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Animal Moves

Takes about:
5 minutes to play
Good for:
Toddler
You’ll need:
just you, and a bit of space
Handy for:
out and about, waiting around

“Can you stomp like an elephant?” You call out an animal, do the moves yourself, as big and silly as you dare, and your toddler copies. Then they choose, and you copy them.

It’s a way to burn off some of that toddler energy together, and to pick up a few new words along the way.

How to play

  1. Clear a space. Push the coffee table back, or head out to the garden or the park.
  2. Call out an animal. “Can you stomp like an elephant?” Then show them: big, slow, heavy steps.
  3. Add the noise. Stomp and trumpet, hop and “ribbit”, waddle and quack. The sound is half the fun.
  4. Keep them coming. Hop like a frog, waddle like a penguin, flap like a bird, slither like a snake, creep like a cat.
  5. Freeze! Every so often, shout “Statues!” and hold perfectly still together. Then, “Off you go!”
  6. Swap. Ask, “What shall we be next?” and copy whatever your toddler does, even if it’s a very wobbly giraffe.
  7. Finish slow. End with a tortoise creeping along, then a cat curling up for a nap, so the energy comes down before you stop.

Why it helps

  • UK guidance says children aged 1 to 5 should be active for at least 3 hours a day, spread through the day, and lists jumping, dancing and games as good ways to do it. It says activity helps build relationships and social skills, and contributes to brain development and learning.1,2
  • The NHS suggests joining in with your child’s active play and having fun showing them how to do new things like running and hopping. It says being active together shows your child that activity is enjoyable.1
  • The NHS says that by 18 to 24 months, children understand some simple instructions, and that keeping instructions short and simple helps them understand. “Hop like a frog!” is just that.3
  • It also suggests using sounds with meaning, like saying “meow” while showing your child a cat, as a way to help them learn to talk.3

As they grow

  • New walkers: Keep it to animals that walk: a stomping elephant, a waddling duck, a creeping cat. Hold their hands for the stomps if they’re still wobbly, and let crawlers be puppies.
  • Around 2: Add jumping frogs, flapping birds and slithering snakes. Let them shout the animal noises, and give them plenty of turns to choose.
  • Around 3: Make it harder. Try two animals at once (“a hopping duck!”), or play it like Simon Says: they only move when you say “Animal says…”. Older toddlers often love being the one in charge.

Tips

  • Not right before bed. The NHS says too much excitement just before bedtime can wake a child up again.4 Play it earlier in the day, or end with the sleepiest animals you can think of, then try Goodnight Room.
  • Small moves for small spaces. At a bus stop or in a queue, try moves you can do on the spot: wiggle like a worm, flap like a penguin, nod like a horse.
  • Break up a long car journey. The NHS suggests taking a break and getting your child out of their seat for a bit.1 A minute of frog hops at the services helps.
  • Make a parade. Brothers, sisters and grandparents can join the line, each one a different animal.
  • Phone down. You don’t need music or pictures. Your toddler is copying you, so you’re the show.

Keep it safe

  • Play on a flat floor or grass, away from stairs, fireplaces and sharp table corners. Shut the stair gates: the NHS advises gates at the top and bottom of the stairs until your child is at least 2.5
  • Bare feet or grippy socks are safer than ordinary socks on a hard floor.
  • Hop and jump on the floor, not on the sofa or bed.

About this game

Written with AI assistance. Written by Sam and Erin with help from Claude. We’re parents, not health professionals: if you have any worries about your baby’s development, talk to your health visitor or GP. For more on why games like this matter, see Why play with your baby?

Sources

  1. NHS. How to keep your baby or toddler active. nhs.uk
  2. UK Chief Medical Officers. Physical activity for early years (birth to 5 years): text of the infographic. Department of Health and Social Care, 2019. gov.uk
  3. NHS. Help your baby learn to talk. nhs.uk
  4. NHS. Helping your baby to sleep. nhs.uk
  5. NHS. Baby and toddler safety. nhs.uk

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