It is easy enough to encourage your kids to be active when the weather is dry, but do you often wonder what to do on a rainy day? Here are 6 fun active games for kids to expend some energy, and they’re perfect for a rainy day!

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You’re stuck indoors – don’t panic! If you’re wondering what to do with the kids to burn off some of that energy that builds up, try these active games for kids that can be played indoors.

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Fun Active Games For Kids

#1. Hold a Dance-a-Thon

Make your home a disco heaven, with a dance-a-thon to get everyone moving. Stick on a Spotify playlist or dig out the old CDs and play some musical games:

• Musical chairs
• Musical statues
• Best and Worst Dancer Competition
• Get everyone to try the Can Can
• Limbo dancing

Stop for a minute in the middle and do a heart rate check – feel for the pulse on the inner wrist or neck and count how many beats you feel over a 15-second period. Multiply by 4 to get the BPM (beats per minute).

#2. Set Up an Obstacle Course

Create an indoor obstacle course with plenty of climbing, crawling, hopping, jumping, falling on cushions/mattresses and let the kids go mad and try to beat each other’s times round the course.

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#3. Step Aerobics

If you have stairs in your house, you can do some step aerobics!

• First, get the kids (carefully!) racing up and down the stairs 10 times in a row.
• Then, they should try calf raises up and down off the bottom step.
• Finally, jump down and up the bottom step 10 times.

#4. Follow the Leader

Turn on the music, and get the kids exercising – try hopping, skipping or jumping jacks. If you have more than one child, get them to take turns being the leader, and the others have to follow whatever exercise they are doing (similar to Simon Says).

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#5. Skipping and Hula Hooping

Clear some space, get the skipping ropes or hula hoop out and have a contest!

#6. Stretching and Yoga

Put on some relaxing music, and get the kids to stretch, and try to touch their toes without bending their knees, bend one leg backwards and hold their foot with their hand, or twist from side to side without moving their feet.

The Tree pose is a good yoga pose to start kids off with, it helps with balance and breathing.

Next try the Cat pose where you are on your hands and knees, lower your head and arch your back gently, then raise your head and curve your back the other way.

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Have your say! How do you keep the kids active on a rainy day? Any other active games for kids you can recommend? Leave a comment below and let us know – we’d love to hear from you!