Spring into Action: Fresh Ideas for Keeping Children Moving at Every Age

The longer days and warmer weather of spring offer a natural opportunity for families to refresh their routines and build healthier habits. Staying active can feel challenging after months of cooler weather spent mostly indoors with, potentially, limited movement. However, making deliberate but small, everyday choices during this time of year can set the tone for a more energized and active season ahead. As children grow, their physical needs and abilities also increase. Exploring new strategies and challenges at each stage of development can be a fun and rewarding way to help them stay strong and healthy.

How Much Movement Does My Child Need?

Age Group Movement Recommendations

Infants (Birth–12 months)

Several short structured and unstructured movement sessions daily (e.g., tummy time, reaching, floor play).

Toddlers (1–3 years)

At least 30 minutes of structured activity plus 60 minutes and up to several hours of unstructured play daily. Avoid being sedentary for more than 60 minutes at a time (except when sleeping).

Preschoolers (3–5 years)

At least 60 minutes of structured activity plus 60 minutes and up to several hours of unstructured play daily. Limit sedentary time.

School-Age Children, Adolescents, and Teens (6–17 years)

At least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity daily. These 60 minutes should include 20 to 30 minutes of muscle-strengthening and bone-strengthening activities at least 3 days per week.

Source: SHAPE America (2020); Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2022); Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (2018).

Age-Specific Movement Ideas

Infants

Tummy Time Play Zones
Turn tummy time into a mini adventure by placing colorful toys or mirrors just out of reach of your child to encourage movement and play. Short sessions spread throughout the day can help strengthen your baby’s neck, back, and shoulders (HealthyChildren.org, 2023; Safe to Sleep, 2023).

Toy Circle Reach
Arrange toys in a circle around your baby during supervised floor play. Reaching in different directions can be helpful for developing the muscles needed for rolling, scooting, and crawling (HealthyChildren.org, 2023).
Toddlers

Dance Party
Create a dance party by playing a favorite song and inviting children to clap, stomp, spin, or move in silly ways. Dancing can be a fun way to encourage physical activity, especially when it feels like a game (HealthyChildren.org, 2023). Add creativity by asking questions like, “How would a lion dance to this song?” or “What about a mouse?”

Indoor or Backyard Obstacle Course
Create an obstacle course using pillows, cushions, or tunnels to encourage crawling, climbing, and balancing. Structured play can help toddlers develop coordination, gross motor skills, and body awareness in a fun and active way (HealthyChildren.org, 2023)

Preschoolers

Scavenger Hunt Walks
Transform a walk into a scavenger hunt by encouraging children to look for colors, shapes, animals, or other unique items. You could print out bingo style cards to carry on the walk, so children can mark off items as they discover them. This playful approach can help preschoolers stay active and promote curiosity and exploration (Playworks, 2020).

Follow-the-Leader Adventure
Take turns leading the family through playful movements like hopping, skipping, stomping, or tiptoeing, or encourage your family to pretend to be animals. Introduce silly themes like a jungle walk or marching parade, or use prompts like fly like a butterfly to the next tree. Encourage your child to invent the path the butterfly could take. When movement feels like a game, preschoolers are more likely to stay active and may even take the lead (Playworks, 2020).

School-Age Children and Adolescents

Neighborhood Bike Ride Challenge
Plan a neighborhood bike ride to explore local parks, new streets, or nearby trails as a family. Biking is a heart-healthy, fun way to stay active, and changing the scenery can keep everyone motivated (American Heart Association, 2023).

Mini Fitness Moments
Incorporate short, playful challenges like a frogger challenge, which is when children take turns lying on the floor or squatting in a frog position and then jumping over each other. In addition, suggest everyone balance on one foot, run sprints around a tree in the yard, or do jumping jacks to an upbeat song. These bursts of movement help children stay active and engaged and can be a way to work toward the 60-minute daily activity goal (The Bounce House Shreveport, n.d.).

Teens

Family Playlist Workout
Encourage your teen to create a playlist for a family walk, jog, or workout. Music can invigorate and improve mental health, which makes it a valuable tool for enhancing physical-activity experiences (American Heart Association, 2023).

Active Outings
Explore new activities like hiking, geocaching, or running in a local race with your teen. These options can make physical activity more appealing because they can add a sense of adventure and purpose, especially, for example, if the race benefits a local charity, and opportunities to socialize (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022).

Bonus: Chore-Challenge Movement

Completing household responsibilities by turning tasks into a friendly competition can help your family get moving and complete some chores! For example, use scavenger hunts (e.g., make a list of “misplaced” items and give a prize to the family member who finds and puts away the most items) to motivate family members. These strategies offer double the benefits: encourages the whole family to be active and helps keep the house tidy. Add a playful twist to tasks and tell children to hop, skip, or lunge as they pick up toys or empty wastebaskets. Try to link a less preferred chore with a silly and physical task as this can improve attitudes and make the routine feel more like a game (HealthyChildren.org, 2023). For example, set a timer for ten minutes and challenge family members to clean up like sneaky ninjas—gliding, ducking, and dashing without making a sound as they race to finish before the buzzer.

