My daughter is bouncing off the walls. Any ideas for winter exercise?


When it’s cold outside, it can be difficult to find ways to chill indoors with your children! The key is to find safe and creative ways to be active inside. Two of my favorite things to do with my own children are building a fort and creating an inside obstacle course using pillows, blankets, and toys. Another fun idea is to turn on some music and have a dance party with your daughter. Or, try playing a game of charades. To keep things simple, pick a theme (like animals or a choose letter of the alphabet) and take turns acting and guessing. Look for indoor play structures in your neighborhood (like trampoline parks or bouncy houses). There are a number of ways to help your daughter burn off some energy when going to the park is not an option.

Jennie Ito, Ph.D.

Child Development Expert

Jennie Ito is a mother of two and a child development consultant who specializes in children’s play and toys. Before becoming a consultant for LeapFrog, she was an intern at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC, and later worked as a content expert for the Association of Children’s Museum’s “Playing for Keeps” Play Initiative. Jennie earned her doctorate degree in developmental psychology at Queen’s University in Ontario, Canada.