What are movement games?
Movement games are games in which physical activity is the focus and which can be played both indoors as well as outdoors can be played. They range from simple running and tag games to team games and are suitable for all age groups. In addition to the fun, these games focus on promotion of gross motor skills, coordination, and strength in the foreground. The whole body is used in the process and the child learns to better assess their strengths and abilities.
Movement games are versatile and can be played anywhere - in kindergarten, at school or at home with parents or siblings. Often no equipment is even needed – the game can usually start right away.
Whether indoors or outdoors: Through the playful component of sports games children gladly accept the challenge. So best to get started right away and lay the foundation with fun movement games for children the foundation for an improved overall body awareness and age-appropriate motor development.
These types of movement games exist
Ball games
Throwing games
Tag games
Running games
Jumping & hopping games
Circle games
Dance games
Sports games
Outdoor games
Indoor movement games
Indoor movement games offer a great way to keep children active even on rainy days. Whether fun tag games or creative dexterity games – it definitely won't be boring indoors!
Indoor sports games for toddlers aged 3 and up
Bubble catching: Mom or Dad blow bubbles that the children catch and briefly hold on their hand. Who can do it?
Clothespin thief: Each child gets three to five clothespins attached to their clothing. Now all the children try to steal the opponents' clothespins and protect their own. The child who has protected the most pins at the end of the playing time wins the game.
Indoor movement games for (older) kindergarten children (4-5 years)
Balloon flight without hands: The idea is to keep the balloon in the air as long as possible – but without using the hands. Legs, knees, elbows or head are used. Who can keep the balloon in the air the longest?
Hot potato: While music plays in the background, a light ball is quickly tossed back and forth. When the music stops, the child holding the ball is out. The game is also great for the party for Children's birthday. This delights young and old alike.
Egg dance: In the \"Egg dance\" the children try to balance or carry small wooden eggs with various task cards without dropping them. The tasks vary and demand dexterity and coordination. Whoever completes all their tasks first wins the lively dexterity game. \"Egg dance\" provides fun and excitement!
Charades: In the game \"Charades\" a player draws a card and silently mimes the concept depicted on it while the others guess. The cards show various animals, professions or objects. The player may not make any words or noises and must pantomime the concept within a set time. Whoever guesses the term receives the card. The player with the most cards at the end wins.
Indoor movement games for children aged 6 and up
The floor is lava: In this game everyone pretends the floor is made of lava – so it must not be stepped on. The children try to get from one side of the room to the other using boxes, chairs and cushions without being 'burned' by the lava.
Ball dance: The children play as pairs. Each pair gets a ball wedged between their legs. It must not fall. The children now try, through targeted movement and without hands, to nudge the ball further up. The team that first brings the ball up to the head wins the game.
Outdoor movement games
Outdoor movement games are ideal for keeping children active in the fresh air while providing them with lots of fun. With sports games for children like Ball rolling or Plumpsack (drop-the-sack) they can train their motor skills and playfully expend their energy.
Outdoor sports games for toddlers aged 3 and up
Ball rolling: The children stand one behind the other and spread their legs. The first child rolls the ball head-first backwards through the legs of all players. If the ball reaches the very back, the last child runs to the front. If the ball does not reach the end, the child rolls the ball through the legs again. Who can do it?
Search game in nature: In this game, the aim is to hide objects in nature. The objects are shown in advance and each child hides one object and remembers its hiding place. Then the 5-minute search time begins: each child looks for a different object than the one they hid themselves. Are all the hiding places discovered at the end?
Active outdoor games for (older) kindergarten children (4-5 years)
Plumpsack (drop-the-sack): The children stand in a circle and look toward the center. One player is first the 'Plumpsack'. Holding an object (e.g. a wad of paper, plush toy, etc.), they start walking around the outside of the players while the others sing the Plumpsack song: 'Don't turn around, because the Plumpsack goes around. Whoever turns around or laughs will get their hump blackened.' The child tries to drop the object behind someone onto the ground as unnoticed as possible. If the player notices the object on the ground behind them, they must pick it up and chase the Plumpsack around the outside of the circle. If the child fails to catch the Plumpsack before it has taken the former place in the circle, they become the new Plumpsack.
Balloon popping: A balloon is tied to each child's foot with a string. Now the children run around and try to burst their opponents' balloons with their feet. Children whose balloons have burst are out of the game. The child who is last to still have a balloon wins.
