Exercise Songs for Kids: A 10-Minute Action Playlist

When it is grey outside, the toddler is climbing the sofa and you have no energy left to invent a game, music is your best friend. Put a song on, do the actions, and suddenly everyone is moving. Exercise songs for kids are one of the easiest ways I know to get little ones active indoors, and they work for tired parents because the song does the planning for you. You just have to press play and join in.

I coach busy mums and dads in Archway, and plenty of them have toddlers and young kids at home. Here are the songs and routines they tell me get used again and again, plus a 10-minute playlist you can do before breakfast or after nursery.

Why action songs work so well

Young children learn movement by copying. A song gives them a beat to follow, words that tell them what to do, and a clear ending, so there is no argument about “one more go” (well, fewer arguments). The NHS physical activity guidelines for children under 5 suggest that toddlers and pre-schoolers spend at least 180 minutes a day being active, spread throughout the day. That sounds huge, but it includes all kinds of moving, and a few songs here and there add up quickly.

Action songs also build:

• Balance, from standing on one leg, tiptoeing and freezing.
• Coordination, from clapping, stamping and touching body parts in order.
• Listening skills, because they have to wait for the right word.
• Confidence, because there is no “wrong” way to dance.

The best exercise songs for kids (by energy level)

Warm-up songs (gentle)

• Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes: do it slowly, then faster each round. A brilliant bending and reaching warm-up.
• Wind the Bobbin Up: arm circles, pulling, clapping and pointing, great for shoulders and fine motor skills.
• Row, Row, Row Your Boat: sit facing each other, hold hands and rock back and forth. Lovely for toddlers and gentle on parents’ backs.

Get-moving songs (medium)

• If You’re Happy and You Know It: swap the actions for exercises. “Stamp your feet”, “jump up high”, “touch the floor”, “spin around”.
• The Hokey Cokey: in, out, shake it all about. Kicks, arm swings and lots of turning.
• The Grand Old Duke of York: march on the spot, stand tall for “up”, squat down low for “down”. By the third verse, you will feel it in your legs too.

High-energy songs (big moves)

• Sleeping Bunnies: lie still, then “hop little bunnies” with big jumps. Repeat three times. Toddlers adore this one.
• Five Little Speckled Frogs: crouch, then frog-jump into the “pool” on every verse. Five verses means five big squat jumps.
• Any upbeat song they love: pick their current favourite (yes, even that shark song) and play “freeze dance”: dance while it plays, freeze when you pause it.

Cool-down songs (calm)

• Twinkle Twinkle Little Star: lie on your back, stretch arms and legs into a star, wiggle fingers slowly.
• Ring a Ring o’ Roses: slow circle, gentle fall down, then lie quietly for a few breaths.

A 10-minute exercise songs playlist routine

Here is a routine I give parents with children aged about 2 to 6. Each song takes 1 to 2 minutes.

1. Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes (slow, then fast): warm-up.
2. Wind the Bobbin Up: arms and shoulders.
3. The Grand Old Duke of York: marching and squats.
4. Sleeping Bunnies: jumping, twice through.
5. If You’re Happy and You Know It (exercise version): stamp, jump, touch the floor, spin.
6. Freeze dance to a favourite pop song: 2 minutes.
7. Twinkle Twinkle Little Star: lying star stretch to calm down.

Do it once a day, or split it: three songs after breakfast, three after nursery, and the calm one before bath time. Save it as a playlist on your phone so you are never more than one tap away.

Making exercise songs for kids work for you too

If you join in properly, this is real exercise for you. Squat all the way down on “down” in the Grand Old Duke. Do a proper jump on “hop little bunnies”. Carry your toddler during the marching verses. Three rounds of that playlist with a toddler on your hip is a solid workout. If you are looking for more ways to keep active with a little one, see my post on indoor activities for toddlers.

For older kids who have outgrown nursery rhymes, try my dance party games for kids, or turn the playlist into animal moves with animal walks for kids.

Small-space tips

• Clear a “dance floor” the size of a rug and move anything sharp.
• Bare feet or grippy socks on wooden floors, never slippy socks.
• Upstairs flat? Swap jumping for marching, stamping softly and reaching high.
• Let siblings take turns being the “leader” who picks the actions.

FAQs

At what age do children start joining in with action songs?

Babies love being bounced and rocked to songs from very early on. Most toddlers start copying simple actions like clapping and stamping from around 12 to 18 months, and by 2 to 3 they can follow a whole song.

How much activity does a toddler need?

The NHS recommends that children aged 1 to 5 are active for at least 180 minutes a day, spread across the day, including active play and outdoor play. Action songs are an easy way to add short bursts.

My child just watches and will not join in. Should I worry?

No. Many kids watch for a while before copying. Keep doing the actions yourself with lots of enthusiasm, invite them without pressure, and they will usually join in when they are ready.

Are exercise videos on YouTube a good idea?

They can be fun now and again, but children move more when an adult moves with them. Use videos as a starting point, then switch off the screen and do the songs together.

Book your first class

If singing nursery rhymes is the only exercise you have done this month, I get it. SYP Bootcamp gives you 45 minutes just for you: small-group classes in a church hall in Archway N19, maximum 10 people, every move with an easier or harder version. It is £15 a class, and the timetable comes when you book. Book your £15 class, or call or WhatsApp me on 07301 512215. If getting out of the house is just not possible right now, my online coaching lets you train at home around nap times.

About the author

Artem Olekhnovych is a personal trainer in Archway and the founder of SYP Fitness and SYP Bootcamp. He has coached clients in Archway, Highgate and across North London for over 10 years, and runs small-group bootcamp classes for busy mums and dads. Read reviews from his 1-1 clients.