As we head into winter and the weather gets colder it’s inevitable that we’ll be spending more time inside. To keep the kids (and you) from going stir crazy here are ten easy ideas for indoor active play that will burn some energy without the kids running circles around the house!

Balloons: Cheap and easy to use, balloons can provide endless of hours of indoor active fun. Play catch, balloon volleyball, balloon tennis, and tunnel ball.

Obstacle Course: Use furniture, blankets and pillows to make an indoor obstacle course. Climb under tables, makes tunnels with chairs and blankets and have mini races. This one is just as fun to make as it is to do!

Music and Dancing: Turn up the music and burn some energy by dancing around the room or playing games such as musical chairs and musical statues.

Hopscotch: Use some masking tape to mark out hopscotch on the floor (works on carpet, floor boards or tiles). Then just rip up the tape once you’re done!

Ten Pin Bowling: Even if you don’t have a ten pin bowling set you can use other things from around the house to set up this game; plastic bottles, crayons standing up on their base, or large plastic tumblers will all work. Just make sure you use a nice soft ball!

Balancing act: Use some masking tape to mark out different lines on the floor; straight lines, zig zag and squiggly lines and challenge you child to balance on them or roll a ball along them.

Twister: An old favourite guaranteed to give some giggles. If you don’t have the actual game of Twister you can set up your own using circles cut out in coloured paper.

Ball Toss: Use some soft balls or mini bean bags (you can even use rolled up pairs of socks) with baskets, bowls or cups to set up a ball toss game.

Cotton Ball Hide and Seek: Grab a big pack of cotton balls and hide them all over the house. Put a large bowl in the middle of a room and have your child run around the house and find all the cotton balls and put them into the bowl. Set a timer to make it even more fun and challenging.

Streamer Spider Web: Tape lengths of streamers from one side of a hallway to another at all different heights. Challenge your child to move through the web of streamers without touching by them crawling under and over.

Do you have any other suggestions for keeping kids active inside on a rainy day?

Sarah is a mother, wife, day dreamer and creative soul. Her days are busy, working part time and being a full time mum. She is also a freelance writer and blogs regularly at www.sarahdipity.com.au about a variety of topics from parenting to travel, creativity and career and everything in between!