Tip: You Set the Tone

Children are highly influenced by the behaviors they observe in their environment. When adults actively engage in physical activity with a positive attitude, they can help shape a family culture that values movement and encourages habits that support the whole family’s physical, mental, and emotional well-being.

Keep the Momentum Going

Looking for more ideas? Explore these resources:

References

American Heart Association. (2023). 25 ways to get moving at home. https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/fitness/getting-active/25-ways-to-get-moving-at-home-infographic

American Heart Association. (2023, October 24). How can I help my child be more physically active?https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/fitness/fitness-basics/aha-recs-for-physical-activity-in-children​

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024, January 8). Child activity: An overview.https://www.cdc.gov/physical-activity-basics/guidelines/children.html

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024, August 7). Making physical activity part of a child’s life. https://www.cdc.gov/physical-activity-basics/adding-children-adolescents/index.html

HealthyChildren.org. (2023, July 25). 3 tummy time activities to try with your baby. American Academy of Pediatrics. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/sleep/Pages/The-Importance-of-Tummy-Time.aspx

HealthyChildren.org. (2024, January). 4 play ideas to get kids moving. American Academy of Pediatrics. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/family-life/power-of-play/Pages/play-ideas-to-get-kids-moving.aspx

HealthyChildren.org. (2023, September 9). Back to sleep, tummy to play. American Academy of Pediatrics. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/sleep/Pages/back-to-sleep-tummy-to-play.aspx

Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. (2018). Physical activity guidelines for Americans (2nd ed.). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://odphp.health.gov/sites/default/files/2019-09/Physical_Activity_Guidelines_2nd_edition.pdf

Playworks. (2020, July 8). Play at home: Go for a walk games. https://www.playworks.org/news/play-at-home-go-for-a-walk-games/

SHAPE America. (2020). Active Start: A statement of physical activity guidelines for children from birth to age 5, 3rd Edition. https://www.shapeamerica.org/MemberPortal/standards/guidelines/activestart.aspx

The Bounce House Shreveport. (n.d.). Fun exercises for kids to keep them active and engaged. https://thebouncehouseshreveport.com/blog/fun-exercises-for-kids/

How Childhood Habits Shape Teen Mental Health

A new study published in JAMA Network Open highlights that early lifestyle habits can be powerful in shaping healthy adolescent mental health outcomes. Researchers followed children ages 6 to 9 for 8 years and tracked their eating habits, physical activity, and overall well-being (Haapala et al., 2025). Researchers found that children who consistently practiced healthy behaviors, such as regular physical activity, limited screen time, sufficient sleep, and good nutrition, experienced fewer symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress by the time they entered their teen years (Haapala et al., 2025).

Physical Activity as a Mental Health Buffer

The study found that engaging in physical activity was among the most influential habits for protecting children’s mental health. Specifically, children who were active regularly showed significantly lower rates of emotional distress by age 14 (Haapala et al., 2025). This discovery aligns with decades of research that indicates daily movement supports mental health by regulating mood-related brain chemicals like endorphins and serotonin (Biddle & Asare, 2011). Whether it’s organized sports, playground time, or biking around the neighborhood, consistent physical activity seems to have a positive effect on various aspects of children’s development.

The Role of Screen Time and Sleep

On the other hand, the study found that engagement in recreational screen time showed the opposite trend. Higher screen-time usage was linked to increased mental health symptoms, particularly anxiety and low mood (Haapala et al., 2025). While technology and, therefore, screens are regular parts of modern life, too much exposure, especially when usage intrudes or reduces sleep or physical activity time, can have lasting negative consequences, such as obesity and declining academic performance. One effective strategy for reducing screen time is to set daily limits for recreational use. For example, families, on a school night, might decide to allow their children 1 hour of recreational screen time after homework has been completed. Engaging in activities like outdoor play, family board games, or creative hobbies, instead of extra screen time, can help children stay involved and support healthier routines.

Sleep also emerged as a key factor in children’s mental health. Children who have regular, sufficient sleep patterns were significantly less likely to develop emotional challenges later in life (Haapala et al., 2025). Poor or inconsistent sleep, however, was associated with children experiencing increased stress and difficulty regulating emotions (Owens et al., 2014). Sleep plays a crucial role in how we think, feel, and handle stress; getting enough sleep is an important building block for developing and maintaining good mental health. One of the simplest ways to promote healthy sleep is by establishing a consistent bedtime routine. According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, children ages 6 to 12 years old should get 9–12 hours of sleep per night, while teenagers 13 to 18 years old need 8–10 hours of sleep for best function (Paruthi et al., 2016).

Food and Feelings Are Connected

Nutrition also plays an important role in mental health. Children who ate balanced diets tended to have better psychological outcomes (Haapala et al., 2025). New research shows that what children eat can affect their bodies, mood, and abilities to think and learn (Jacka et al., 2010). For example, children who regularly ate meals rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and proteins, such as grilled chicken with brown rice and broccoli, were shown to have lower rates of anxiety and depression compared to children who ate high-sugar, high-fat diets (Jacka et al., 2010).