Outdoor movement games for children aged 6 and up
Piggy in the middle: At least three players play together, with one child being the 'piggy' standing in the middle. The other children throw the ball to each other. The piggy must try to catch the ball. If they succeed, the child who had the ball last becomes the new piggy.
Dodgeball: Two teams are formed. Each team chooses a king or queen who plays in the outer area. With a ball, the players try to knock each other out. If a child is hit and the ball touches the ground, they are out and must go to the outer area. Only when they themselves or the king/queen throws an opponent out of the outer area may they return to the field. If all infield players of a team have been knocked out, that team's king or queen must enter the infield and receives the ball. The opposing team now tries to hit them. If someone from the king's or queen's team hits a child from the other team from the outer area in the meantime, they may return to the infield and the king or queen then leaves again. The game ends when the king or queen in the infield is knocked out.
Movement games for children without materials & equipment
Movement games without materials are a great way to keep children creative and active without relying on special equipment. Games like Bunny in the Pit or Imitating Animals promote children's imagination and motor skills while also being great fun. These games can be played anywhere and offer a simple but effective way to boost children's enthusiasm for movement.
Movement games for toddlers aged 3 and up
Bunny in the Pit: Alle children are first sleeping bunnies and crouch down in a squat. Together the song is sung 'Bunny in the pit sat and slept. Poor bunny, are you sick that you can no longer hop? Bunny hop, bunny hop, bunny hop!' At the line 'Bunny hop' all the children wake up and hop as long and as far as they can.
Imitating Animals: All the children run around wildly. The game leader calls out the name of an animal, for example 'elephant'. Now all the children imitate the gait of the elephant.
Games for (older) kindergarten children (4-5 years)
Chain Tag: One child starts as the 'catcher', the other players are the 'chased'. When a child is caught, the catcher and the captured child hold hands. This continues until a large chain of children is formed. The child who is the last free one wins the movement game.
Freeze Dance: Music plays in the background and all the children dance wildly. At some point the leader stops the music and all the children 'freeze'. If a child wobbles or doesn't stop in time, they are eliminated. The child who remains last is the freeze-dance champion.
Movement games for primary school children (aged 6 and up)
Fire, Water, Lightning: The game is best played in a large room. All the children run off and the leader(s) call out 'fire', 'water' or 'lightning' alternately. For 'fire' all the children immediately run to a corner. When 'water' is called, all the children take each other's hands as quickly as possible. For 'lightning' the children lie down flat on the floor.
Witch, what are you cooking today?: One child is the witch, the others stand on the opposite side of the room. Now the children ask the witch 'Witch, witch, what are you cooking today?' The witch names a dish. Depending on the number of syllables, the children take large steps toward the witch (e.g., To-ma-ten-sup-pe = 5 steps, Nu-del-ein-topf = 4 steps). If the witch names a dish that cannot be cooked, like 'pants pudding', all the children run quickly back to the start and the witch tries to catch them. If a child is caught, they become the new witch.
We have put together a PDF with selected instructions for sports games. In it you will find a collection of the best movement games for children to make everyday life active and varied.
How sports games support children's development
Children develop quickly. If you ask your children, they'd like nothing more than to be among the grown-ups as soon as tomorrow. But how do you best support healthy development? Of course with lots of fun. And here movement games — especially sports games — and other active games for children offer a wide range of possibilities and ideas. But which skills are actually promoted? Let's take a look at the positive effects of movement games and Sports with children.
Dexterity & coordination improve playfully
Movement games are ideal for promoting dexterity and coordination in children. If a child is physically skilful and can perform exercises in a coordinated way, they can master all of life's challenges well. A good dose of dexterity helps to control movements with concentration. That way the the Frisbee for example ends up with the person opposite (and not in the bushes) or running on stilts succeeds without major wobbles.
Strengthen muscles & strength through movement
A straight back and well-developed muscles not only ensure good posture, but also help children demonstrably to concentrate better in kindergarten and school. Movement games bring lots of joy and at the same time train your children's most important muscle groups. So find a suitable sports game and onto the gym mat - the action begins!
Tip: Make yourselves comfortable with our play cushions - ideal for creative movement games.
Promote gross & fine motor skills with active games
The Promote fine motor skills means improving the control of the smallest muscle groups. It is particularly important for activities such as buttoning jackets or tying shoes. The Promote gross motor skills on the other hand targets overall movement, such as walking, running or hopping. With targeted movement games you can strengthen both the gross and fine motor skills of your children already in early childhood and thus support their healthy motor development in a playful way.
