With technology taking over so much of our lives, more than ever staying fit and active needs to be a conscious decision. Not just for ourselves, but for our kids too! So bringing extra fun into fitness is easier with toys for active kids.
Active playtime helps children develop gross motor skills, build muscle and increase strength. Plus a healthy body is necessary for a healthy mind!
Whether you are looking for gifts for active kids or looking to get your own kids moving more every day, these fun active toys and games will have them excited to burn energy, indoors and outdoors.
ACTIVE TOYS FOR KIDS
Our girls love playing indoors with their collections of toys – LOL Dolls, My Little Pony, arts and crafts and puzzles. They are collectors with big imaginations who love to create little cities in their playroom. Well… they call it a city. I call it a mess!
They also love watching their latest movie or television obsession repetitively.
You can read about how we limit screen time in our household (and how it has resulted in happier, better-behaved kids).
With fun indoors, sometimes they need a reminder to get outside and enjoy the fresh air and sunshine at home. Especially after a big day of learning and play at school.
Yet when they are outdoors, they have loads of fun and adventures. We make sure to have plenty of outdoor toys for them to play with, and sports equipment too, encouraging active play.
Afterwards, they come back inside dirty and messy, but very happy (and hungry).
Playing outside is important for kids of all ages.
Check out these outdoor toy storage ideas and indoor toy storage ideas for keeping your home organised and tidy!
The Benefits of Active Play For Kids
Active play is essential for children’s development – to strengthen bones and muscles, and to help establish strong connections between the brain and the body.
Developing positive, healthy habits early also help maintain them throughout life too.
Children who do not develop healthy habits early have a higher possibility of developing weight issues and other health-related issues later in life.
No one wants this fate for their child, which is why active play toys are a wonderful option to help build good physical activity habits now.
THE BEST TOYS FOR ACTIVE KIDS
Fresh air and the chance to explore are enough for most kids to be active indoors or outdoors. However, some kids need extra encouragement. Especially with the increase in screen time for all ages.
This is where active kid toys are a great option.
They help to make active play more fun for kids. Some are obvious in the way they encourage physical activity, such as sports toys for boys and girls.
Others are more subtle, yet have the same positive impact on increasing movement and coordination.
We have put together the ultimate gift guide with the best toys for active kids to help you encourage more physical play, and hopefully, join in the fun too!
Indoor Active Toys
Sometimes the weather isn’t so nice outside, or maybe you are not able to supervise outdoors with younger kids. For those times, it’s great to have plenty of indoor active toys to keep children moving too.
These indoor active gift ideas are perfect for kids who may have a new baby in the family too, to help keep them occupied indoors while mum is nursing or tending to the newest family member.
1. Balance Board – Balance toys for toddlers and pre-schoolers are a great way to help kids engage their core and improve their balance. The Fat Brain Toys Teeter board brings extra fun with sound effects as they play.
2. Moluk Bilbo – This simple concept can provided so much entertainment and creativity. Kids can discover new ways to play with the Moluk Bilbo each day.
3. Yoga Game – The Spinner Yoga Game is a kid’s yoga game, giving them improved flexibility and balance to strengthen their body and stimulates their mind. It contains 54 yoga pose cards, a spinner with storage compartment and instructions.
4. Ride-On Bouncy Ball – Ride-on bouncy balls are loads of fun and perfect for encouraging some extra activity indoors.
5. PlasmaCar – For a no battery, kid-powered, ride-on toy, a PlasmaCar is perfect for scooting around indoors. Suitable for smooth indoor surfaces, otherwise take it outdoors instead.
6. Ball Pit – A mini indoor ball pit is loads of fun and a fantastic active toy for toddlers.
7. Play Tunnel – A soft tunnel is super fun for adventuring, getting kids crawling and rolling around as they play.
8. Climbing Shapes – Soft climbing shapes are perfect for toddlers to explore safe physical play and to encourage creative new ways to build their play zone for older children.
9. Sit ‘N’ Spin – This active toddler toy brings compact fun and learning with the Sit N Spin toy.
10. Nintendo Switch – For older kids who love their computer games, Nintendo did a fantastic job of combining active play with video games back when they released the Nintendo Wii. If you still have a classic Wii, it is worth dusting off for some fun! Otherwise, the Nintendo Switch comes with unique new gameplay with a growing list of titles that include physical activity.
Here are some of the best active games on Nintendo Switch:
Outdoor Active Toys & Games
Time spent outdoors is important for all ages, with that necessary exposure to vitamin D just one of the many reasons. Fresh air, creative play and the use of their imagination.
All of this comes with time spent outdoors. And there are some pretty awesome outdoor toys for active kids. You will want to join in the fun!
1. Trampoline – The outdoor toy I loved most as a child was definitely my trampoline. My girls love their trampoline too, especially when one of us gets on for a bounce with them (no matter how short-lived that might be after having kids).
Trampolines sure have changed a lot since I was a kid though, with safety nets and covered springs. No more risk of flying across the yard with every bounce! HA!
