Indoor Play for Kids Who Need to Move
Ways to channel big energy safely inside, even in small spaces
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When my youngest was an infant, winter felt endless. She was a NICU baby, and I was terrified to take her outside in anything but ideal weather. At the same time, I had a five-year-old and a three-year-old coming home from school completely full of energy.
They needed to jump.
They needed to fidget.
They needed to move their bodies in big, physical, LOUD ways.
There was no version of reality where they were going to sit quietly coloring while I fed and soothed a newborn. And heading outside every afternoon wasn’t always an option.
So I had to figure out how to meet their need for movement indoors, without turning our home into a safety hazard or asking them to regulate themselves without support.
Why movement matters
Children need movement and sensory input in order to regulate. When they don’t get it, you will know.
Restlessness, impulsivity, emotional blowups, constant seeking. These are often signs that a child’s body needs more input, not more correction.
One shift that made a big difference for us was focusing on maximum output.
Not just moving, but choosing activities that actually work the body (and mind) hard enough to meet the need.
Heavy work helps. Carrying full laundry baskets. Moving chairs. Lifting and organizing pantry items. Any activity that uses both the mind and body tends to be more regulating than unstructured chaos.
Deep pressure can help too. Gentle squeezing, massage, or “playdough” games where you mold your child’s body can calm a nervous system that’s craving movement.
What you’ll find in this post
Four indoor gross motor activities you can set up quickly and repeat often
Ways to channel big energy safely inside, even in small spaces
How to increase impact using simple tools like a belly scooter
A curated list of movement toys that grow with your child
Options that work across ages and stages, without constant oversight
The indoor activities and product recommendations are below for paid subscribers.
