How can you encourage children to be active at home? Best of all through many short, playful opportunities for movement throughout the day: balancing, hopping, crawling, throwing, dancing, or building a small obstacle course. You don't need a large playroom or expensive equipment for this – open space, safe everyday objects, and varied play ideas are often enough.
The short answer: Children move around more often when movement is easily accessible, fun, and not experienced as an obligation. Therefore, don't plan a perfect "sports session", but create several opportunities for free play and participation every day. Balance boards and stacking stones can expand the possibilities, but are not a prerequisite for an active everyday life.
Since 2011, Schmatzepuffer has been focusing on meaningful play and movement ideas for children. This guide combines our experience from family and product everyday life with concrete ideas that can be implemented indoors.
Discover the movement world for children
Why movement is important for child development
Movement is part of a child's healthy development. By running, climbing, balancing, and throwing, they gain experience with their own body and its surroundings. Different forms of movement can address several areas in an age-appropriate way:
- Gross motor skills: large movements such as walking, jumping, crawling, and climbing
- Balance and coordination: planning, stabilizing, and coordinating movements
- Body awareness: assessing strength, speed, distance, and your own position in space
- Self-efficacy: trying out and overcoming a self-chosen challenge
- Social learning: taking turns, agreeing on rules, and playing together
It is important to be honest: A single toy neither "makes" a child more motorically skilled nor more focused. What matters are regular movement, varied experiences, enjoyment of play, and safe supervision.
How much movement do children need per day?
The need for movement depends on age and individual development. The World Health Organization recommends at least 180 minutes of different physical activity spread throughout the day for children aged one to two years. The same 180 minutes apply to three- to four-year-olds, with at least 60 minutes at moderate to high intensity. Children and adolescents aged five and older should be moderately to intensely active for at least 60 minutes per day on average.
| Age | Guideline | Suitable examples |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1 year | Active play on the floor several times a day; for babies who are not yet mobile also tummy time while awake | Grasping, turning, rolling, crawling |
| 1–2 years | At least 180 minutes of varied activity spread throughout the day | Walking, pushing, dancing, throwing, small obstacles |
| 3–4 years | At least 180 minutes; of which at least 60 minutes at moderate to high intensity | Tag, hopping, balancing, climbing, balance bike |
| From 5 years | On average at least 60 minutes of moderate to intense activity daily | Tag games, cycling, swimming, sports, active routes |
The minutes are a health guideline and do not need to be achieved all at once. Short active phases also count. Sources: WHO guidelines for children under five and WHO overview of physical activity .
Seven simple movement ideas for children at home
1. Build a living room obstacle course
Secure a path with cushions, a folded blanket, masking tape lines, and sturdy play elements. The child can step over it, crawl under it, or follow a line. Start simply and only change one element when the course is safely mastered.
2. Imitate animal movements
How does a frog hop? How does a cat sneak? How does a bear walk on hands and feet? Animal movements combine imagination with different movement sequences and also work in a small space.
3. Island game with cushions or stacking stones
Distribute safe "islands" on the floor. The child moves from island to island without touching the floor in between. Variations are created by larger distances, different paths, or color tasks.
4. Balance line on the floor
A line made of masking tape is enough: walk forward, walk sideways, or transport a small object. This is especially practical when there is only little space available.
5. Tidy up as a movement game
Collect building blocks by color, carry stuffed animals to their place, or throw laundry into a basket: everyday tasks become active movement breaks through small game rules.
6. Music on, free movement
During freeze dance, active phases and short rest prompts alternate. Children can dance fast, slow, big, or small. Adults should also participate – role models usually work better than instructions.
7. Set up a balance and stacking station
A balance board, stacking stones, or combinable boards enable changing paths, bridges, and balance courses. The setup should suit the child's ability and not be as difficult as possible.
Practical tip: Ten active minutes before dinner are often easier to maintain than a rare, long movement session. Only put out a few materials and change the task regularly.
What is a balance board for children?
A balance board is a movement element on which children can stand, walk or – depending on the design – rock. Longer boards with cutouts can also be combined with suitable stacking stones to create bridges and obstacle courses. While playing, the child must continuously adapt its posture to the surface. This playfully addresses balance, coordination, and body awareness.
