March is the ultimate mood-swing month. One day, it’s roaring with blustery winds and chaotic storms, the next, it’s all sunshine and birdsong.
If you’ve ever spent a full day with kids, you know they work the same way. They charge in like lions (wild, loud, and full of untamed energy), and eventually (hopefully) settle like lambs, embracing the calm, cozy side of play.
But here’s the thing: both kinds of play are essential for healthy development. Active, high-energy play builds strength, confidence, and social skills, while quiet, focused play fosters creativity, patience, and emotional regulation. The key is balance—just like the shifting moods of March.
Lion Play – Big, Bold, & High-Energy
Some days, kids wake up, and their inner lion is ready to roar. This is the kind of play that fills living rooms with shrieks, turns couches into jungle gyms, and makes every parent contemplate soundproofing their walls. But as exhausting as it may be, this wild play serves a major purpose.
Why Kids Need Lion Play:
- Burns Off Energy: Kids are naturally wired to move. Running, jumping, climbing—it’s all part of their physical development.
- Builds Strength & Coordination: Active play improves motor skills, balance, and body awareness.
- Encourages Social Skills: Tag, hide-and-seek, and sports teach teamwork, negotiation, and conflict resolution.
- Supports Emotional Regulation: Rough-and-tumble play helps kids learn their physical limits and manage big emotions.
Ideas for Rowdy “Lion” Play:
- Obstacle courses – Use pillows, tunnels, or outdoor play structures to create a full-body adventure.
- Animal movement races – Who can hop like a frog or prowl like a lion the fastest?
- Sports & outdoor games – From soccer to frisbee, structured movement keeps kids engaged and active.
- Dance parties – Crank up the music and let the wild rumpus begin!
- Climbing – Whether on a jungle gym, play structure, or up a tree, climbing is a wonderful multi-sensory way to get out energy.
- Carrying, Hauling, and Digging – This type of heavy work play is a fabulous way to stimulate and regulate.
*Heavy work play (also known as big body play, gross motor play, or just wear-them-out play) is all about pushing, pulling, hauling, jumping, climbing, and digging. Basically, the stuff kids love to do anyway! Whether they’re lugging around rocks or buckets of sand, wrestling couch cushions, or shoveling dirt like tiny construction workers, this kind of movement not only releases feel-good and calming neurotransmitters but also boosts strength, coordination, and focus while keeping their energy in check. It’s like a secret weapon for sensory regulation and calmer kids, and bonus: it tires them out for bedtime!
Lion Approved Collections to Explore: Active Play, Outdoor Play, and Sand Toys
Read our blog, Hooray for Active Play, for more ideas!
Lamb Play – The Calm & Cozy
Eventually, every lion needs to rest. That’s where lamb play comes in—the quieter, more focused play that helps kids reset, recharge, and develop skills that fast-paced activities don’t always allow.
Why Kids Need Quiet Play:
- Enhances Focus & Patience: Completing a puzzle, creating art, or reading a book builds concentration.
- Encourages Creativity: Quiet play allows kids to dream, invent, and tell their own stories.
- Develops Emotional Regulation: Calming activities like coloring or sensory play help kids process emotions.
- Improves Problem-Solving Skills: Structured but independent activities (like building with blocks or working on a craft) teach perseverance.
Ideas for Calm “Lamb” Play:
- Crafting & DIY fun – Let kids create with paints, beads, or clay.
- Puzzles & brain games – Perfect for winding down while still engaging the mind.
- Reading, snuggles, & storytelling – Snuggle up with a plush pal, book, or audio player for a blissfully relaxing moment of calm.
- Quiet block building and imaginative play – Create a small world with blocks and act out a story with figurines.
- Sensory bins & fidget toys – Soothing, tactile play can be a great way to reset overstimulated minds.
*Quiet play (think puzzles, art, building blocks, and small-world pretend play) is like a reset button for little minds. These activities boost focus, creativity, and problem-solving while giving kids (and parents!) a much-needed break from high-energy chaos. Whether they're stacking towers, creating mini masterpieces, or making up tiny adventures with figurines, quiet play helps build patience, independence, and fine motor skills - all while keeping things blissfully calm. Plus, let's be honest… we all need some time when they're happily entertained without turning the living room into a jungle gym.
Lamb Approved Collections to Explore: Arts & Crafts, Blocks and Building, Plush, Books, Chalk & Chuckles, Eugy 3D Puzzles, ODDY, Color Monster, Dino Dex, and Safari Ltd. Figurines.
Why Balance Matters
The truth is that kids need both lion and lamb play to grow into well-rounded humans. Imagine a child who only engages in loud, active play - without the ability to slow down, focus, or work independently. Now picture a child who only engages in quiet play, missing out on the benefits of social, energetic movement. The magic happens when both play styles work together to build strong bodies, creative minds, and emotionally resilient kids.
Combat Common Challenges:
Parents know the struggle: convincing a hyperactive child to sit still for quiet play or trying to get a low-energy kid up and moving. Instead of forcing the transition, try these gentle shifts:
Calming down after high-energy play can sometimes be difficult, and so experts recommend introducing a transition activity. Some nice options include: storytime, gentle movement (swaying or yoga), deep breathing with a stuffed animal, or a game of Simon Says (using calm actions) all help children to slowly settle. Let’s be realistic and not expect them to be able to easily shift from high to low automatically…it’s better to ease into the shift from high-energy to focused play.
Pro Tip: Having an established calm-down cue (a predictable transition signal or routine), like playing soft music, dimming the lights, or reading a short book, helps kids know it’s time to wind down.
For quieter kids, it may sometimes be a challenge to incorporate movement into their day. Including movement as part of a daily routine is helpful, and tying movement to a quieter pursuit is a solid plan.
- Use time-based cues to transition - For example, “Let’s dance to two songs, then do some drawing together!
- Move First - Incorporate walks before puzzle time or a silly dance before crafting.
- Excitement Build-Up – Set the stage by introducing the rowdy activity in an engaging way, like drumming on the floor, making an announcement with a funny voice, or playing an upbeat song to pump them up.
- Permission to Go Wild – Sometimes kids hesitate to switch gears, so a playful signal, “Ready, set, go!”, countdowns, a special chant, or a fun challenge will give them the green light to unleash their energy in a positive way.
*Making transitions fun (rather than abrupt) helps avoid meltdowns and keeps playtime balanced, engaging, and manageable for both kids and parents!
March reminds us that play, just like life, is a mix of stormy energy and peaceful calm. Embracing both helps kids grow into strong, creative, and adaptable humans. So let them roar, let them rest, and watch them thrive!
Which type of play do your kids love most?
About the Author
Anji Audley is a former teacher and tutor with experience spanning preschool through middle school, bringing a deep understanding of child development and the power of hands-on learning. As a mother of two boys, an artist, and a passionate advocate for hands-on, playful learning, she loves blending creativity and play to spark curiosity in young minds.
Anji is especially interested in STEAM and early literacy and believes in the power of cross-content and multisensory learning to create meaningful educational experiences. She advocates for learning that is engaging, immersive, and filled with wonder. You can find her exploring nature, diving into good books, painting or creating, and continuously searching for new ways to educate the whole child.
