Indoor Toys for Active Kids

In an ideal world, we would be able to send our kids outside for big chunks of the day. But the reality is, that’s not always possible. Whether you’re just trying to get through the bitter cold of winter, the rainy season, or just keep your kids moving and active during your homeschool day, every family needs indoor toys for active kids.

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You can find my full list of toys for active play (for inside and and outside!) in my Amazon Storefront

Indoor toys for active kids – younger kids

Foam pogo jumper – this is one of my absolute favorites, and we loved it so much, we went through two of them! It takes up barely any space and is soft, so it’s easy to stre.

Wobble board – use it as a tunnel or a boat or an balance board. These boards are perfect for all ages- my older kids still use it! They’re also great to use during lessons, because kids can move around while learning.

Tumbling mat – these have been used for forts, gymnastics, wrestling, and so much more. If you have an IKEA nearby, definitely look there first, because they’re generally much less expensive. You can often find them on Facebook marketplace as well.

Mini-trampoline – my number one must have for Wisconsin winters (or harsh southern summers); when my kids were young, it kept them very active. And now that my kids are older, they still use it. We bought an adult trampoline, rather than a kids’ version, so it could grow with them. And I highly recommend a trampoline with handle bar if you have littles, so they can hold on and not fall off! Ours is foldable, and that was important for us when we lived in a small house where space was precious!

Indoor hopscotch – years ago, I sewed this indoor hopscotch mat. We still have it, and pull it out when we’re going stir crazy inside because of the weather. If you don’t sew, use painters tape on the floor to make your own!

Movement games – games like Twister are fun – add a learning twist to it by putting words or letters or math facts onto the circles!

Soft foam balls – play catch, soccer, throw the ball into a basket… you can even do it while your kids are learning. Toss the ball and say rhyming words, math facts, etc.

Indoor cornhole or ring toss are fun, and can easily be turned into a learning game too

Tunnel

Floor scooters – this is another one that’s perfect for all ages. If you have any non-carpeted floor space (wood floors, unfinished basement floor, etc.) you can have hours of fun with these. We got five of them so the kids never have to fight over them, and my teenagers even still use them. They’re also our most used toy when friends cope over.

Indoor toys for active kids – older kids

Punching bag

Pull up bar

Ripstik – my kids ride their ripstiks around our kitchen in the winter. I highly recommend looking for these used. I constantly see them at thrift stores, so definitely check around first before buying new, because they are a little pricey in my opinion!

Table top ping pong – this set is great, because you don’t need a special table. Just use your homeschool or kitchen table!

Spike ball – since these can come apart for travel, they don’t take up a lot of space. If you have a large enough living room or basement, it can easily be an indoor game.

Over the door basketball hoop

As you get into the teen years, I highly recommend adding in:

Hand weights/kettle bells – you can often find these at thrift stores or used on Facebook marketplace

Resistance bands

Treadmill – my boys are runners, so a treadmill for the Wisconsin winter is a must-have. But even if your kids aren’t runners like mine, being able to walk on rainy or freezing cold days can make a huge difference for your older kids. We even have a treadmill desk set up so that I can use a computer while walking, so if your teens do a lot of computer work or do a virtual school, it’s a great way to keep them from being too sedentary. Our treadmill gets a lot of heavy usage, so we got a new one that can withstand a beating (we found a good deal around the holidays). If yours will get more casual usage, you could find a used one on Facebook Marketplace.

Play isn’t just an extra – it’s actually a crucial part of learning. Kids aren’t designed to sit perfectly still in a desk while they’re learning. Check out this post for more behind the why: