Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Activities
  3. Evergreens

The Floor is Lava! game: Fun for the whole family to play

Get the whole family playing this game

Add as a preferred source on Google
Scrabble tiles spelling, game night
Bibi Siva / Shutterstock

Games that are easy to play and understood by the whole family can often be hard to come by, which is why The Floor is Lava! game is such a fun activity for all ages. So many games marketed as “family-friendly” are anything but, and often require a lot of effort by parents to get everyone engaged. This isn’t the case when it comes to The Floor is Lava!, which is probably why it’s so fun.

If you’ve never played The Floor is Lava! before, the concept is very easy and very fun. You can play it just about anywhere with any number of participants, and is suitable for almost all age groups. Here are some fun ways to play this game that has become so popular that Netflix even created a series based on it.

Family having fun walking outside
Emma Bauso / Pexels

How to play The Floor is Lava!

The best part of this game is that you can play it anywhere; as long as everyone knows the pretty basic rules. Anyone at any time can enter a room and declare “the floor is lava.” At this point, the objective is for everyone in the room to get their feet off the floor within 5 seconds. Anyone who doesn’t get their feet off the floor — which has been determined to be lava — in that time “loses.” Naturally, when played among adults, this game can feature some pretty intense parkour moves, but that doesn’t mean your little ones can’t get involved, too.

Mom and daughter playing musical game
Fizkes / Shutterstock

How to get younger kids involved

Toddlers and younger kids love to play games, but they don’t always have the patience or the understanding to participate in those that are a bit more complicated. Board games can sometimes be a bit overwhelming for younger kids. The Floor is Lava! is so easy that kids of all ages can play, but you probably don’t want your younger kids jumping all over your furniture or climbing anything high to get themselves off the floor.

Recommended Videos

If you want to get your toddlers moving and playing, create a fun and safe area in the house for everyone to play. Parents can make a little obstacle course with pillows or blankets on the floor for younger kids to jump on. As your kids get older, those obstacles can become a bit more difficult, with the pillows and blankets spaced further apart. Older kids will impress you with just how creative they can get as they do everything they can to avoid the lava floor. You can bring out the competitive nature of the game as you watch all participants race to get off the floor first.

A family playing in the backyard together
urbazon / Getty Images

The fun is endless

There’s really no limit on how creative you can get while playing The Floor is Lava! game. Your kids will enjoy shouting the familiar catchphrase at random times and will laugh watching everyone scatter as they try to get their feet off the floor. The fun is endless, and it’s a game that will get everyone moving and thinking. This is the sort of fun that doesn’t cost any money but can get the entire family involved. The next time you’re looking to spice up game night or simply get the family moving, why not play The Floor is Lava! and see just how exciting it can be?

Kelli Catana
Former Author
Is CoComelon ‘Good’ for Kids? Experts Cite Research Pointing to ‘Yes’
Dad brushing teeth with daughter and looking in the mirror with CoComelon

Parents navigating the landscape of kids’ media often question which content genuinely benefits their little ones. Among the most popular kids’ shows today, educational programming like CoComelon has captivated young audiences worldwide, but many caregivers wonder: beyond its ability to entertain, does this musical series offer real developmental value?

Research and child development experts have revealed many details about the educational framework behind the animated series, its potential benefits, and how caregivers can maximize positive outcomes when incorporating such content into their kids’ routines.

Read more
The best low-stimulation movies for calming toddlers
Make sure movie time does keep your toddler awake
Cute toddler watching a movie on a laptop

Screen time isn't always a bad thing for toddlers. Sometimes, when your little one isn't feeling well, watching a soothing movie is a perfect pick. Low-stimulation movies for toddlers offer better quality screen time than movies that are loud and packed with action. Sure, those are fun and can be super exciting for kids, but the impact on their cognitive development is often negative. Those overstimulating movies can be too much for toddlers, leading to tantrums, meltdowns, and an inability to fall asleep.

Think about how difficult it is to fall asleep after watching a horror or suspense movie right before going to bed. Your mind is going in different directions, making it hard to relax and drift off to sleep. Well, it's the same for toddlers. So, what are the best low-stimulation movies for toddlers to watch and what exactly are they?
Best low-stimulation movies for toddlers

Read more
When should your baby be able to stack blocks? Here’s what to know
Know when babies can nest cups and balance blocks by themselves
A child playing with stacking blocks

When you’re a new parent, the moment someone gifts your child their first set of blocks, you become obsessed with baby learning and when they should be able to turn the blocks into beautiful creations of their imagination. While stacking blocks are an important developmental milestone for babies, it’s also one of those things that evolves with time and practice. Sitting down to play blocks with your little one is an open-ended game that teaches children physics, resilience, and fun. When can a baby stack blocks and nest cups on their own without your help? Here are some general guidelines so you know how to measure your child’s development with their gift of stacking blocks and how to help your child get the hang of it on their own.
When can a baby stack blocks and nest cups? By age

By 6 months old
At this age, your baby might not be ready to stack blocks the way you want them to, and that's okay. This doesn't mean you can't play blocks with your child or that you shouldn't let your child have fun figuring out what the blocks are. It’s perfectly normal for your 6-month-old to gnaw on blocks or simply hold one, just don't expect them to build the Eiffel Tower just yet.
By 12 months old
This is the stage of banging items against each other and blocks or cups are no the exception. If you offer your child blocks, there may still not be a lot of creativity yet. But keep in mind that knocking things down is a favorite activity of 1-year-olds, so your child is right on track if that's all they do. More likely than not, they’ll be happy to destroy any block tower you build. If your little one can’t get enough of knocking down a stack of blocks, rest assured that they’re right on schedule.
By 18 months old
When can babies nest cups? By a year and a half, stacking is the name of the game. After all, your little one is now officially a toddler and proud of it. If you haven’t done so already, this is a great time to introduce baby blocks. At this point, most kiddos are able to stack two or three blocks on top of each other with ease.
By 2 years old
Don’t be surprised if your baby’s block masterpieces start to get taller by age 2. With improved coordination, your child shows better stacking skills and may be able to balance up to seven blocks on top of each other. This is the beginning of sorting for many young children. If they’re now stacking masters, go ahead and challenge your budding genius to sort their blocks by color or separate them in groups.
By 3 years old
Free play takes a life of its own by age 3. At this point, blocks are much more than meets the adult eye. Your child’s imagination is flourishing, and they’ll start to build tunnels, bridges, or forts with just a few blocks. This is the perfect moment to introduce your toddler to teamwork. If the two of you work together, it’s easier to build tall towers and solve construction problems. Get your child's imagination to full speed and see what they create with blocks of all colors and shapes.
The benefits of stacking blocks

Read more