids moving when the weather outside is less than ideal.
How Do I Keep My Kids Active Indoors?
To keep kids active indoors during bad weather, you can try activities like setting up an indoor obstacle course or having an impromptu dance party. Keeping kids moving indoors doesn’t have to be free for all. It can be structured like playing active games like Simon Says, building a fort, or practicing yoga.
Keeping kids active indoors doesn’t mean staying at home. To keep things interesting and prevent kids from feeling too cooped up, you can try visiting an indoor playground, going bowling, or visiting a neighborhood trampoline park. Don’t forget to keep an eye on screen time and promote fun activities that get everyone moving!
Building a parkour course right in your living room might seem a bit crazy, but it could really help channel your kids’ energy in a positive way. Why not use things around your house to set up a fun and challenging obstacle course? It could be a great way to mix things up and have some fun! How about setting up some cushions for a game of leapfrog or hanging some string above for army crawls? Sounds fun, right? Get your kids involved in building the obstacle course to spark their excitement for the activity!
Games are one of the best ways to release any built-up energy. How about swapping out those tablets or board games for something that gets you moving? It could be a fun change of pace! So many fun indoor movement activities keep you active and entertained, like twister, cup bowling, hopscotch with tape, or charades. It’s a great way to have a blast! Kids can pretend to be their favorite sports or animals and then have their parents or siblings guess who or what they are. It’s a fun game! Or, maybe they just want to have fun pretending the floor is lava and jumping around on “rocks” made of tape. No matter what you pick, games are a fantastic way to involve your body and mind!
A dance-off allows you to tap into your children’s love of fun while also activating their competitive drive. To begin this game, have your children stand in a circle and play the upbeat music. As everyone showcases their greatest moves, keep the party going by yelling encouragement and cheering each other on. After each song, pause for one or two minutes before moving on to the next.
It can be a chore to do your chores! But it can be a lot of fun if you want to get your kids moving and clean up at the same time. One way to do this is to turn your phone or TV into a giant timer. Tell your child to beat the clock! You can let siblings work together or apart, depending on what you are feeling at the moment. Your kids can race between two rooms to see who can finish first.
You and your kids might enjoy cleaning up a lot more than you think. To keep them active, take the kids to the kitchen to cook or bake when the work is done. They can run to the fridge or cabinets to help get things if a parent tells them to. They can go back and forth to help clean up or do the dishes. They can also help stir, crack, and even measure to improve their motor skills, learn new things, and get to know you better.
Get your kids active and engaged with some fun balloon bounce games! Just blow up a balloon with regular air and see if your kids can keep it from touching the ground! Get ready for the games to keep going during meals and other activities because the balloon bounce is just too much fun to pause.
Your kids really don’t need a lot of space to enjoy balance games, which can boost their health in a great way. Balance games are all about strengthening those core muscles and helping kids stay aware of how they move their bodies. Feel free to set up some balance beams or just grab some chalk and draw a line on the floor to use as a guide.
The wind, rain, and other severe weather can force children at a Rockville daycare to stay inside, but that doesn’t mean they can skip out on the need to get some exercise every day. Exercise is super important for kids’ physical and mental health, but sometimes getting enough of is challenging. Whether it’s raining or the conditions make heading outside for exercise unsafe, you still want to keep your kids moving, which means bringing those physical activities inside.
MCCA has been recognized by the Maryland State Legislature for its commitment to Montgomery County issued a quality programs and special needs child care Proclamation in 2016 to MCCA for its commitment to Montgomery County child care for more than 50 years. MCCA was also selected as a 2018 nonprofit finalist for a MOXIE Award for boldness and innovation
MCCA is the oldest nonprofit licensed child care provider in Montgomery County and started its work in 1968 as a Community Action Project of the War on Poverty. Recognizing the need for quality child care programs in their neighborhoods, a group of local activists formed an association to establish centers in Montgomery County that would serve a diverse population and establish high standards for child care. Now, more than 50 years later, MCCA’s dedicated and expertly trained staff continue their tradition of providing high quality child care and play-based education for children.
Families with school aged children who can afford their child care expenses during the school year often struggle to afford the all-day programs they need when school is out for the summer. The Richard Krampf Summer Adventures Scholarship Fund was established to help provide children a safe and stimulating place to spend their weeks when school is out. Please contact an MCCA Director for details on how to apply.