6 Simple Ideas for Helping Kids Burn Energy This Fall
With the weather cooling down and more time being spent indoors, kids are building up the energy with no way to use it. While video games and TV shows may get them so far, they also need physical exercise and play to tire themselves out. Here is a quick list of simple ideas to help kids burn excess energy this fall.
1- Dance party
Whether you have a dancing game on a video game console or just some tracks to jam to, letting kids shake out their energy and jump around is a great way to loosen them up and tire them out. It’s even more fun when a parent joins in and shows them some fun moves that may embarrass them and make them laugh. Dancing with and around each other, bumping hips and swinging hands together is a great way to spend an afternoon in the living room before they settle down for dinner.
2- Hopscotch or Twister
Creating a hopscotch board indoors with some painter’s tape is a great way to challenge kids’ minds and get them moving. Twister can also serve a similar purpose, engaging them in twisting and turning to get their hand or foot where it needs to go. While it can be fun to move and exercise purely to let out energy, challenging their minds to think and consider their options before they move is also necessary to vary up their days and make the activities more exciting and stimulating.
3- Obstacle Course
While an obstacle course may take more set-up than indoor hopscotch or dancing, it can fully utilize an entire room and make it a grand adventure. With pillows, chairs, blankets, and boxes, a living room or bedroom can be changed into a dangerous jungle or cave ready to be bravely explored.
4- Indoor Trampoline Park
If everyone is feeling a little cooped up in the house, an indoor trampoline park could provide the stimulating exercise to really tire out the kids. With plenty of trampolines and opportunities to jump, swing and fly through the air, an indoor trampoline park is a great excuse to get out of the house and excite the kids with something new and exciting. With proper supervision, kids can embrace new hobbies and experiences and explore their interests while bouncing, climbing, and leaping.
5- Scavenger Hunt
A scavenger hunt can be a great way to add some competition between the kids to the day. With a select amount of objects hidden around the house, give each child a list with some hints and send them on their way. This also allows parents to get some chores down around the house, but they’ll most likely have to be available in case any of the hints are too hard or confusing. With the incentive of prizes like choosing dinner or getting a new toy, this is a great way to get kids up and on their feet.
6- Cardboard City
Changing a regular bedroom into a cardboard city celebrates a child’s imagination and allows them to better utilize their creativity. While this idea requires quite a few boxes and space, it enables kids to crawl around and engage with each other as neighbors, heroes, firefighters or even stray cats walking on the street.