TinyStepper
Child leaping between floor cushions in a living room obstacle course

Follow the Leader

Take turns leading with silly walks and movements.

Activity details

2y–4y8 minsmediumbothNo prep

Instructions

Get ready
  • Explain: 'I'll do a movement and you copy me!'
  • Start with simple: clapping, stomping, spinning
  1. Explain: 'I'll do a movement and you copy me!'
  2. Start with simple: clapping, stomping, spinning
  3. Move around the room with toddler following
  4. Add silly: walking backwards, crawling, hopping
  5. Switch: 'Now YOU'RE the leader!'
  6. Copy whatever they do enthusiastically
  7. Make it verbal: leader calls out the movement
  8. Add challenges: 'Walk like a robot!' or 'Tiptoe like a mouse!'

Parent tip

Start before you overthink it. No-prep activities work best when you begin while the moment is still recoverable.

Child smiling on a cushion after active play with a ball and scattered cushions nearby

What success looks like

Flushed cheeks, big smiles, and a calmer child afterwards. If they want to do it again, you’ve found a winner.

A reciprocal game that teaches imitation, turn-taking, and movement exploration. When your toddler copies your movements, they build body awareness and motor planning skills. When they take the lead, they practise creativity and decision-making while experiencing the confidence boost of having a grown-up enthusiastically follow their direction.

Why it helps

WHO recommends that toddlers spend 180 minutes a day in 'a variety of types of physical activities at any intensity', and Follow the Leader is the embodiment of that variety — every round can be a different movement. Copying builds body awareness and motor planning, while taking the lead practises decision-making and the confidence boost of having a grown-up follow them.

Variations

  • Add sound effects — the leader makes a noise and everyone copies.
  • Play outside and include movements like running, skipping, and jumping over sticks.
  • Use a 'follow the leader' format for transitions: walk like a robot to the bath, tiptoe like a mouse to bed.

Safety tips

  • Ensure the path is clear of obstacles and hazards.
  • Avoid movements near stairs or raised surfaces.
  • Keep movements age-appropriate — avoid anything too physically demanding for younger toddlers.

Want to try another?

Simon Says Movement

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