Our kids have a Vuly Trampoline which is incredible and much tougher than our previous standard trampoline. Best of all, they have some really cool accessories to go with them and sunshades over the top so kids can jump without ending up sunburnt!
2. Swing Set – Swing sets are a great outdoor toy. These days most swing sets have much more than a basic swing and seesaw, with monkey bars, climbing robes and more. Each of these helps build strength and gross motor skills, all while getting a healthy dose of vitamin D.
3. Climbing Frame – A climbing frame helps build strength and coordination and is an exciting outdoor gift for kids. Throw a blanket over it to create a fort too.
4. Cubby House – While it may not seem as active as some of the other toys, an outdoor cubby house encourages kids to take their pretend-play further. Even better if the cubby house has a ladder and requires a little extra effort to get into it! This Kmart Cubby house is a great option if you are in Australia too. Or get a play tent for an inexpensive alternative.
5. Pogo Stick – This safe light-up foam pogo stick fun jumping toys for kids. Also check out the Kidoozie foam pogo jumper.
6. Step Logs – Create a stepping stone course across your yard with step logs, to help kids improve their balance during play.
7. SplashEZ 3-in-1 Splash Pad – If you need outdoor toys for energetic toddlers, this 3 in 1 splash pad, sprinkler and splash pool is loads of fun for babies, toddlers and preschoolers.
8. Bubble Wand – Bubbles are fun at all ages and this big bubble wand is going to get kids moving around as they form giant bubbles.
9. Step2 Up & Down Roller Coaster Ride & Hide – Turn your backyard into a fun park with this backyard roller coaster ride perfect for kids of younger ages and toddlers.
10. Ring Toss Game – A classic game that gets you moving, ring toss is fun playing with others or fine-tune your moves solo.
11. Monkey Bars – There are some incredible monkey bars and climbing structures for kids these days and this is a great way not only to get them outdoors and active, but also to build strength and coordination through play.
The Vuly Monkey bars are incredible. You can watch my video on setting it up (that bit was less fun).
The frames are fun on their own however you can mix and match to create your own perfect backyard gym, suited not just for active kids but also for adults too. There is everything from climbing nets, flying fox, punching bag and ninja bars. So much fun!
Sports Toys For Boys & Girls
There is pretty much no end to sports toys for kids, with a sport for every interest and equipment to go with it. Every household should have a few of the common sports toys in their collection. They are perfect for backyard fun or a trip to the park.
1. Football – You can’t go past a simple football for outdoor play. Or any kind of ball really! Join your kids outside for a kick of the footy, or they can practice kicking solo and chasing the ball for extra fitness!
2. Frisbee – A frisbee is one of the easiest mobile toys you can take with you. Keep one in the boot of the car for family days out.
3. Foldable Backyard Goal – Step the fun up a notch with your kid’s very own backyard goal posts. They can practice improving their aim through the portable goalposts, then fold them away for later.
4. Bike – A bicycle is something that takes a little while to master for most kids, yet has all the benefits of improved coordination and leg strength. A balance bike is a great option for younger kids starting out, with training wheels to help keep them upright as they learn to pedal.
5. Roller Skates – One of the earliest toy memories I have is of learning to skate with a pair of adjustable skates… with a pillow tied to my butt! I kid you not! I must have been around 4 and this was my parent’s solution to no more bruised bottom. Rollerskating and rollerblading are loads of fun and super active. Both my girls love skating.
6. Hula Hoop – A classic toy that could not get much more simple, yet it has lasted generations – the hula hoop. Spin it, jump through it, juggle it… loads of ways to play with one!
RELATED READING – WATER PLAY ACTIVITIES FOR PRE-SCHOOLERS
Active Kid Gifts
Want to further inspire your favourite active kids with some fitness-focused gifts and accessories. These non-toy gift ideas are perfect stocking stuffers or birthday gifts for active kids.
1. Fitness Tracker – Get your kids involved in family step challenges with their own Fitbit Ace or Garmin Vivofit Jr activity tracker. You can link them to your parent account and see who in the family does the most steps each week. They can even challenge their friends with trackers too!
2. Yoga Mat – Encourage kids to join you for yoga or pilates by getting them their own yoga mat for exercise.
3. Sports Drink Bottle – A flash new drink bottle to keep kids hydrated as they enjoy staying active, indoors or outdoors!
Time spent outdoors and being active is wonderful for building confidence in kids. It’s also a great way for families to bond over shared fun and hobbies.
These toys and gifts are sure to encourage the recipients to get moving in no time. Watch their gross motor skills improve and their love of being active grow as they experience fun new ways to play. Find more gift ideas for all ages and occasions.
Looking for quiet play activities for home too? Check these out:
- 100+ fun activities for kids at home
- Homemade playdough recipes
- Creative activities for toddlers
- Homemade slime recipes
- Classic board games for families
- LEGO play ideas and learning activities
- Backyard play ideas for kids
- Creative play recipes to make at home
- Sensory activities for toddlers
- Water play activities for kids
- Printable colouring pages
- Growth mindset journals for kids
Do you have a favourite indoor or outdoor activity you do together with your kids? Comment and let us know how you stay fit together as a family. And don’t forget to save this for later!
