Check out hundreds of our therapist-designed and therapist-approved activities for kids – perfect to use in the classroom, the therapy room or at home!
400 Therapist-Approved Ideas and Activities for Kids
Welcome to The Inspired Treehouse! Below, you’ll find links to all of our favorite activities and ideas for promoting healthy motor, sensory, and cognitive development in kids! These activities for kids were created and tested by pediatric therapists – so they’re tried and true!
The activities are organized into kid-friendly themes that may match up with seasonal or study units in your classroom or therapy room. Click through to each activity and you’ll find a full description including:
-materials
-instructions on how to set the activity up
-instructions for how to play
-creative ways to grade the activity to make it more or less challenging
-skill areas addressed during the activity
10 Days to Conquer
10 Days to Conquer the Monkey Bars
10 Days to Conquer a Somersault
10 Days to Conquer Clothing Fasteners
10 Days to Conquer a Cartwheel
10 Days to Conquer Pumping a Swing
Animals
Backyard Games
7 Inspired Fort and Treehouse Designs for Kids
Swingset Fun! 5 Creative Gross Motor Activities for Kids
10 Outdoor Activities for Therapy
Playground Games and Activities for Kids
Sensory Motor Scavenger Hunt – FREE printable
Back to School
The School Bus Rhyme and Movement Game
Encouraging Functional Posture for School
Teaching Kids How to Dress Themselves
Helping Kids Learn to Climb Stairs Safely
Teaching Kids How to Tie Their Shoes
Movement Breaks to Help Kids Stay Alert and Focused
Bedtime Activities
Book Review: Good Night, Animal World
Bugs
Christmas
Fun DIY Christmas Tree Garland for Kids
15 Gross Motor Activities for the Elf on the Shelf
Gift Guide: Toys to Promote Fine and Gross Motor Skills
O Christmas Tree: An Easy Christmas Craft for Kids
15 Sensory Activities for the Elf on the Shelf
Taggy Typography Kids Christmas Craft
A Punchy Christmas Tree Craft for Kids
Silly Santa Gross Motor Skills Challenge
Gift Guide: Toys to Promote Sensory Skills
Christmas Tree Craft from Jenny Clark
Crayonless Holiday Coloring Activity
DIY Instruments and Kids Music Activities
DIY Ornaments: Christmas Seek and Find
5 Fun Sensory Activities Using Christmas Lights
Cooking With Kids: Holiday Cookie Cutter Pizzas
Peppermint Glitter Christmas Craft
Rhyming Reindeer Language Activity
Can Santa Find His Sleigh? Gross Motor Activity
Easy Crafts for Kids: Holiday Garland
10 Fun Gift Wrapping Ideas for Kids
DIY Nature-Inspired Christmas Cards
Christmas Tree Balance Activity
Gifts for Kids Who Like to Move
Gift Guide: Promoting Healthy Development in Kids
Sensory Motor Stocking Stuffer Ideas for Kids
Chopping Down the Tree Gross Motor Activity
Circus
3D Circus Stars Printable Craft
Clowning Around Drawing Activity
So You Want to be in the Circus!
Cooperation
Create Your Own Roller Coaster Ride
Making DIY Party Decorations With Kids
Easter
Basket of Eggs Gross Motor Game
Family
Where in the World is My Family?
A New Take on Family Game Night!
3 Tips for Fun and Easy Family Play
Fall
Making an Impression: Fall Fun With Playdough!
4 Fun Ways to Learn With Leaves
Sensory Motor Lesson Plan: The Busy Little Squirrel
Sensory Motor Lesson Plan: The Apple Pie That Papa Baked
Sensory Motor Lesson Plan: Fall Leaves Fall
20 Great Fall Activities and Books for Kids
Peanut Butter Caramel Apple Dip
Pick a Pumpkin Fine Motor Activity
Fall Activities for Kids: Learning About Leaves Through the Senses
Father’s Day
14 Inspired Father’s Day Photo Ideas
Focus on Freeplay
9 Fun Motor Activities for a Fall Hike
10 Fun Bath Time Activities for Kids
10 Fun Roughhouse Activities for Kids
8 Swing Games + 8 Awesome Swings for Kids
9 Great Play Dough Activities for Kids
6 Creative Movement Activities for Kids Using Streamers
10 Awesome Scooter Activities for Kids
Teaching Your Child How to Jump Rope
Gross Motor Play Ideas: Bubble Wrap!
