Parents always need to have something in handy to entertain kids, especially when kids have to stay at home. Although this might be a dreadful situation for many, you can make it a meaningful time to spend with your kids, and indoor games help you in the process. In this article, we have presented you with a list of enjoyable indoor activities for kids to help the bond between parents and children.
Indoor games can be a stress-buster for parents and children, helping you create lasting memories. So go through the list of games and choose the one that can be entertaining!
20 Best Indoor Activities for Kids:
Indoor games don’t have to be limited to card or board games, and we have presented you with various options.
1. Tape Games:
Tape games or balancing a beam is one of the indoor activities for kids at home that is easy to set up. You will be able to play for hours altogether, and all you need is some sticky tape.
What You Need:
- Mask tape (use multiple colours).
- Enough space to play.
How to Play:
- Clean the floor and clear enough space.
- Create a straight or curved line to walk on by sticking the length of the tape.
- You can have your own set of rules for how the child can walk on the lines. You can use multiple colour tapes for more fun.
- For example, if the tape is green, the kid must limp the entire stretch. If the tape is read, the kid has to walk the distance with one hand on their head.
- The kid has to walk on the tape, and stepping out of it will make them out of the game.
- The kids win if they walk without stepping on the bare floor.
- You can also make your kids walk backwards to make the game more interesting.
2. Pitching Pennies Game:
Pitching pennies is one of the best indoor activities for children and families. It is also a perfect game that improves your child’s hand-eye coordination.
What You Need:
- Pennies or coins.
- Plastic drinking cups or glasses.
How to Play:
- Give five coins to each child and place a cup in front of them.
- Let the kid stand in front of the cup, taking steps corresponding to their age. For example, if their age is five years, they need to stand five steps away from the cup.
- Now ask the kids to toss each coin into the cup.
- The winning kid is the one that puts the most coins in five chances.
- You can also use ping-pong balls instead of coins.
3. Indoor Obstacle Course:
If you are looking for fun things to do inside with kids, an Indoor obstacle course can be an excellent option. But this game works well if you have a big house with enough space. Make sure you child-proof your home if you involve younger kids in the game.
What You Need:
- Chairs.
- Exercise ball.
- Blankets.
- Hula hoops.
- You can add any things that you find helpful for the obstacle course.
How to Play:
- Use specific rules to create an obstacle course using the mentioned above list.
- For example, tell the kids they have to crawl under a chair or table. Then, to get to the next level of the obstacle course, they will have to use the hula hoop twice or thrice and so on.
- If the child passes all the obstacles, they will score a point.
- To prevent injuries, make sure to child-proof the room or area.
Read: Fun Science Experiments for Kids
4. Follow The Leader Game:
This is one of the best indoor activities for three-year-olds when you want to entertain your kids and want them to do what you want.
What You Need:
- A list of activities.
- Space to play.
How to Play:
- The game’s theme can be gestures, expressions or any physical activity.
- Any elder can designate themselves as a leader.
- As the game’s name suggests, the players must repeat everything the leader does. Whether it is making faces, jumping, clapping or stomping.
- We will guarantee you will have a room full of giggling kids if you try this game.
5. Puzzles:
Puzzles are exceptional inside activities for kids of all ages, especially when you can’t step out. There are several puzzle games, books and games available in the market which are age-appropriate. Some of the best puzzles that will help you engage your kids are picture puzzles, picture puzzle books, word puzzles, 3D puzzles and many more. To save yourself on a rainy day, stock up on a few puzzle books or games in the house.
6. Card Games:
Card games are yet another indoor family activity involving every family member. Make sure to choose games that will help improve your kid’s colour segregation and arrangement abilities, number identification, and logical reasoning. Some of the best and most entertaining games available in the market are card memory games, spoons, guess in Ten, Crazy Eights, pounce, garbage or Trash, and Fish. You can also try other games such as Uno, Blink or Old Maid if you don’t want to use playing cards.
7. Dominoes:
Dominoes is one of the best fun indoor activities suitable for kids of all ages. You can hear the kid’s squeals of joy when you stack the dominoes and then watch them fall one by one.
What You Need:
- Domino’s game set.
