Animal workout
Call out an animal and move like it - hop, stomp, slither, crawl, or stretch. A playful burst of movement perfect for active moods, brain breaks, or shaking off the wiggles.
Sometimes everyone in the house needs to move - not in a structured, “workout” way, but in a fun, silly, let-your-body-loosen kind of way.
The Animal Workout is exactly that. Someone calls out an animal and everyone copies how it moves: jump like a kangaroo, stomp like an elephant, tiptoe like a cat, flap like a bird. You can take turns choosing, play to music, or keep it simple and spontaneous.
You can also write or draw animals on bits of paper to randomly pick from, or use our for extra fun!
It’s brilliant for kids who need to burn energy or reset their focus, but it’s just as lovely for grownups wanting a light, playful movement break that reconnects them with their inner child.
Materials
Prep
Step 1:
Clear a small safe space to move around.
Step 2:
Choose whether one person will call out animals or you’ll take turns. Or for extra fun, draw some random animals on paper to pick from.
You can also download our !
Step 3:
(Optional) Put on fun or upbeat music.
Play
Step 1:
Pick or call out an animal - kangaroo, crab, bear, butterfly, snake, anything! The sillier the better.
Step 2:
Move like that animal for 10–20 seconds.
Step 3:
Call out a new one and switch movements.
Step 4:
End with a slow, stretch-based animal (sloth, turtle, starfish) to wind down.
Extend
Music Mode: Play fast/slow songs and match your animal speed to the tempo. Or pose like an animal during a !
Story Adventure: Turn it into a mini quest (“We’re walking through a jungle… what do we see next?”).
Animal Timer: Set a timer and switch animals when it beeps.
Animal yoga: Make it mindful and strike some restful animal yoga poses
