I showed my children how to crumple newspaper sheets into the smallest balls possible. A tough workout for little hands.
Next they had to lie down on their tummies like soldiers and when I said “Ready, steady, go!”, they had to throw the "bombs" into a large tipped over container. Lying down in prone on one's tummy, activates the neck and long back muscles, important for sustaining upright sitting postures in class. Next time when your child wants to watch TV or build a puzzle, let them lie down in this position.
You can count how many newspaper balls they could get inside in a specific time or simply let them throw all of it and count their scores at the end. Five or six year olds and older are especially motivated by a fun competition element as a typical and much needed part of cognitive and social development.
I then held up a large open newspaper sheet and asked my daughter and son to punch through it. Oh.my.word! My two monsters just couldn't get enough! A release of frustration perhaps, but punching and kicking against resistance also activates the proprioceptors in the joints which not only helps for a sense of "What and where is my body position in space?" but is universally calming. They had such fun exploring different moves (a thumbs up for motor planning!) and did punching, slapping, biting, head punches, and flying kicks!
Have fun, feel inspired and unlock your inner child!