Get your whole family up and moving with these active games from fitness expert Mackie Shilstone, author of Body Plan for Kids.

Wild Freeze
Have the kids run around the yard for a minute or so, then you yell “Freeze!” First, they freeze in the shape of an animal of their choice. Next, call each player’s name, one at a time; that player unfreezes and acts like the animal. Finally, the others try to guess the animal. Call names until all have enacted their creatures. Then repeat the process from running to guessing. You can hand out slips of paper with animals written or drawn on them.

Pickpocket Tag
Give everyone a sock to hang out of a pocket, then have the kids form two equal lines across from each other. The goal of this game is to snatch the opposite side’s socks without losing your own. When you call “Go,” the chase is on. When you call “Stop,” players return to their sides. The team that grabs the most socks from the other team wins. Use brightly colored socks to make them easier to distinguish. And be sure kids know not to grab too hard.

Call and Catch
Have all players stand in a large circle. Give one a soft foam ball. That player loudly calls out a category— say, “colors”—and tosses the ball to another player. That player catches the ball and throws it to another player while shouting a word from the category, like “blue.” The game should move quickly. A player who drops the ball or catches it without adding a word to the category is out. Then start again with a new category.