Indoor Sports Gear for Kids: Staying Active Inside

Clear a space and measure it, including ceiling height. A kid jumping or tumbling needs open floor in every direction, away from furniture corners, TV stands and glass. If the only clear area is a hallway, that rules out a lot of equipment and points you to rolling, crawling and balance play.

Think about the floor too. Hard floors call for mats with a non-slip backing. Thick carpet may make balance boards wobble more than intended. If you live in an upstairs unit, a rug or interlocking foam tiles under the play area softens landings and keeps the people below from wondering what you are doing at 7 a.m. on a Saturday.

For floor tumbling, a firm folding mat a couple of inches thick gives more support than a soft one that bottoms out. Mats should lie flat with no curled edges that trip kids up.

Indoor climbing triangles and wall-mounted bars are popular, but anything a child climbs needs stable footing and padding below. Wall-mounted gear has to go into studs with the correct hardware, not drywall anchors. If you rent, ask before drilling. A freestanding piece may be the better option. Home trampolines are a different category with real injury risk; the American Academy of Pediatrics discourages recreational home trampoline use, and its HealthyChildren.org site explains why.

Gear helps, but a dad on the floor doing bear crawls is the best piece of equipment in the house. Set a ten-minute timer, call out animal walks or a pillow obstacle course, and let your kid design the next round. Ending with a slow cool-down, like stretching or lying on the mat counting breaths, makes the transition back to quieter play much easier. For game ideas that use little or no equipment, see indoor activities and DIY projects and activities. When the sun comes back, the outdoor sports gear guide picks up where this one leaves off, and the sports equipment section has the full overview.