Building a Healthy and Balanced Routine

This new study also discusses the combined effect of engaging in healthy behaviors. The more habits a child practices consistently, the more protection they seem to have against future mental health challenges. Even making small improvements in multiple areas made a noticeable difference (Haapala et al., 2025). Therefore, instead of focusing on perfection in one area, build routines around sleep, nutrition, movement, and screen time in order to support children’s emotional resilience and mental health.

References

Biddle, S. J. H., & Asare, M. (2011). Physical activity and mental health in children and adolescents: A review of reviews. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 45(11), 886–895. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2011-090185

Haapala, E. A., Leppänen, M. H., Kosola, S., Appelqvist-Schmidlechner, K., Kraav, S.-L., Jussila, J. J., Tolmunen, T., Lubans, D. R., Eloranta, A.-M., Schwab, U., & Lakka, T. A. (2025). Childhood lifestyle behaviors and mental health symptoms in adolescence. JAMA Network Open, 8(2), e2460012. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.60012

Jacka, F. N., Kremer, P. J., Berk, M., Patton, G. C., Crawford, D., & Dwyer, T. (2010). A prospective study of diet quality and mental health in adolescents. Pediatrics, 127(5), e1113–e1120. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2010-0740

Owens, J. A., Drobnich, D., Baylor, A., & Lewin, D. (2014). Insufficient sleep in adolescents: A modifiable risk factor. Pediatrics, 134(3), e921–e932. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2014-1696

Paruthi, S., Brooks, L. J., D’Ambrosio, C., Hall, W. A., Kotagal, S., Lloyd, R. M., & Wise, M. S. (2016). Consensus statement of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine on the recommended amount of sleep for healthy children: Methodology and discussion. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 12(11), 1549–1561. https://doi.org/10.5664/jcsm.6288

National Foster Care Month: How to Show Your Support This May (and Beyond)

National Foster Care Month can be a time to raise awareness about the children and families who are affected by foster care and highlight ways individuals can offer support. Throughout the month of May, many organizations recognize the vital role professionals, caregivers, and community members across the child welfare system play in supporting children, youth, and families. With more than 365,000 children and youth in foster care in the United States (Child Welfare Information Gateway, n.d.), National Foster Care Month serves as an opportunity to uplift the voices of those with lived experiences, promote permanency and well-being for youth and families, and strengthen the support systems that help young people thrive and transition successfully into adulthood.

What is Foster Care?

Foster care is a temporary living arrangement for children whose parents are unable to care for them and whose situation has come to the attention of child welfare agencies. During their time in foster care, children may live with relatives, with foster families, or in group facilities. The primary goal of foster care is to provide a safe, stable, and nurturing home environment for children until they can be safely reunited with their parent or primary caregiver. When reunification with biological or primary parents and caregivers is not possible, the focus for foster care shifts to securing a permanent home for children through adoption or another long-term solution. Nearly half of the children who enter the foster care system return to their parent or a primary caregiver; however, despite ongoing efforts to achieve permanency, approximately 20,000 young people who are 18 to 21 years old, depending on their state’s laws, age out of the foster care system each year without being connected to a permanent family (The Annie E. Casey Foundation, 2024).

Three Ways You Can Support National Foster Care Month

Connect with a national foster care support organization or a local agency.

Most communities throughout the United States have state-run or community-based agencies that support children and families in the foster care system. These organizations often host informational meetings, fundraisers, clothing or supply drives, and special events to support and celebrate foster care families and children. Use the websites, listed below, to help you find an agency or organization to get involved with.

Volunteer your time.

Volunteers are needed to support children and families who are involved in the foster care system. Volunteer opportunities may include providing mentorship to children through programs such as Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, providing respite care for foster parents who need short-term care for a foster child, or advocating on a child’s behalf through organizations such as the National Court Appointed Special Advocates/Guardian ad Litem Association for Children (CASA/GAL). Volunteers may be required to participate in training and obtain background checks prior to interacting with children. Contact a local child welfare agency to learn about volunteer needs, and search for volunteer opportunities within national organizations at the websites listed below.

Become a foster parent.

Foster parents are individuals or families who have been approved by the state in which they reside to provide temporary care for children who cannot safely remain with their biological families. Each state sets its own licensing requirements, which can include background checks, home inspections, and training. Typically, foster parents receive a stipend or reimbursement to help cover the costs of caring for the child. In addition to meeting daily, physical, and safety needs, foster parents offer emotional support, guidance, and stability. They often partner with child welfare professionals and biological families to support reunification when possible. Foster parents usually receive ongoing training and support to help them through the process.

Disclaimer: The inclusion of websites and organizations listed within this blog are for informational purposes only and does not imply endorsement.

References

Child Welfare Information Gateway. (n.d.). National foster care month. https://www.childwelfare.gov/fostercaremonth/

The Annie E. Casey Foundation. (2024, April 7). Foster care explained: What it is, how it works and how it can be improved. https://www.aecf.org/blog/what-is-foster-care