25 Just Plain Fun Activities for Active Kids

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My kids are definitely active kids. They rarely just sit to do activities, so we include a lot of movement in our activities.

Lately, we’ve been doing a lot of gross motor activities that involve learning for the Move & Learn series, but what about just to get them moving just to have fun?

These activities are the ones that the kids giggle during the most, the ones that they want to do over and over again.

I found 25 of these just plain fun activities for active kids… but they all get them moving (so essentially they are still learning since they’re working on their gross motor skills… oops!), but other than the gross motor, there’s no learning focus, just tons of fun, and giggles, to be had, and perfect for the kids that just like to move (all. the. time.)!

Get the Gross Motor Go-To List Printable!

Since there are days we can’t get outside, and days you just can’t stay inside anymore… I split these up for quick reference into 3 categories: Activities that can easily be done both indoor and outdoor, just indoor activities and just outdoor activities.

Indoor or Outdoor Activities for Active Kids

These activities can be done indoors or out, just with some slight alterations to the activity.

1. Set up a balance beam, inside or out, and walk along it. Who can make it across?
2. Set out a bunch of paper plates and jump from one to the next. Kind of a ‘hot lava’ game.
3. Mimic each other. If you have a baby, or young toddler, copy whatever they do. Try doing it with a pet too!
4. Make roads to drive along, run along, whatever, inside or out. Tape works well, so does sidewalk chalk!
5. Have fun jumping in the house! Or set it up outside! All it takes is some tape (or sidewalk chalk outside).
6. Draw on the sidewalk or tape colored lines and have the kids walk along them.

Indoor Fun Activities for Active Kids

If you’re stuck indoors on a super hot, too cold, or rainy day, you can still entertain active kids!

1. Go dumpster diving in a cardboard box. Spend the morning giggling as they search through the ‘garbage’.
2. Make a high jump out of straws! Can you make it over without knocking them over? Toddler Approved can show you how to make it.
3. Another version of the hot lava game, walk on pillows! Line ’em up and walk across them.
4. Play a round of balloon badminton.
5. Blow up some balloons and let the kids try to pop them however they can (just supervise to make sure none of those pieces go in their mouths).
6. Make a bean bag game that throws the bag up as you stomp on the board, hard to explain it, so check it out at I Can Teach My Child.
7. Set up a spider web in a doorway or hallway and throw newspapers (cotton balls work too) at it. See what can be ‘caught’.
8. No place to make a spider web? Just throw newspapers into a basket or tub!
9. Play a game to see how many ways you can get across the room. Frugal Fun 4 Boys has great ideas.
10. Make a solo catching game. The Imagination Tree can show you how to make it.
11. Set up an indoor ‘spy’ hunt to crawl through.
12. Cut strips of fabric, or use ribbons and make streamers to run around with.
13. Reuse bubble wrap to make a road. The kids will drive over it (or run!) over and over to pop all the bubbles!
14. Create an animal run in the house! Lay out stuffed animals (or other toys) in a line throughout the house to run across! See it in action at The Spruce.

Outdoor Fun Activities for Active Kids

And if its a gorgeous day outside, let them run and have fun with these activities:

1. Create an outdoor obstacle course for the kids to run through all afternoon! This one from Learn Play Imagine uses items you probably have!
2. Let the kids run around the yard with a homemade kite that they make.
3. Boot camp for kids! No Time for Flash Cards has a fun way to get the kids exercising and moving with some parachute toys!
4. Just go roll down the hills. They’ll be giggling for sure. Maybe there’s new ways to roll down… somersaults?
5. Draw a big maze on the driveway and walk or drive through it.

Fall is upon us, so get the kids moving with these 7 fun activities that are fall themed! (Jump in the leaves!)