The children peer out onto the soggy playground as the raindrops pelt the windows. “Another wet day,” thinks Sarah, a childcare provider. “The children are bored and irritable. I need to think of some new ways to keep them active on days like this!”

It is raining… or snowing… or sleeting… or storming. It is unbearably hot, or it is bone-chillingly cold. Extreme weather can make for a long day with young children. When children go outside, they breathe fresh air, burn off extra energy, develop their large muscles, and run in open spaces.

When outdoor play is not possible, unspent energy can make children irritable, anxious, and difficult to manage. You cannot control the weather, but you can make indoor days more pleasant and fun by planning activities that keep children active.

According to the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE), infants need to develop early movement skills in an environment that is safe for large muscle activity, toddlers need at least 30 minutes of structured physical activity and at least 60 minutes of non-structured physical activity each day, and preschoolers need a daily minimum of 60 minutes of structured physical activity and a minimum of 60 minutes of unstructured physical activity.

It can be challenging to meet these guidelines indoors, but with some planning and organization, it is possible.

The first consideration for organizing indoor play is safety. Look for an area that will accommodate vigorous physical movement. A large area that is carpeted or covered with a non-slip mat is preferable.

Make sure the area is free from obstructions that children may trip over. Young children often struggle with spatial boundaries, so you might use masking tape on the floor to help define the area for physical activity.

Space is another consideration. With all of the materials that children use indoors, it is often difficult to find a space large enough to accommodate vigorous gross-motor activity. It is a good idea to spend some time analyzing your facility for areas that can easily be converted into space for movement. You may rearrange a piece of furniture or move an easel or sand table and find that you have more space than you had imagined.

When planning indoor physical activities, consider the motor skill categories-- locomotion skills (running, hopping, skipping, jumping, and pedaling), non-locomotion skills (bending, stretching, and balancing), and manipulative skills (catching, throwing, rolling, and kicking)--and how the planned activities will help children develop competence in those areas.

Select activities that help build children’s strength, flexibility, and endurance. For example, having children bend like trees in the wind promotes flexibility, while dancing for the length of a song or video encourages endurance.

Children’s physical development is another consideration for planning activities. Spend time observing each child to see which physical tasks are appropriate for his or her development.

If you provide care for infants, incorporate activities that support head and neck strength as well as reaching, grasping, sitting, rolling over and crawling. Children from 8-18 months may sit, throw, climb stairs, and walk.

Two-year-olds generally can throw and kick balls, jump with their feet together, run, climb, and stand on their tiptoes. Three-year-olds can usually stand on one foot, march, catch a ball, pedal, walk on their tiptoes, and jump forward. Four-year-olds can typically run on their tiptoes, gallop, skip, hop on one foot, and throw a ball overhand.

Scheduling is important, too. Children usually do best with several short periods of physical activity during the day. This can be challenging when you are indoors, but try alternating quieter activities with more active play.

When you sense the children’s energy levels are building, involve them in vigorous music, dance, and movement activities. As their energy levels decrease, move them toward art, dramatic play, story time, and other less active types of play.

During the course of an entire day indoors, you may go through this cycle two or three times, depending on the ages and personalities of the children you care for and your own sense of what their activity and energy levels are.

Inclement weather is a great time to use materials such as parachutes, beanbags, cones, hoops, mats, carpet squares, and other movement equipment. Balls made of foam, soft plastic, paper, fabric, socks, and other soft materials work well indoors, too.

If you have space, try setting up an obstacle course for the children using boxes, pillows, hoops, chairs, and other objects. Your obstacle course could encourage children to crawl under, climb over, go right, go left, slip between, and use a variety of locomotion skills. The length of the obstacle course will depend on the ages of the children and available space.

During a quiet activity time, help preschool-age children construct musical instruments (like paper plate shakers, spoon clappers, and aluminum pie plate cymbals); then organize a marching parade. Pots, pans, and kitchen utensils make great substitute instruments.

After a few days of repeating “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes,” “Follow-the-Leader,” and “The Hokey Pokey,” it can be difficult to come up with new ideas for movement. Try movements from transportation (fly like a helicopter, roll like a wagon, paddle like a boat), animals and nature (swim like a shark, hatch like a bird, gallop like a horse), the weather (fall like rain, blow like the wind), and even food (pop up like popcorn, melt like butter). Ask the children to help you think of more ideas for moving.

Games help children learn cooperation and how to follow instructions, and there are lots of games that can be played indoors. Incorporate old favorites, like hide-and-seek and London Bridge, with games you or the children come up with. Look for games that keep everyone involved and encourage thinking and communication.

Music is one of the best tools for movement when the weather is uncooperative. Play lively, energetic music (it does not have to be specifically for children) and dance the day away! Children will enthusiastically shimmy, shake, and shuffle with you. To add variety, provide scarves, streamers, fans, a Maypole, or other props. Play different types of music, and let children experiment with various beats and dance moves.

When the weather is extreme, physical activity can make the day brighter. All it takes is some planning and you are ready for indoor fun and physical activity!

Marna Holland, Parent Educator, Asheville, NC, City Schools Preschool

National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE), 1900 Association Dr., Reston, VA 20191; 703-476-3410; www.aahperd.org/NASPE/ns_active.html

Child Care Aware, www.childcareaware.org/en/dailyparent/volume.php?id=38

Cold and Rainy Day Activities,
www.healthylivingniagara.com/families/cold-rainy-day-activities.htm

Indoor Games, www.gameskidsplay.net

Kids Health, www.kidshealth.org/parent/nutrition_fit/fitness/fitness_4_5.htm

National Association for the Education of Young Children,
www.journal.naeyc.org/btj/200605/GoodwayBTJ.asp and
www.journal.naeyc.org/btj/200605/ParishBTJ.pdf

Preschool Fitness Activities, www.extension.iastate.edu/Publications/PM1359B.pdf

Rainy Day Ideas, Penn State Cooperative Extension, betterkidcare.psu.edu/AngelUnits/OneHour/Rainy/RainyLessonA.html

Teaching Pre K-8: Rainy Day Exercises, findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3666