The versatile use is the real advantage: A board does not prescribe a fixed game sequence. Today it is a bridge, tomorrow a path in the obstacle course. Whether it remains interesting permanently still depends on the child, the available space, and how regularly new play ideas arise.
tiSsi Balance Board Set with three boards
The set contains three differently shaped boards and is intended for building variable balance courses. According to the product description, the boards are each 110 centimeters long, can support up to approximately 60 kilograms, and can be combined with common stacking stones.
Personalized Balance Board: meaningful or primarily a gift idea?
Personalization does not change the motor function of the board. However, it makes the set more individual and can therefore be particularly interesting as a gift for a birthday, Christmas, or moving into a child's room. Safe processing, suitable dimensions, load capacity, and age-appropriate use remain crucial.
- individually designed with the child's name
- personal gift idea for active children
- same versatile play possibilities as the non-personalized set
Single Balance Board or Set: What suits you?
| Variant | Suits especially if … | To consider |
|---|---|---|
| Single board | little space is available or you initially want to test whether the child likes balancing | fewer combination possibilities |
| 3-piece set | new routes and larger obstacle courses are to be created regularly | more space needed for use and storage |
| Personalized | the movement toy is intended as an individual gift | Personalization increases the emotional, not automatically the motor benefit |
| Board plus stacking stones | heights, bridges, and islands are to be flexibly combined | Check compatibility, stability, and manufacturer instructions |
Combine stacking stones and balance boards
Stacking stones complement suitable boards because height, distance, and course can be changed. Children can arrange islands, build a bridge or incorporate colors into a movement task. However, not every board automatically fits every stacking stone. Therefore, check before purchase the dimensions and the explicit compatibility statement of the manufacturer or the product page.
Safe movement area at home: What parents should pay attention to
- Observe the manufacturer's specifications regarding age, setup, load capacity, and use.
- Check boards and stacking stones for damage, splinters, cracks or loose parts before playing.
- Set up on a level, non-slip surface and keep clear of stairs, windows, radiators, and sharp edges.
- Keep the fall height low and increase the difficulty only gradually.
- Actively supervise children – especially younger ones – and do not push them to perform an exercise.
- Do not use improvised elevated structures that could tip over or slide away.
Note: This post provides general ideas for play and exercise and does not replace medical or physiotherapy advice. In case of pain, unusual movement patterns, developmental concerns, or health restrictions, professional advice should be sought.
Frequently Asked Questions About Promoting Exercise in Children
How can I promote exercise for my child in a small apartment?
Use short games in a limited space: a tape line for balancing, animal movements, freeze dance, pillow islands, or target practice with soft balls. A clear, safe floor area is more important than having your own playroom.
What exercise games are suitable for bad weather?
Living room obstacle courses, freeze dance, treasure hunts with movement tasks, animal walks, balloon games, and balance courses are well suited. Adjust the pace and difficulty to the child's age, space, and ability.
From what age is a balance board suitable for children?
This cannot be answered with a single age. The age and safety instructions of the specific manufacturer, as well as the child's motor development, are decisive. A child should be able to perform the intended movement safely; younger children require immediate supervision.
What is addressed when balancing?
When balancing, the child continuously adjusts their posture. This primarily challenges balance, coordination, muscle tone, and body awareness. The effect depends on regularity, difficulty, and individual development.
Does my child need special exercise toys?
No. Exercise can also be promoted with everyday objects, music, and free floor space. Special exercise elements can create additional variations and be useful for longer if they suit the child, the available space, and the family's daily routine.
How can I motivate a child who is not interested in exercise?
Offer a choice instead of an obligation, join in yourself, and build on interests – such as animals, music, or a treasure hunt. Start with short, achievable tasks. Persistent pain, rapid exhaustion, or unusual movement problems should be professionally assessed.
Are balance boards compatible with all stacking stones?
No, not automatically. Shape, recess, and dimensions may differ. Only use combinations that are expressly stated as compatible on the respective product page or by the manufacturer.
Conclusion: Promoting Exercise in Everyday Life – Regularly Rather Than Perfectly
Promoting exercise at home does not start with a large obstacle course, but with reliable opportunities: dancing together, balancing along paths, running outdoors, or jumping between pillow islands. The more varied and voluntary the play is, the easier it will be for exercise to become part of everyday life.
Balance boards and stacking stones can expand the range of play. They are particularly useful when selected for the appropriate age, used safely, and reconfigured again and again. In the end, the best exercise toy is not the one with the most promises, but the one a child likes and uses regularly.
