Movement During Quarantine Part 6: Activities & Around the House

Some simple activities to do at home. Always remember household chores can be solid movement activities as well. In my experience both in the gym and the classroom, kids thrive off being given responsibilities and jobs, even clean-up jobs. Use this extra time at home to increase independence in dressing and ADL (Activities of Daily Living) skills, as well as helping kids be an active part in household chores.

Scavenger Hunt - Get creative and set clues around the house leading to a reward.

Obstacle Course - Utilize chairs, tables, pillows, painter’s tape balance bean, etc.

Egg & Spoon Relay Race - One of many fun relay races!

Fitness playing cards / dice - Easy to create, cheap to buy

Cutting - Work on cutting straight and then curved lines. Then move on to various shapes and patterns.

String beads / crafts - Try “wall beading” with cut up paper towel rolls taped to the wall in a half circle and put string through.

Tactile awareness “treasure hunt” from bag / mystery box

"Fishing" with pole, string, paperclips, magnet, construction paper fish

Sensory play: rice & beans, shaving cream or finger paint, scent (vanilla, coconut, etc & cotton balls)

Paint with found objects (nature or around the house)

Containers, buttons, zippers - work on opening and closing, buttoning and zipping for increased independence

Helper / Household jobs

- Picking up toys / books – Clean Up Song

- Laundry (gather, sort – by type, by color, by size, fold – work on concepts of big / large, middle, small)

- Dusting, sweeping or vacuuming

- Setting and clearing the table

- Carrying and unloading groceries

- Making the bed

- Self-help skills (eating, dressing)

- Cook – follow a recipe making sure to take turns to stir, pour, measure