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Make them jump for joy
Tired of prying kids off the couch? If you suspect your offspring have been less active this year, you’re not wrong. New research from the University of Southern California — emerging from one of the first studies on kids’ physical activity during the COVID-19 pandemic — confirms that kids have moved less and sat more during this time. School closures and canceled activities widened the existing “exercise gap” between older and younger children, with older children being even less likely to break a sweat during quarantine.
These popular holiday gift picks are sneaky exercise boosters in disguise, designed to spark both holiday joy and healthy physical activity. Wrap up one or a few and take a tiny break from your role as family fitness coach — holiday bliss! Here’s to enjoying some merry movement, together.
Baby years (0–2)
Ikea Klappa Baby Gym, $35 (newborn and older)
Tummy time is easier when baby is having fun. Ikea’s popular baby gym promotes visual development, healthy growth and hand-eye coordination for your littlest one. If your baby falls head over heels for the sweet hanging toys (it happens), the ladybug, butterfly and frog are detachable for close-up play.
Playskool Fold ’n Go Elephant Tummy Time Toy, $26.99 (ages 3 months and older)
Most baby activity mats are best used at home, but this one is good to go. Soft, crinkly and squeaky, this mat promotes sensory development with seven activities to keep babies moving. It’s also easy to stash in a diaper bag and tote to relatives’ homes over the holidays.
Little Tikes Classic Rocking Horse, $29 (ages 1–3 years)
Equipped with easy-grip handles and a seat that prevents falling forward or backward, this classic rocking horse is safe for newly mobile toddlers. It is also easy to clean and light enough to tote from room to room or from playroom to patio. For more rock-around-the-block adventures, download the Little Tikes Play Big Skill on any Alexa-enabled Amazon device.
Baby Shark Dancing DJ, $33.88 (ages 2 and older)
Dance out the stresses of the year with everyone’s favorite toothy aquatic tot. Baby Shark Dancing DJ plays six remixes of your child’s favorite song to turn any room into a dance floor. Choose between game mode, dance mode and play mode to keep the dance party going all day.
Early years (3–5)
Educational Insights – Nancy B’s Science Club Bug Discovery Lab & Incredible Insects Journal, $22 (ages 3 and older)
Open playgrounds might be scarce this winter, but you can still keep your preschooler pumped up for outdoor exploration. This kit promotes STEM learning with a specially designed insect catcher that makes it easy to gather and examine creepy-crawlies up close, then safely set them free. Kids can record their findings in the enclosed journal, which is filled with fun facts, experiments and writing prompts.
Antsy Pants Play Tunnel, $20 (ages 3 and older)
When it comes to kids’ toys with staying power, the price of a $20 soft play tunnel may be the best money you can spend. This foundational piece of play gear promotes movement, imagination and creative play well into the school years. Use it on its own or to connect it to forts, tents or playhouses. When play is finished, it folds almost entirely flat.
Scoot Drone Hand-Operated Indoor Flying UFO Toy, $35 (ages 4 and older)
Launching and following this hand-controlled drone will keep your preschooler active for hours. Scoot is made to use indoors without a remote, making it perfect for cooped-up kids on cold and drippy Pacific Northwest days. Most drone toys aren’t safe for little ones, but this one features a unique webbed shell that protects little hands (and your light fixtures) as kids launch and relaunch the hovering UFO-style drone.
Blippi Ball Pit Mystery Adventure, $49.88 (ages 3 and older)
Remember public ball pits? They provided total-immersion exercise and sensory play, but they were also germy as heck. Public ball pits may have become a thing of the past, but that doesn’t mean your kid has to miss out on the fun you remember from your childhood. This indoor/outdoor portable ball pit promotes movement, sensory development and motor skills. The 35 brightly colored balls include 10 filled with special surprises.
Elementary years (6–12)
Throw Throw Burrito, $28 (ages 7 and older)
When you need to burn off Taco Tuesday, pull out Throw Throw Burrito, an active board game designed to keep kids and families moving — and giggling. The newest game from the creators of Exploding Kittens, this indoor take on dodgeball is suitable for kids, grown-ups and family game nights.
My Gnome on the Roam Adventure Kit, $30 (ages 3 and older)
Whether your child is a prolific poet or a reluctant writer, this highly giftable set promotes movement, literacy and making memories. The kit includes the award-winning “Gnome on the Roam” storybook along with a blank adventure journal, a colorless ready-to-be-painted gnome and a magical pen. “After reading the storybook, families are encouraged to take their gnome out to explore the world beyond their own picket fence, to record their story and to share it with the broader community via My Gnome on the Roam’s app and social sites,” says author and creator Anne Armstrong, a mom and middle school teacher.
National Geographic Sky Rockets, $19.99 (ages 6 and older)
This affordable set takes learning to new heights — literally. Not only is this a rare STEM toy that incorporates physical exercise and outdoor play, it also comes in at under $20 and makes the most of winter’s early sunsets. Take the National Geographic Sky Rockets set into the back yard or the nearest park just after dark and launch foam-tipped rockets 100 feet into the air. Kids won’t notice that they’re exercising as they run to retrieve the rockets — they’ll just know they’re having a blast.
Garmin vívofit jr. 3, $79.99 (ages 4 and older)
A fitness tracker that’s more kid-friendly than most, this one is water-safe and doesn’t require charging — the battery lasts up to a year. Kids can unlock games by completing physical activities and challenge friends and siblings to activity competitions, while parents can manage chores, allowance and screen time from the accompanying app. The band is designed to fit a smaller wrist; for kids 13 and older, consider the vívofit 3.
Teen years (ages 13+)
Beats Solo Pro Noise-Cancelling Bluetooth Headphones, $299
Desperate to get your housebound teen up and moving? Gift these impressive headphones and you can be sure they’ll want to go out and show them off. Sure, they’ll come in handy for remote learning and listening to music at home, but they’ll also encourage teens to take an extra lap or two around the block. For a more budget-friendly option, consider the popular, stylish, but less spendy Skullcandy Riff headphones for under $50.
Nerf Rival Roadhouse XX-1500 Blaster, $24.99 (ages 14 and older)
Getting teens outside during the winter takes a little parental ingenuity. Wrapping up this teen-approved toy will up your parental street cred — unlike other Nerf Blasters, this one is made specifically for big kids. It also comes with built-in safety features and doesn’t require batteries.
Holy Stone HS110D RC Drone with HD Camera, $59.99
For a trendy, they-won’t-know-they’re-exercising electronics gift that won’t end up mangled and discarded come January, drop a drone in your cart. Teens’ step count will spike as they track this well-reviewed drone around the neighborhood. Its relatively long flying time and easy-to-use interface minimize the frustration factor.
Just Dance 2021, $49.99
Sometimes, kids just need to dance. For a giftable game that keeps kids moving on rainy indoor days, scoop up Just Dance 2021. The twelfth game in the Just Dance series is set to release in November for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Google Stadia, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and PlayStation 5. Co-op, kids’ and quickplay modes invite the entire family to bust a move. Just try to resist.
