May Zalat, Inclusion Director at Kids First Group shares fantastic play ideas that help children get their wiggles out and decompress during times when normal routines are disrupted. 

If you’ve been at home with your child for a while, you may have noticed that there’s a point in the day when everything suddenly feels harder. Your child may become louder, more reactive, more physical, or less interested in play. They might jump quickly from one activity to another, get frustrated more easily, or struggle to settle.

It’s often described as having “too much energy,” but in reality, it’s usually something deeper. What many children are experiencing in these moments is dysregulation.

Throughout the day, children build up movement, sensory, and emotional needs in their bodies. They don’t necessarily need more entertainment, they need the kind of play that helps them feel organised and settled again. This calls for a slightly different approach to play at home.

The goal isn’t to tire children out. It’s to help them release what has built up so they can calm down more naturally. Movement-based play is one of the most effective ways to do this. Young children regulate through their bodies long before they can regulate through words. So when a child is overwhelmed, telling them to “calm down” rarely works, but giving them the opportunity to move can.

A simple place to start is with animal walks. Stomping like an elephant, crawling like a bear, hopping like a frog, or slithering like a snake offers full-body movement and valuable sensory input. These playful activities help support coordination, body awareness, and emotional regulation, all while feeling fun and easy to set up.

Obstacle courses are another great option, and they don’t need to be elaborate. A few cushions to jump over, a chair to crawl under, a blanket to roll across, or a line to balance along can be more than enough. The key is purposeful movement, helping children channel their energy in a more organised way.

You can also create a simple “crash zone” at home. This is a safe, soft area where children can jump, fall, roll, or “crash” their bodies in a controlled way. It might sound counterintuitive, but this kind of play can be very regulating. You don’t need special equipment; bean bags, floor cushions, sofa cushions, or even a spare mattress can work just as well. Encouraging your child to jump into the space, roll across it, or safely crash into it gives their body the deep sensory input it may be seeking.

Some children benefit from what occupational therapists often call “heavy work.” This includes activities like pushing a laundry basket, carrying cushions, moving books, or doing wall pushes. These types of movements provide deep pressure input, which can be especially helpful for children who seem restless, irritable, or overstimulated, helping them feel more grounded.

In some cases, wearable sensory supports can also help. For example, a sensory suit or compression clothing gently hugs the body, providing consistent deep pressure input throughout the day. For children who seek this kind of input, it can support a greater sense of calm and body awareness, especially when used alongside movement-based play.

Other simple activities can also offer powerful sensory input. Swinging in a hammock is one of them. If you don’t have one at home, you can recreate a similar experience using a strong bedsheet or blanket held securely by two adults, gently swinging the child back and forth. This type of movement stimulates the vestibular system (which helps with balance and spatial awareness) and can be both calming and organising for the body.

A yoga ball can also be a very useful tool. Sitting your child on your lap and gently bouncing up and down provides rhythmic movement that can help regulate the nervous system. This kind of repetitive motion can be soothing, improve body awareness, and help children release excess energy in a controlled way.

Dance games are another wonderful option, offering a mix of freedom and structure. Children can move, express themselves, and release energy, while games like freeze dance or floor is lava, introduce gentle moments of pause and control.

After this kind of movement, children are often much more open to quieter play. This is where activities like bubbles and playdough come in. Blowing bubbles naturally encourages slower, deeper breathing, while playdough, with its repetitive squeezing, rolling, and shaping, can be incredibly calming.

Gentle stretching can also help children decompress, especially later in the day. Stretching tall like a giraffe, curling into a small ball like a hedgehog, or arching like a cat gives children a simple way to release tension. Even everyday tasks like tidying up toys or carrying items around the house can provide helpful movement and a sense of reset.

What makes the biggest difference is understanding that children need movement before stillness. They need to release before they can settle.

When we shift our approach in this way, we’re no longer trying to stop the behaviour, we’re supporting what the child’s body actually needs. And often, that small shift can make a big difference in how the rest of the day unfolds.

Play, in this sense, isn’t just about keeping children busy. It becomes a powerful tool for helping them feel calm, balanced, and in control.

About the Author

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