This post may contain affiliate links. Full privacy policy and disclosure here.
✨Ready to make BIG changes on your parenting journey? Don’t miss the FREE video training: 5-Step No-Yelling Formula. Gets Your Kids To Listen The First Time, Every Time! Learn how to How to avoid blaming, shaming, or causing your kid any pain when you set consequences! Grab your spot in the FREE video training HERE…
As a mom, you want nothing more than to see your little one grow and develop in the best possible way. Physical activity plays a significant role in a child’s development, and it’s important to make sure your toddler is getting enough of it. This is where indoor games come in! Not only are they a fun way to pass the time on a rainy day, but they can also help improve your toddler’s balance.
In this post, we’ll explore different types of indoor games that can help boost your toddler’s balance. From obstacle courses to classic games like Simon Says, there’s a wide range of activities to choose from. Whether your child is just starting to walk or already running around, these games are a great way to get them moving and improving their gross motor skills.
So, grab a drink, get comfortable, and let’s dive in! In this post, we’ll discuss the different types of indoor games that can help boost your toddler’s balance and physical development.
25 Indoor Games For Toddlers
- Balloon Balance: Have your toddler try to balance a balloon on different parts of their body without letting it touch the ground.
- Animal Walks: Encourage your toddler to imitate the movements of different animals like crab walking, bear crawling, or bunny hopping.
- Yoga for Kids: Introduce simple yoga poses that promote balance, such as tree pose, airplane pose, or downward dog.
- Pillow Path: Create a path of pillows or cushions on the floor and challenge your toddler to walk across it without falling off.
- Musical Statues: Play some music and have your toddler dance, but when the music stops, they must freeze in a balanced position until the music starts again.
- Hopscotch: Draw a hopscotch grid on the floor with chalk or use masking tape, and encourage your toddler to hop from one square to another.
- Hula Hooping: Provide a child-sized hula hoop and show your toddler how to keep it spinning around their waist.
- Balance Beam: Create a makeshift balance beam using a strip of tape on the floor or a narrow wooden board, and have your toddler walk along it.
- Bubble Pop: Blow bubbles and challenge your toddler to pop them using different body parts, like their hands, feet, or even their nose while maintaining balance.
- Simon Says: Play the classic game of Simon Says, incorporating balance-oriented actions like standing on one foot or tiptoeing.
- Duck Walk: Encourage your toddler to squat down and waddle like a duck, focusing on maintaining their balance.
- Feather Challenge: Give your toddler a feather and ask them to keep it in the air using their breath while walking around the room.
- Ribbon Dancing: Provide ribbons or scarves and let your toddler twirl and dance with them, focusing on maintaining control and balance.
- Follow the Leader: Take turns being the leader and have your toddler imitate your movements, including various balancing poses and actions.
- Indoor Bowling: Set up a mini bowling alley using soft toys or plastic bottles, and have your toddler roll a lightweight ball to knock them down.
- Bubble Wrap Stomp: Lay out sheets of bubble wrap and let your toddler stomp on it while trying to maintain their balance.
- Tightrope Walk: Lay a long strip of masking tape on the floor and challenge your toddler to walk along it like a tightrope walker.
- Sensory Path: Create a sensory path using different textures and surfaces like foam mats, pillows, or fabric squares, and encourage your toddler to navigate through them.
- Ball Roll: Provide a large exercise ball and have your toddler roll it back and forth with their hands or feet while keeping their balance.
- Toss and Catch: Play a game of tossing and catching a soft ball with your toddler, gradually increasing the difficulty by using smaller or irregularly shaped objects.
- Shape Balance: Use foam or wooden shapes and challenge your toddler to balance them on different body parts.
- Silly Walking: Encourage your toddler to walk in funny and exaggerated ways, like walking on tiptoes, walking like a robot, or walking with high knees.
- Indoor Trampoline: If you have access to an indoor trampoline or a small trampoline, let your toddler bounce on it while focusing on maintaining stability.
- Balance Cushions: Use inflatable balance cushions or wobble boards designed for kids to challenge your toddler’s balance and stability.
- Mirror Dance: Stand in front of a mirror with your toddler and take turns mirroring each other’s movements, including balance-oriented poses and actions.
Free Download
Take your parenting journey to the next level with our comprehensive ebook on Connected Parenting.
Download this ebook now and embark on a transformative parenting experience that will strengthen your bond with your child and bring joy and fulfillment to your family life.
