From Trampolines to Gardening: Keeping Kids Active (and Healthy) at Home

One of the most common complaints among parents these days: it’s a beautiful day outside, but instead of running around in the yard, the kids are inside, glued to their phones and computers. And when you suggest they go out and play, the answer is usually the same—“There’s nothing to do!”

The problem with too much screen time is that it’s leaving our kids restless and less active than they should be. What can we do about it? The trick is to make being active fun and accessible, so they don’t even realize they’re “exercising”—they’re just playing. With a little creativity, you can give them plenty of reasons to step away from the screens and get moving. Here are some great ideas to get your little ones outside and active.

Get an Outdoor Trampoline

With a trampoline in the backyard, getting the kids out of the house gets much easier and a lot more fun. Kids love to jump, and trampolines give them the perfect outlet to bounce, flip and burn off energy. Best of all, they see it as pure play, even though it’s giving them a great workout and keeping them active for longer stretches of time.

And that active play comes with many benefits for their well-being. More than just burning off energy, jumping on a trampoline helps kids build stronger muscles and bones, improves coordination and balance, and supports a healthy weight. Just as important, it also boosts their mood, reduces stress, and helps them sleep better at night.

When buying an outdoor trampoline, it’s important to choose one that’s not only fun but also safe. Kids can spend hours bouncing, and you, as a parent, need the peace of mind that they’re protected while they play. This means choosing a trampoline with a sturdy, rust-resistant frame that can handle years of use, along with high-quality springs or bungee cords that provide a smooth, controlled bounce.

A safety enclosure net is a must-have to prevent falls. It should be tightly secured to the frame with no gaps where little hands or feet could get caught. Thick padding around the springs and edges adds another layer of protection, while a sleep-resistant jumping mat helps reduce the chances of tumbles.

Last but not least, choose the right size trampoline for your space and your kids’ ages. Larger trampolines offer more room to jump, while smaller models can be a safer option for young children. And you!

Build an Obstacle Course

Another way to get kids active is to build a backyard obstacle course. The best part is you don’t need any fancy equipment to do this—just get creative with what you already have at home. You can set up hopscotch on tiles, lay down tape to jump over, weave through cones or chairs and even add a “crawl under” section with a broom or rope. The course can be as simple or as elaborate as you like, and the whole family can get involved, taking turns running or timing each other.

To make it even more fun, turn it into a competition with a small prize at the end. This will not only get your kids moving but will also spark their imagination and problem-solving solving and give everyone a fun way to bond while being active together.

Set Up a Net or Target in the Backyard or Basement

Setting up a net or a target in the backyard or in the basement on rainy days is a simple way to get kids moving. Whether it’s kicking a soccer ball, throwing a basketball or even tossing beanbags, kids love the challenge of aiming for a goal. You can make it more fun by turning it into a family game: count how many goals each person can score in a row, then switch it up and see how many they can get in three or five minutes.

This kind of play not only gets everyone active but also builds coordination, focus and a little healthy competition. Plus, it’s an activity that can be adapted for kids of all ages, so everyone can join in and have fun.

Create a Jump Rope Challenge

Jump rope challenges are a classic way to get kids active, and the best part is they’re simple, low-cost cost and can be done almost anywhere. All you need is a rope and some space, and the kids are set for hours of fun. They can see how many jumps they can do in a row without tripping, try out fun variations like criss-cross arms or double jumps or even make it a family competition to see who can last the longest.

Jumping rope is not only fun but it’s also good for coordination, balance and endurance—and they won’t even realize how much energy they’re burning.

Bring the Kids Along for Garden Time

Gardening is a great way to get the kids active and teach them responsibility and patience. Instead of seeing it as “yard work”, kids can see it as a hands-on adventure, digging holes, planting seeds, watering plants, and even pulling weeds.

You can even give your kids their own little patch of soil or a few pots to care for so they feel proud of growing something of their own. Along the way, they’ll learn about nature, where food comes from and the importance of looking after living things. Plus, gardening is full of fun discoveries. Worms in the soil, sprouts breaking through the dirt, flowers blooming, all of these things keep kids curious and engaged.

Let Them Walk the Dog

Most of the time, we bring a dog into the family because the kids have been begging for one. However, after the initial excitement of those first few days, the responsibility of daily walks ends up added to our already long to-do list. That’s why it’s a great idea to make dog walking one of your kids’ regular chores. Of course, the timing depends on their age and maturity. Young children can walk the dog with you or an older sibling, while teens can often handle short walks on their own.

To make it feel less like a chore and more like an adventure, turn walks into games. Let your kids choose the route, bring along a stopwatch to time themselves or create a scavenger hunt of things to spot along the way. This way, the responsibility of looking after the family pet also becomes a fun, active part of their day.