Fourth of July
Make a Star Fine Motor Activity
4th of July Poem and Movement Activity
Farm
Printable Farm Lacing Activity
Garden
Printable Seed Collection Pages
Stepping Stones Gross Motor Activity
Flower Garden Fine Motor and Sensory Bin
Make Your Own Fairy Garden Houses
Motor Planning Game for Kids: Ring Around the Posies
Halloween
Frightful Flashlight Scavenger Hunt
Make Me a Monster With Free Printables
Spooky Spiders: 3 Fun Ways to Spin a Web
Witch’s Cauldron Song From Let’s Play Music
The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything Cutting Craft
Spooky Spiders Halloween Craft for Kids
Vampire Teeth Fine Motor Activity
Ghosts in the Graveyard Soccer
Target Dollar Spot Halloween Finds
Skeleton Bones Visual Activity – FREE printable
Mother’s Day
Music
9 Awesome Movement Songs for Kids
Homemade Instruments for Kids: DIY Xylophone
The Best Musical Toys for Kids
Olympics
Olympic Skiing Visual Motor Activity
Indoor Cross Country Skiing Gross Motor Activity
6 Inspired Winter Olympic Events
Outdoor Toys for Kids
10 Outdoor Toys to Inspire Movement, Exploration, and Fun!
10 Ways to Play With Sidewalk Chalk
10 Creative Hula Hoop Games and Activities
Picnic
Going on a Picnic Gross Motor Activity
Outdoor Sensory Motor Scavenger Hunt
DIY Watermelon Scratch ‘n Sniff Stickers
Summer Activities Fortune Tellers
Group Games for Kids: Giant Pickup Sticks
Pool and Water Play
Water Play for Sensory Motor Development
Helping Your Child Learn To Swim
The Best Pool Toys for Motor Development
Rainbows
Build a Rainbow Fine Motor Game
Rainbow Gross Motor Scavenger Hunt
Simple Activities for Kids
Simple Activities for Kids Bed Sheets
Simple Activities for Kids: Groceries and Packages
Simple Activities for Kids: Cardboard Boxes
Simple Activities for Kids: Paper Bags
Simple Activities for Kids: Stairs
Simple Activities for Kids: Magazines
Simple Activities for Kids: Pencils
Easy Restaurant Visual Waiting Game
3 Fun Gross Motor Activities Using Blocks
7 Ways to Use Stickers for Learning and Development
Simple Ways to Teach Kids Their Phone Number
Encouraging Developmental Skills With Play Dough
10 Activities for Babies and Big Kids to Do Together
Gross Motor Activities for Teens and Older Kids
20 Awesome Rough Play Activities for Kids
Vestibular Activities for Kids Who Like to Be Upside Down
Hand Games for Motor Skills and Cognitive Skills
Meet Me in the Middle Cutting Activity
The Inchworm Core Strengthening Activity
Sports
5 Fun Tailgating Activities for Kids
Super Easy Fine Motor Activity
Stair Climbing Practice for Kids
Motor Development Game for Kids
Practice With Gross Motor Skills
Easy Bilateral Coordination Activity for Kids
Thanksgiving
Dinner at Your Child’s Fingertips
Thanksgiving Sign Language Activity
Tools of the Trade – Fun Toys and Ways to Play!
10 Awesome Scooter Activities for Kids
Connect-a-Bands from Bear Paw Creek
Our Favorite Toys and Products from Etsy!
9 Fun Ways to Use a Foam Wedge
The Best Toys for Promoting Balance
Balance Beam Activities for Kids
Creating a Sensory Motor Study Space for Kids
Bounce, Throw, Kick, Roll: The Best Balls for Kids
How to Play With a Foam Roller
Fun Balance Exercises for a Foam Balance Pad
The Lucky Ducks Game: 7 Ways to Play
13 Ways to Use a Foam Roller With Kids
Using a Yoga Mat to Create Simple Activities for Kids
Boomwhackers: 10 Fun Ways to Play
Physical Activities for Kids Using an Exercise Ball
12 Fun Toys for Hand Strengthening
The Best Therapy Games for Kids
How to Use Card Games to Promote Movement
Development-Boosting Toys for Babies
Development-Boosting Toys for Toddlers
The Best Development-Boosting Preschool Toys
Boxing Gloves for Kids: 7 Fun Activities
Transportation
Transportation Seek and Find Jar
Transportation Feel and Find Game
Vacation, Travel, Beach, and Ocean
How to Survive as a Shark – Sensory Lesson Plan
Easy DIY Sandcastle Accessories
3 Fun Clothespin Games for the Car
5 Fun Beach Activities for Kids
Road Trip! 10 Rest Stop Activities for Kids
Keeping Kids Active and Engaged on the Road
Valentine’s Day
5 Motor Activities with Conversation Hearts
Homemade Heart Healthy Granola
3 Simple Valentine’s Day Visual Motor Activities
Special Delivery: A Valentine’s Day Gross Motor Activity
5 Therapist Approved Valentine’s Day Activities for Kids
6 Fun Paper Crafts for Valentine’s Day
16 Awesome Valentine Party Ideas for the Classroom
Shot Through the Heart Valentine Craft for Kids
Hearts & Arrows Valentines Activity for Kids
Winter/Snow
The Best Toys for Snowy Motor Fun
Finding Summer Through the Snow
30 Outdoor Winter Activities for Kids
Printable Winter Craft for Kids
Super Snowball Gross Motor Game
“Snow”-cicles Fine Motor Skills Challenge
Snowy Obstacle Course for Kids
Snowga: A Wintertime Yoga Adventure for Kids
Winter Wonderland Letter Sounds Game
5 Winter Core Strengthening Exercises for Kids
How to Use a Body Sock With Kids
Snowy Animal Tracks Visual Activity – FREE printable
Have you tried one of our activities for kids? Which was your favorite? Leave us a comment below!