Testing boundaries with sports games
'To infinity and beyond' — this famous line from the film Toy Story perfectly describes the exploratory drive of many children. Movement games provide the ideal basis to live out this urge to act and to playfully explore one's own limits. Whether a roller board, toy car or skateboard: children love fast movement and repeatedly test their limits anew.
Playful reduction of stress & frustration
If the school day was tiring or there was a fight in kindergarten, stress and anger can easily build up in children. So that the little ones don't bottle it up, they should be able to let off steam at home. Movement games and ideas for reducing stress and frustration are ideal for clearing the head and regaining a good mood.
Time in the fresh air
The sun is shining and the temperatures invite extensive play outdoors. So what are you waiting for? Out you go so your children can soak up their necessary dose of vitamin D. You'll see: being active outdoors is twice as much fun, and there's something new to discover around every corner.
Time outdoors becomes even more exciting with Terra Kids' outdoor toys! Whether a discovery set, tools or flying toys – Terra Kids offers everything little adventurers need to explore nature playfully. Check out the entire Terra Kids collection now and find the perfect outdoor toy for your children!
Physical activity with children: How do I motivate my child to be more active?
Most children love to move and really let off steam in everyday life. But just as adults can be so different, children are too. Do you have a little couch potato at home, you can use small tricks to create an incentive for more activity.
An active lifestyle is essential for the healthy development of children. Therefore they should learn as early as possible how important physical activity is for their health and well-being. As parents you play a decisive role: your role model lays the foundation for an active life. Because lack of exercise can have long-term serious consequences, such as developmental deficits or overweight, which can even lead to exclusion at school or kindergarten.
Integrating movement playfully into everyday life
To counteract lack of exercise, you should consciously build movement into your daily routine. Here are some ideas:
Hiking trips: An exciting hiking trip on Sunday is fun for the whole family. Hiking with children doesn't just mean spending time together outdoors, but also allows you to to enjoy family time. And in the process you discover lovely spots in the area together.
Pool visits: Even the nearest swimming pool is an ideal destination for an active afternoon. While splashing and Learn to swim your children move a lot and strengthen their muscles naturally. In the evening they will probably fall into bed exhausted but happy and dream of your fun day in the cool water.
Motivation made easy: Sports day with medals
If you have a little couch potato at home, a sports day is a nice idea for more movement in everyday life. Whether it's tin-can throwing in the garden, roughhousing on the playground or swimming in the indoor pool – think of different activities that your children will enjoy.
As additional motivation, you can promise your little ones a homemade medal when they have successfully completed an event. This way you subtly encourage the natural urge to move and your little winners will surely be very proud when they have achieved their goal.
How to find suitable and creative movement games for children
With movement games for toddlers, fun is the main focus. To make sure children enjoy moving, you should choose ideas appropriate to your little ones' age.
Change the type of game every now and then and, for example, opt for sports games with a competitive element and sometimes movement or circle games that focus on cooperation. By playing and moving together, children learn solidarity and develop their social skills.
Whether your children like dance games or action-packed sports games or ball games, you know that best. Try combining both and come up with something completely new.
More sports exercises for children
Your children still have energy to spare and you'd like, in addition to great sports games for children also targeted and child-friendly sports exercises tackle them? Then have a look around the relevant HABA topic page and choose your next exercises. Let's go!
DIY: Movement games you can make yourself
Play equipment for movement games or other children's sports games you can make yourself in no time with a few simple steps. Whether for the classic Twister game outdoors or a marble maze for indoors - there are numerous ideas just waiting to be recreated by you.
And the best part: You probably already have most of the materials at home. You don't need extensive crafting skills for that. With our simple instructions you'll have it done in no time, we promise. And then the fun of playing together can begin!
Don't have time to make movement games? In our category Active play toys you will find a great selection of products to promote children's physical activity!
More freedom of movement with comfortable clothing
To allow children to really let off steam during active play outdoors, comfortable, functional, and durable clothing is essential. Here are some tips for different weather conditions:
Rain & Mud: Waterproof clothing protects from head to toe and allows playtime in any weather. Our Jako-O mud pants is dirt-repellent and quick-drying.
Wind & Weather: All-round outdoor clothing keeps children dry and warm, even in changeable weather.
Sunshine: Lightweight clothing with UV protection prevents sunburn and keeps temperatures comfortable.
Snow & Ice: Warm, windproof, and water-repellent clothing is indispensable in winter. Layering provides optimal protection. Find out in our article how best to dress your children properly in winter.
Sporting Activities: Durable, breathable clothing provides freedom of movement and keeps children warm without making them sweat too much.
