Easy Indoor PE Ideas

Easy and Fun Indoor PE Ideas for Kids

Physical education is an important part of growing up healthy, which is why even homeschoolers should look into PE activities at home that will keep their students physically fit. While there are SO many ways for kids to keep moving and stay healthy, many of these ideas are best done outdoors and unfortunately, not all of us live in an area where the weather is conducive to outdoor play. That’s when indoor PE ideas and activities such as these really shine.

Use these activities next time you’re trapped inside due to a rainy day, a snow storm, or heat that’s too hot to handle. Most of these ideas can be easily adapted for any age group.

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When you’re done with this article, be sure to check out our great big list of 100+ PE activities for kids that includes indoor and outdoor activities kids of all ages will love. Or if you really live in an area where outdoor play is never really feasible, take a look at these tips for setting up an indoor homeschool gym.

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The Best Indoor PE Ideas

These fun and easy indoor PE ideas should fit nicely into any homeschool schedule. Use these simple ideas to help keep your kids physically active, healthy, and strong. Bonus – enjoying physical activities such as these also allows kids to release all their built-up energy and so they can more easily focus on learning and studying.

Incorporating fun and skill-building activities is essential for effectively producing a well-balanced lifestyle that any kid can enjoy.  

Dancing 

There are so many dance variations that can be used for indoor PE ideas, including structured or freestyle options. Depending on your child’s sense of adventure and whether or not they enjoy dancing, you can create a routine that fits their personality. 

The primary goal is to get your child moving; however, there are many other benefits that come with dancing. It’s a great way to work on balance and coordination. A dance party is also a good way to enjoy some super fun, child-friendly cardio.

You can implement the ‘freeze’ element to enhance awareness skills, and be sure to give them a moment to show off all their favorite moves! This version is perfect for PreK through upper elementary.

Find a YouTube channel that teaches kids simple dance moves or just make up your own! There are many types of dance you can study including ballet, pop, hip hop, jazz, tap, and more. Find a style your kids will truly enjoy.

Yoga 

Some adults don’t fully understand all the benefits that yoga brings to the table, but there is no better time than the present to discover how yoga can be an excellent indoor PE activity. Yoga is known for helping individuals create more focus and energy. Yoga also helps people learn to balance their body weight.

Children especially can benefit from yoga at a young age because of their flexibility and curiosity. Try using both of these characteristics to your advantage and either create a practice of your own or use one of the many YouTube videos that are available for free. 

Our family personally subscribes to DDPY Yoga and we work on it together almost daily. This is what I would recommend if you have a high school student who is in need of an indoor PE activity. But there are plenty of free YouTube videos that you can follow along with instead.

Jump Rope 

If the idea of jumping rope brings back a flood of childhood memories, that’s because this indoor activity has been around forever. It’s the perfect way to allow children to release all that extra energy while getting in a good workout.  

We suggest incorporating this activity around mid-morning when most kids are either distracted or need some type of physical activity to get their blood circulating. Don’t try getting a child to jump rope after lunch as this is when they are least active and need to rest a bit. 

Have your kids practice jump roping individually with one rope or as a group swinging the rope for one another. As their skills increase, they can progress to double-dutch or other jump roping tricks. Double-dutch is also a greta way to practice teamwork and cooperation skills.

Bean Bag Toss 

If you have the space to set up a bean bag game, then you have all the means to work on your child’s eye contact skills, along with their coordination. Throwing bean bags at a target or hole is an excellent way to get your child active. 

You’ll be able to teach them how to focus on the target and create distance achievements. This will help them be more functional as an adult. If you have more than one child, it’s an excellent teaching opportunity for how to win or lose a game gracefully. 

Technology Games  

When it comes to the pre-teens, keeping them alert and active can sometimes be challenging. We personally have an Oculus Quest Virtual Reality console that makes for a fantastic indoor PE accessory but if you have a Wii or a Kinect, you can achieve the same goal. This is probably the best way to go for a tech-loving kid.   

There are dance and sports games that include your child needing to move in order to win the game or race in this case. They will get plenty of activity while having fun. Plus, they’ll probably be raving to all their friends about how cool their parent is! 

Our favorite Oculus VR games are Beat Saber (be careful of the questionable songs) and Acorn: Attack of the Squirrel (perfect for multi-player gameplay). But there are dozens more we haven’t tried yet.

Physical Activity Jar

Another fun and simple way to get kids moving is by implementing a physical activity jar. Fill a jar with simple physical challenges for your kids to perform. Every time they need a brain break or you have just a few minutes for some physical education activities, draw a slip or two from the jar and have your kids perform the challenge! (Bonus tip – you can also put these slips in your purse and have your kids perform the challenges while waiting at a doctor’s office or something.)

I even have a free 5-page physical activity jar printable that you can snag. Go get yours now!

More Activities Worth Mentioning 

If you have a treadmill or an area in your home that allows a child to run or jog, then this is especially helpful for building their endurance. You can also use some dumbbells for the older kids and teach them how to do repetitions correctly and safely. Jumping jacks of course are also an easy and effective indoor PE idea.

Putting a line of tape on your floor to create a ‘balance beam’ effect is also great for the younger kids. If you have one or more children being homeschooled, then playing Twister is both fun and effective at teaching strategy. 

Hula hoops and hopscotch are classic indoor PE games that children of all ages enjoy doing. These are both excellent for releasing energy and working on your child’s balance. 

Implementing A Physical Education Routine Into Your Homeschool 

Remember to check out our other ideas for kids. Our list of PE games for elementary kids is a big hit (many must be enjoyed in a larger space but some can be adapted and used as indoor games). Additionally, if you want something more structured, taking an online PE course or PE class that handles all the lesson plans for you might be worth considering.

How you implement a PE routine into your homeschool will depend on your own unique homeschooling style and schedule. Some families benefit by enjoying 30 minutes of PE activity per day. Others prefer to save PE for one or two days a week but for a longer period of time. Still other families keep things random and flexible and only bring up up physical education when the kids are starting to get antsy or wiggly.

Regardless of what PE Ideas you come up with, the main goal should always be to incorporate something that your child enjoys doing and offers some health benefits. Whether you focus on their balance, coordination, or strength, change it up every day and experiment with all the different activities available today.