Best At-Home Activities for Energetic Kids

Energetic kids can wear a parent out if they don't have a healthy outlet for all that pent-up get-up-and-go. Considering that one recent study found children have more energy than endurance athletes, you need all the help you can get to keep them occupied.

In the following article, we share a dozen of our favorite at-home activities that are either free or very low-cost. Let's begin!

1. Hopscotch

Hopscotch is a great activity for active kids because it’s easy to set up and it can be done anywhere. All you need is chalk and a flat surface to draw a hopscotch grid. It’s a great way for kids to burn off some energy and have fun.

The game can be done in many variations. You can draw circles with letters, boxes with numbers, or mix-and-match. Best of all, you can slip in a little educational value by using the game to teach your child the skill of sequencing. 

2. Balloon Flight

Kids with high energy can also benefit from the at-home game of balloon flight. This game usually starts with an adult blowing up a balloon to maximum capacity. He or she then tosses the balloon into the air.

The child's job is to hit the balloon and follow it around, ensuring that it doesn't touch the ground. This game gets kids active, competitive, and giggly. It only takes a trip to the dollar store to pick up a package of balloons to really get going.

3. Homemade Board Games

Kids with lots of energy and steam to blow off might see value in a more creative activity. Think board games! 

Boardgame nights are a great way for helping the entire household connect and bond. If you’re feeling especially creative, make your own!

There are a couple of ways to accomplish this. For a sturdier game, you can grab some cardboard, glue, and whatever art supplies lying around the house. To hit the ground running quickly, use a blank sheet of paper, magic markers, and die. 

Of course, you'll first need to pick a theme, draw the game spaces, and create rules. That's the fun of it! It also can lead to some interesting conversations with you and your little ones.

4. Color Toss

This entry on our list of at-home activities adds some color and fun to your child's life. Buy a package of multi-colored construction paper, tape each piece to a tile or hardwood floor, and label each space with numbers.

You can then use mini-beanbags or wadded-up sheets of notebook paper and have your child stand behind a piece of tape with each sheet of construction paper varying distances away.

The child's job is to then toss each sheet of paper with the intent of landing it on the construction paper to pick up however many "points" are on that square. The player with the highest score at the end wins. Great for parent-child participation or as an activity to get your kids started and competing! 

5. Catch Variations

Another of the at-home activities for kids that is also one of the oldest is playing catch. However, playing catch can be updated and revised to meet your individual needs.

The most popular way is to throw a baseball back-and-forth in the backyard. You can use softer materials, however, and take the game indoors.

6. Potato Relay

This game doesn't have to be a relay race, but it certainly can be! It consists of two players running against each other to a "finish line" with a raw potato between their knees. If the potato falls out on the way, the runner has to go back to the starting line.

For extra fun, bring in the neighborhood children and arrange relay races where the kids have to transfer their potato to the next "runner." The individual or team that crosses the finish line first is the winner.

7. Scavenger Hunts

Scavenger hunts are wonderful. That's because they can be done absolutely free without going anywhere, and your child will love them.

Round up five or six objects. Show them to your child ahead of time before hiding them in different rooms.

The child counts to a predetermined number. When the count is up, they have to go from room-to-room and find each object. Trust us, they'll want to play this one again and again!

8. Alphabet Search

A variation on the scavenger hunt, this activity involves having the child go from room-to-room and find random objects that start with each letter of the alphabet. It's a great literacy-builder, especially for 4-6-year-olds taking an interest in reading and writing.

9. Blind Taste Tests

Sit your child down at the table or bar. Blindfold them. Then, get random things out of the refrigerator or snack cabinet and have them taste each one.

You can have the child tell you what the food is right then and there. Or, you can have them write down their answers on a sheet of paper. At the end of the game, they can see whether they were correct!

10. Garage Play

If you just need a break from all the madness, back your cars out of the garage (if you have one) and let them go crazy. Garage floors are great for scooters, hoverboards, skateboards, and rollerskates. This especially is true if you have a beginner who needs some time to get good at their chosen transport without fear of traffic or being seen.

11. Dance Party

Holding a dance party can be a great way to get your child active, and exhausted! It's also good for upping their productivity as well as your own.

Simply set your phone, Wi-Fi-enabled Bluetooth speaker, or stereo to some well-loved music and do a stretch of timed house-cleaning. (Yes, both of you!) 

12. Mirror Mirror On the Wall

Our last preferred activity for energetic kids is sure to draw some laughter. We here at Sweet Bamboo are stealing that famous line from Snow White to name it because it's so fitting. 

Take turns performing a physical action. Try to mirror one another as much as you possibly can. Your child will love seeing if they can keep up, and they'll find it especially funny trying to fluster you.

Energetic Kids Need to Stay Busy

Hopefully, you've found some clever and fun ideas for dealing with your energetic kids without breaking the bank. Anything that can get them moving is going to be a plus. Train their brains in the process, and it's winner-winner-chicken-dinner!

Keep them busy. You'll both be happier that way. For any help finding the right activewear for your little ones, make sure to keep an eye on our new releases!