The sun is hot, the kids are sweaty. Learn how to get the kids moving inside when it's too hot to play outside in the summer!
I don’t know about where you’re at, but right now, it’s starting to really get hot out – just super humid and muggy. That means more time indoors.
And that also means we need to get moving indoors since the boys have a lot of energy to burn that they’re not able to get rid of with running around and around the yard.
When it’s too hot to run around outside, I do a gross motor activity inside. This type of activity gets my kids moving and can wear them out.
Get the Kids Moving Inside When It’s Too Hot Outside
Huge caveat though: these activities are definitely active. There’s running, jumping, skipping, and hopping involved.
If you have a rule of no running inside, maybe make the exception for activities like this. It doesn’t bother me, so a gross motor activity inside is no big deal for me.
It’s such a sanity saver!
Try 15 Easy Ways to Get the Kids Moving Inside
- This is a great last-minute activity when the kids are just getting rambunctious. Tear the cushions off the couch and gather all the pillows and line them up to walk on! Bonus: Make a fort too!
- Go on indoor scavenger hunts! Make a “spy game” scavenger hunt with tape that they have to go over and under to get through and find objects along the way.
- Another fun scavenger hunt to do inside with a little learning. Hide letters and numbers throughout the house to find and have them match them up!
- Set up lines of tape on the floor (you could take this outside too with sidewalk chalk!) and see how far they can jump! Be careful of slippery floors!
- Tape a spider web in a doorway and throw wads of newspapers at it for a fun and silly game!
- Skip the spider web and just throw newspapers into a basket of some sort!
- Simply tape lines around the house to act as a road. Let the kids zoom around on ride-on toys, or push a dump truck or car through the track. Add road signs such as a stop sign or one-way streets to make it really interesting for preschoolers too.
- More lines of tape, this time to walk along (balance!) or blow pom poms along. They’ll think it’s hilarious.
- A learning gross motor activity: get out the ABC mat and pick alphabet blocks to find. Do some charades too! Melissa & Doug Alphabet Blocks (affiliate link) have animals on it too!
- Set up a simple activity course in the house. Have activity stations to do when they reach them, such as jump 3 times, or hit the balloons, or whatever you come up with!
- Balloons are great for a gross motor activity! Make a game of balloon badminton!
- If you have lots of packaging, use the bubble wrap as a road to drive on! Kids always love to hear the pop, pop, pop!
- Move and learn shapes inside with an active gross motor ball game!
- Try 6 different ways to play with a pillowcase – yup, that’s it!
If it’s not too hot where you are, or it’s really a nice day, I’ve got plenty of ideas for a fun gross motor activity to do inside or out. Try my favorite 40 activities to get your kids moving!
How do you burn off extra energy inside when you can’t get outdoors? We’d love to check out your advice!
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71LA says
Bubble wrap track is a huge hit at our house. The super durable kind requires jumping-which burns extra energy.
Jamie Reimer says
Yay for burning extra energy! :)
Nikki @ Tikkido says
Some fun ideas! Here in the Phoenix area, we pretty much stay inside all summer. The kids go a little nuts without school and without being able to play outside!
Jamie Reimer says
I hear ya! Its not quite as hot for so long here, but the humidity gets to us pretty bad. Hope we can all stay sane this summer!
pisforpreschooler says
These are great ideas! We’ll definitely be trying them soon (next heat wave…)
Jamie Reimer says
Thank you :)
Namita says
I just started following your blogs for my 22 month old…. I think your ideas are absolutely amazing. Way to go Mama….
Jamie Reimer says
Thanks so much Namita!