Toys To Help Strengthen Balance Skills
These toys are not only entertaining for your child, but they also teach physical control and help toddlers improve their balance. While buying anything special to work on balance isn’t required, you could discover that these products stimulate physical play and work well for your child.
Wobble Curvy Board
To promote balance and strength, the notion of a balance board was developed in a Waldorf school. The vestibular system and proprioception are both stimulated by the Waldorf balancing board.
Most significantly, it promotes imagination and creativity to a great degree. It is inspired by Maria Montessori’s philosophy of independence and hands-on learning.
It’s also versatile, as it could be used both indoors and out. Isn’t it wonderful to have a physical outlet to use indoors throughout the winter in Canada?
You’ll find that this board will appeal to people of all ages, from infants to preschoolers to elementary school students, and even teenagers and adults, thanks to the limitless FUN possibilities.
Balance Toddler Bike
When buying a balance bike, there are a few things to bear in mind. To begin, double-check that the height is appropriate for your child. Their feet should be properly placed on the ground with the capacity to push off when they are sitting. Another factor to consider is the tire size. Younger riders will benefit from smaller tyres (about 12-inch), whereas taller or older riders could benefit from larger tyres (about 14-inch). Air tires are preferable for toddlers since they are lightweight and allow your child to move the bike more easily.
After some time on a balancing bike, you’ll notice that your toddler’s balance and coordination are improving.
Foam Tunnel Climber
Imagine your toddler’s or preschooler’s delight at discovering a massive tower of huge, brilliantly colored blocks just ready to be toppled down with superhuman power. These blocks will not only spark your children’s creativity, but they will also give you peace of mind since you can trust the softness and safety of the blocks. These blocks are a go-to for playing since they have no splinters, no sharp edges, and a wipe-clean vinyl.
Why It’s Important For Toddlers To Practice Balance
Balancing skills are an important component of a child’s physical development, especially for young toddlers. Practicing balance at a young age helps with the development of gross motor skills, body awareness and overall physical strength. Incorporating fun and easy balance games into a child’s daily routine can help improve their balance skills in a fun and engaging way.
Classic games like Simon Says, Treasure Hunt and Hopscotch, can be made more physically challenging for older children by incorporating balance challenges. Using simple items like painter’s tape, soft balls, hula hoops and balance boards can add an extra element of excitement to these games.
Cosmic Kids Yoga, Tummy Time and Training Wheels are just a few of the many fun and creative ways to incorporate balance exercises into a child’s routine.
By making balancing exercises a fun activity, kids are more likely to engage in active play and physical activity, which is a crucial part of their physical development.
So why not make the most of a rainy day or idle time by incorporating fun balance games into your child’s routine and watch their balance skills improve.
Bottom Line
This post has highlighted different indoor games that can help improve a toddler’s balance and physical development. From obstacle courses to classic games like Simon Says and Treasure Hunt, there are many fun and creative ways to incorporate physical activities into a child’s daily routine. It is important to remember that physical play and activity is a significant component of a child’s development and can help in their overall healthy growth.
When choosing games to play, it is a good idea to consider a child’s interests and skills to ensure maximum enjoyment and benefits. However, it is important to exercise caution and prioritize safety while playing these games.
By incorporating these balance games into playtime, parents can help their children reach their physical milestones and have hours of physical activity and fun.
Print This Positive Parenting Guidebook – The 5 Pillars Of Positive Parenting
Listen… parenting with connection and positivity has been seen as permissive and lazy parenting BUT this is totally not the case.
I am a mom of 3 beautiful children and I’ve spent HOURS, DAYS, MONTHS, and YEARS researching this topic and seriously, it is my favorite way to parent.
Way better than what I grew up with – which was A LOT of yelling, spanking and frankly, neglect.
This little guidebook is a golden nugget that you can have for free – and print it out! Put it on the fridge, refer to it often. It’s really a great tool for kids of all ages.
Download Your Free Printout
- Download the guidebook. You’ll get the printable, plus join hundreds parents who receive my weekly parenting tips and ideas! (Sometimes I’ll promote a parenting program, but only the best ones that are in the positive parenting community, I promise.)
- Print. Print out the guidebook!
- Place it where you can see it. There is a lot of great information in this guidebook, even though it’s small. It’s power packed full of great stuff so put it where you can refer to it often.
