Nothing beats playing outside, but sometimes the weather just doesn’t allow for outdoor play. Here are some ways that preschoolers can be active indoors – without harming themselves or your furniture! 🙂

Active Games for Preschoolers

Game #1: Masking Tape Race Lane

Indoor Active Games for Preschoolers

Make a masking tape “lane” on the floor. The boys enjoyed running down the lane and hopping down the lane on one foot! Then we tried hopping with both feet inside the lane, then both feet outside. Feet together, feet apart, feet together, etc. They really have to think about that one!

Game #2: Across the Room

How many different ways can you find to get from one side of the room to another? You can walk, run, crab walk, bear crawl (with knees straight, hands and feet on the floor), walk backwards, hop like a bunny, roll… Lots of possibilities here!

Game #3: Ping Pong Ball Catch

Indoor Active Games for Preschoolers Give your kids plastic cups and ping pong balls. It amazed me how much this entertained everyone, even my 11 year old!

Indoor Active Games for Preschoolers

You can toss the balls to each other and catch them in the cups, or play this game solo by just tossing the ball up in the air and catching it. Or, swing the cups to launch the ball!

Game #4: Ninja Box Kick-Down

This one was definitely a favorite!

Stack a bunch of boxes – shoe boxes, mailing boxes, whatever you have… We covered some of ours with duct tape to make them more durable.

Indoor Active Games for Preschoolers Then practice your ninja kicks and punches!

Indoor Active Games for Preschoolers

Stack again and repeat. And repeat and repeat.

Game #5: Indoor Bowling with Plastic Cups

Indoor Active Games for Preschoolers

This is pretty self explanatory, but there are more details here: Indoor Bowling

Game #6: Make a Bean Bag Knock-Down Game (with duct tape bean bags!)

Click here to read all about this one – Bean Bag Knock Down Game

Need more ideas? Here are 10+ Ways for Kids to Burn Off Energy (Without Tearing Down the House)!

22 Comments

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  1. kelly Nov 14, 2014

    Why is this aimed towards boys only?

    Reply
    1. Sarah Nov 14, 2014

      Where does it say that this is aimed towards boys only? The name of my blog is Frugal Fun for Boys because I have four boys. I actually have a baby girl now too - born in April! You can read more about this site on my "About" tab at the top, but basically I chose the name because this site is a resource for parents of boys. Crafts for girls are everywhere, but it can be hard to find something that boys (or a group of boys!) will go for.

      Reply
      1. kiran misbah Jan 1, 2015

        Great artical, share more for toddler n preschools.

        Reply
    2. AL Jul 31, 2018

      Seriously? Because she has four boys.

      Reply
  2. Tiffany Nov 14, 2014

    Because sometimes Glitter Frozen inspired play dough is not interesting to boys.
    People like you...Ugh!

    Reply
  3. Jackie Nov 14, 2014

    I wondered the same thing, Kelly!

    Reply
  4. Alexis Nov 14, 2014

    Uhm.... They are geared towards kids. The blogger obviously had boys and that's who starred in the pictures. Why can't girls do this? I think they'd love it equally. If you think girls require glitter and dolls, you are perpetuating a serious gender role issue.

    Reply
  5. Heather Nov 14, 2014

    The article title says preschoolers. The word boys doesn't appear in the article. And I look at this site all the time because there are great ideas for children that my child has enjoyed previously. Keep up the good work.

    Reply
  6. nicole Nov 14, 2014

    The article clearly states for pre-schoolers. It is not gender specific in any way, and the activities are great for both, which I am sure the author had intended. Well done for being a creative mummy.

    Reply
  7. joy Nov 15, 2014

    Thank you for sharing your ideas! Some people appreciate them without judgment;)

    Reply
  8. Beth Nov 16, 2014

    Dude, everyone. Back off her. She's just trying to help us out. Is it THAT hard to think, "My girls would love this, too! I'm going to do it with them!" and leave it at that? Sarah, I have a girl and for the record never once thought you were excluding her. No good deed goes unpunished I guess. Appreciate you giving us ideas.

    Reply
  9. Jan Nov 16, 2014

    You people are ridiculous! I am a girl and I've made nearly everything on this website, from the slingshots to the glittery play doh. The website is called Frugal Fun For Boys because she has four or five boys. Nothing else. It's not some big battle between feminism and sexism guys, it's a freaking mommy blog. Come on now!
    Plus if you're going to pick a fight with a particular articular, why this one? Boys are never even mentioned in the title, in fact, it's said it's geared towards *preschoolers.* I'm not offended by this at all. If you don't like the blog, stop reading it. Y'all are overreacting.
    Now I have some questions for Sarah.
    Will you rename the site because you now have a baby girl?
    Just curious.

    Reply
    1. Jan Nov 16, 2014

      *article.
      Forgive me :)

      Reply
  10. Tammy Nov 16, 2014

    AWESOME ideas, THANK YOU. I will try them all out this week. Best part, I don't have to go out and buy anything for these activities. My kids are going to wonder where there mom went and who replaced her with super fun mom.

    Reply
  11. Becky Nov 17, 2014

    love these ideas. Can't wait to try them out on my kids. Thank you for posting. Looking forward to hearing more from you if you have time now with 5kids, I've only got 2 and don't seem to have time for anything!

    Reply
  12. Chelsey Nov 19, 2014

    I think that it's a great site! I have two boys of my own and it's nice to have ideas to do with them. Some people are way to literal and have to always have an issue with someone else's creative ideas. What's wrong with the title? I think it's a good title and it's personalized towards her personal drive and inspiration for the site. It's for both boys and girls and I'm sure is designed for all parents to get out there and play with their kids not pick apart somebody else's attempt to do something good. I like this site, I think it's wonderful !

    Reply
  13. Play Bingo Online, Dec 5, 2014

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  14. Angie Jan 5, 2015

    looks like a lot of great fun! Thanks for the frugal ideas! My boys, and my charges will love these games!

    Reply
  15. Deb Jan 6, 2015

    Too bad people are so critical about everything. We should use the material we like or that interests us and our children and move on. I am so thankful people take time to post their ideas. Some I like others I don't. Thank you!!!!!!!!!

    Reply
  16. Jordan Jan 20, 2015

    LOVE your ideas- using all of them! Thanks so much. Trying to do more with my kids at home and these are all great ideas!!!

    Reply
  17. Brenda Wells Feb 11, 2015

    This Nana has BOYS and GIRLS
    I love all your posts! I am just
    great full for ANYTHING you and
    all the other ladies share for me to
    get ideas for whichever one of my
    Grandkids enjoy learning or playing
    from! I am one Great full Nana! : - )
    May God Bless everyone who finds
    your site with the wisdom you share!

    Reply
  18. Heni Puspita Sep 8, 2015

    Thanks for the idea :)

    Reply
  19. Constance Dec 29, 2015

    These are awesome ideas!! And I love that I have everything for them already at home! Great blog!

    Reply
  20. Rachel Jan 6, 2016

    Love it. I am going to try it. thanks

    Reply
  21. Joanie Malowany Jan 6, 2017

    These are all fantastic ideas. Thanks for sharing. I'm always looking for simple and inexpensive ways to keep children active and engaged.
    Any kids I know would enjoy them.

    Reply
  22. Tabetha Jan 16, 2017

    I don't understand what all of the commotion is about in regards to this article. This is the internet people - if you don't like it, feel free to keep clicking, nobody has forced you to use her ideas. EVERYONE who takes the time to look at the title of the blog understands thats she has called it that because she has boys that she is trying to keep busy - a blog is from the bloggers prospective not from the readers! These ideas are wonderful, and anyone who reads them should be thankful she is willing to share her ideas. Every time anyone, even someone just looking to do good, takes time to share ideas or concepts, they are vulnerable to "internet trolls" who have to look for the negative. To define that before everyone goes crazy, it means people who attack people from behind their computer because they are safely anonymous and not face to face with the person whom they are attacking. Regardless of how you might describe the interaction - trolling, harassment, bullying, whatever - what should you ACTUALLY DO? Actually you should be kind. In all things be kind. Mom's, caregivers, give it a break. We live in a tough enough world. Be supportive, be understanding, be loving, be different... don't try to rip people apart and bring them down, being a Mom is tough enough. If we stick together we can make parenting awesome.

    Reply

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