– Whether you are self-isolating from a pandemic or it is a rainy day, keeping your kids active while having to stay indoors can be tricky. But it isn’t impossible! Exercise is so important for kids to release some energy and get some time away from video games and television. Here are some fun and easy ways to keep them active.

1- Recess at Home

– Just because your kids aren’t at school out of the home, doesn’t mean they can’t still do recess! Chances are, a lot of the activity they got during the day was during recess. Try to schedule at least two a day, for 20-30 minutes each. Use this time to shut off all electronics and have your kids play more active games. If you have a backyard, they can head out back to throw balls or go for a walk. For indoor recess, play jump rope, do a family-friendly workout, or jump rope.

2- Play a Game of Freeze

– Freeze is a fun and active game that lets your kids get a little more exercise even while stuck inside. To play freeze, you will have all the kids stand up, and then turn on some music. Everyone is instructed to dance while the music is playing. At random intervals, press pause on the song, and when the music stops, the kids all have to freeze wherever they are. They hold that dance pose for as long as you like, until you press play again and they get back to dancing.

3- Try Kid-Friendly Workouts

– You will find a lot of kid-friendly workouts to do, even those that don’t require any equipment. YouTube is a great place to start, as you will find a variety of dance, aerobic, cardio, and bodyweight workouts to choose from. The ones for kids or families are meant for in-home use and might use no weights at all, or really light weights. Remember when you used to use cans for hand weights? Those work great with the kids!

4- Tech-Free Activities Indoors

– If you are worried that your kids are spending a little too much time sitting around during the day, then try activities that require no tech at all.

– This might mean some activities that aren’t super physical, but still require more movement than just watching TV, such as working on a puzzle, coloring, or playing with any toys or games they have.

– Dear readers, having little moments of relaxation with your family members really helps you to forget about the stress of work and the bad consequences of this pandemic. So many times, entertainment prevents stress, anxiety and depression.

– Anne-Vasthi