6 ways to help kids stay active while they're stuck at home, including 'Harry Potter' workouts, scavenger hunts, and yoga

• Schools across the US have closed to help slow the spread of the coronavirus, impacting at least 55 million students.
• While home, especially if there's no backyard, children may struggle to get the recommended amount of daily exercise.
• Parents can encourage children by introducing them to workouts inspired by their favorite characters, along with other engaging activities.
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

At least 55 million US students have been affected by school closings due to the coronavirus. In addition to missing out on academics and socializing, many children have also lost their primary exercise outlets.

Being stuck at home also means students are spending more time in front of screens, and parents who are working remotely may not have the time to encourage working out.

"No school, no playing with friends and no traveling means not as much daily movement and decreased mental stimulation," Noam Tamir, a New York City-based personal trainer, told Insider.

Children ages 3 to 5 should be active throughout the day, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Kids who are 6 and older should aim for at least 60 minutes of physical activity daily.

The exercise doesn't need to be an involved or complicated activity, though. Here are six easy ways Tamir, and other professionals, recommend to get your children moving.

Try free apps and YouTube channels inspired by your kids' favorite characters

The Glen Higgins Fitness YouTube channel provides fitness videos for kids, built around characters from popular movies such as "Star Wars," "The Avengers" and "Harry Potter."

Free apps, websites, and Youtube channels designed with children in mind can also be a helpful resource for fitness. Cosmic Kids Yoga, for example, posts free yoga and meditation videos.

Sworkit Kids provides kid-friendly workouts that focus on agility, flexibility, and strength. While playing NFL Play 60, kids earn points to win virtual gear for avatars.

Organize scavenger hunts and do basic drills

Scavenger hunts can get kids moving both inside and outside. A sight word indoor hunt, for example, involves hiding slips of paper with individual letters written on them. Once children find all of the hidden letters, they can put the words together.

A color scavenger hunt will task children with finding objects that match the colors of the rainbow. A scavenger hunt checklist for things your children love will likely prompt kids to get moving too.

A neighborhood scavenger hunt encourages children to look for ubiquitous items like a red car, a bird's nest, and a statue.

For a less involved activity, parents can also try using a mind and body fitness calendar, which provides one quick fitness activity each day. Those include timed planks, mountain climbers, and basketball dribbling challenges.

Play tag, go for a run, or play sports as a family

Children are more likely to engage in rigorous physical activity when they're outdoors.

If kids are able to get outside, encourage riding a bike, jumping rope, and playing tag. Walking is another good option, and something the whole family can do together.

"There are many reasons to walk for exercise," Ann Green, a yoga instructor, told NBC News. She listed a slew of benefits, including improving fitness, cardiac health, and mood.

Coordinate family fitness competitions

Studies have shown that tracking activity with wearables devices could help motivate people to exercise more.

"This is universal in younger and older children, they are interested in seeing the actual results right on the watch," Lauren Sherar, a lecturer in physical Activity and public health, told Tech Radar. "It is very interesting to children that when they take five or 10 steps, their watch shows that right away in real-time,"

Offering small prizes, like stress balls, bookmarks, or crayons, for family members who do the most activity, can incentivize children to get moving too, Tamir said.

Host a family dance night

Put on a fun playlist, and dance with your kids at home. Let children play the role of choreographer, use flashlights as spotlights, and incorporate dress-up clothes to add some extra fun. For choreograph inspiration, try Playstation's game "Just Dance."

Invite children to join you

People who work out with a partner are more likely to enjoy the activity and may also push themselves more, research shows. That's why you should invite a child to join you in your favorite workout, whether that's a run or walk, or online yoga class. While workouts with heavy weights or equipment could be unsafe for young children, many cardio-focused workouts can work for both children and adults.

Several fitness sites offer workouts for the whole family, including the YMCA 306 online platform.

Fitness Blender, a site that specializes in home workouts, has routines designed for kids and adults, featuring such games as "Red Light, Green Light."

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