Getting kids moving every day isn’t always easy, especially when the weather’s against you or everyone’s short on time. The good news is that exercise doesn’t have to mean structured sport or expensive equipment — it can be as simple as a game the whole family plays together in the sitting room or the back garden.
According to safefood, a large number of children in Ireland aren’t getting the recommended 60 minutes of daily activity. The games below are designed to close that gap without any pressure: they’re free, fast to set up, and open to all ages and abilities. Nobody has to be the fastest or the strongest — the only goal is to get moving and have fun together.
Here are 10 fun games to get the whole family exercising.
Exercise for Kids – and Make it Fun!
#1. Musical Creepy Crawlies
Have a game of musical creepy crawlies. You’ll need one adult to start and stop the music.
Everyone lies on their backs with arms and legs wiggling in the air. When the music stops, jump up — the last one up is out!
#2. Obstacle Course
Get the whole family running, jumping, skipping, hopping and crawling with a fun obstacle course. See who can complete it the quickest, then challenge yourselves to beat your own time next time round.
You Might Also Enjoy: Get Active with These Fun Obstacle Ideas for Kids
#3. Penguin Shuffle
Stand side by side, with a bean bag or something soft resting on your feet. Shuffle across the floor in a penguin-like fashion. The first person to the other side wins.
#4. Tug-Of-War
All you need is a rope and two teams. Try different team combinations to see which pairing is the strongest.
#5. Hit the Deck
Using a deck of cards, one person picks a card and the family does a different activity for each suit — for example, 5 jumping jacks for hearts, 5 burpees for diamonds, and so on.
Looking For More?
Download our fun Kids What’s Your Name Exercise Challenge — kids get to do fun exercises for each letter of their name!
#6. Tightrope Walk
Find a line or put out a rope you can walk along as your tightrope. Walk one foot right in front of the other without falling off. See how many times each person can walk the tightrope without stepping off.
You Might Also Enjoy: 6 Active Games for Kids Perfect for a Rainy Day
#7. Freeze Tag
When the person who is “It” tags you, you must freeze in your exact position. Frozen players can be freed if another player crawls through their legs. The game ends when everyone is frozen.
You Might Also Enjoy 20 Great Outdoor Childhood Games To Play With Your Child
#8. Cotton Wool Race
Each player starts with a bowl of cotton wool balls. At the other end of the garden is an empty bowl for each player. Using a spoon, players must move all the cotton wool balls to the empty bowl, one at a time.
#9. Family Frisbee
One of the easiest and most fun games to play — get the family together in the garden for a game of Frisbee.
#10. Blob Tag
When the person who is “It” tags someone, they join hands and chase the others together. Eventually the whole family becomes the “Blob,” chasing whoever’s left. The game ends when the Blob has caught everyone.
You May Also Enjoy 101 Easy Changes to Make that Can Help Prevent Childhood Obesity
Frequently Asked Questions
Do we need any special equipment for these games?
No — most of these games use things you already have at home, like a rope, a deck of cards, a bean bag or a Frisbee. A few, like the obstacle course, can be built from cushions, chairs and household items.
How long should we spend on family exercise time?
Even 10–15 minutes of active play makes a difference, and you can easily string a few of these games together to build up to a longer session. The aim is regular movement, not a set workout length.
Are these games suitable for children of different ages?
Yes. All of the games above can be adjusted for younger or older children — simply vary the pace, distance or difficulty so everyone can join in together.
What if the weather is bad?
Games like Musical Creepy Crawlies, Hit the Deck, Freeze Tag and the Cotton Wool Race all work indoors, making them a great option for a rainy day when the family needs to burn off some energy.
You Might Also Like
- Get Active with These Fun Obstacle Ideas for Kids
- 6 Active Games for Kids Perfect for a Rainy Day
- 20 Great Outdoor Childhood Games To Play With Your Child
- 101 Easy Changes to Make that Can Help Prevent Childhood Obesity
Save These Ideas for Later
Bookmark this page or save it to your favourite ideas board so you’ve always got a go-to list of active games ready for the next rainy afternoon or “I’m bored” moment.
Don’t Miss Our Best Family Ideas
Want more fun, free ways to keep the kids active and entertained? Sign up for our newsletter and get weekly ideas for things to do with the kids, family-friendly recipes, parenting tips and great competitions — straight to your inbox.