How to Play:
- Sit down with your kids and stack the dominos in any shape you want with their help.
- Depending on the number of dominos in the set, this process might take a couple of hours.
- You can ask your child to push the first domino once ready.
- You can record a video once you set it off.
8. Building a Fort:
Building a fort is one of the famous indoor plays for toddlers and even older kids. All you have to do is gather a few things from around the house. There are different types of forts you can build: cardboard forts, Teepee tents, Pillow forts, blankets and furniture forts. You can also make a unique fort by combining pillows, cardboard boxes and blankets.
9. Reading Books:
Yet another indoor activity for adults as well as kids is reading books. Reading a book can get your day going regardless of the weather outside. In addition, when kids see adults reading books, it makes their kids more interested in books. You can let your kids choose a book of their choice and encourage them to speak about the book later. In addition, you can select flipbooks that are educative for younger kids and encourage them towards reading.
10. Pictionary:
Pictionary is another free indoor activity for kids of all ages and adults. The game requires a player to draw pictures indicating a word, whereas other players must guess the word.
What You Need:
- Marker or chalk piece.
- Board.
- A paper.
How to Play:
- Prepare chits and drop them in a bowl after writing different words.
- Ask one kid to take one chit and draw pictures that hint towards the word.
- Let the other players take a guess at what the word is.
- You can also make the kids form a group and compete against each other if you wish to make the game more fun.
11. Freeze:
If you are looking for an indoor activity for toddlers, this simple game can be an excellent solution. It is also an inclusive game that anyone can enjoy, kids and adults.
What You Need:
- Enough space to play.
- Music.
How to Play:
- Tell your kids to dance until you hear the music.
- Once the music stops, ask everyone to freeze. The kids have to remain in the same pose.
- The kids who move first are out of the game.
- If you want to make the game challenging, you can ask the kids to pose in a specific posture.
12. Treasure Hunt Game:
If you want to give your kid a chance to learn and utilize their cognition, an indoor scavenger hunt for kids can be an excellent option.
What You Need:
- Treats or coins.
- Clues or clues in a hidden location.
How to Play:
- Place the coins or treats in different hidden locations in the house.
- Create a trail giving your kids clues about the following location.
- Give a hint about the first clue to your child.
- Let them find the rest of the clues on their own.
- You can make the treasure hunt challenges depending on your child’s age.
Read: Variety of Toys for Kids
13. Touch And Feel Box Game:
Touch and feel box game is one of the best things to do indoors with kids of all ages. It can help teach children to identify the object by touch alone, making it an entertaining learning experience.
What You Need:
- Different objects (different textures).
- A shoebox.
How to Play:
- Take a shoebox and cut a hole in it big enough so that your kid’s hand can fit.
- Place the items with different textures inside the box.
- Do not ask your child to put their hand inside the box, and ask them to identify through touch without peeking.
14. Hot Potato Game:
The hot potato game is an exceptional group indoor activity for kids. This game can be very entertaining during birthday parties or get-togethers.
What You Need:
- A ball or a potato.
- Music.
How to Play:
- Ask all the kids to sit down in a circle.
- Ask the kids to pass the potato or ball to each other while the music is playing.
- Once you stop the music, the kid with the ball or potato is out of the game.
- The last one remaining in the game is the winner.
15. Balloon Ball Game:
If you are looking for indoor play for kids that improves your kid’s hand-eye coordination, the Balloon ball game is an excellent option.
What You Need:
- Balloons.
How to Play:
- Please take a few balloons and blow them.
- You can play throw and catch with your kid.
- You can also encourage your kid to keep the balloon in the air for the longest time by tapping it constantly.
- And you can also use balloons of different colours to make the game more challenging.
16. Dance Party:
A dance party is yet another indoor physical activity for kids of all ages involving adults. All you need is space to dance and music. You can copy choreographed dance moves or dance freely after playing your child’s favourite music. You can also make the party more exciting by choreographing the routine with your child.
17. Carroms:
Carroms is one of the crowd’s favourites and classic time pass things to do inside with kids and adults. It is one of the best family time games involving two or four players.
What You Need:
- Coins and carrom board.
How to Play:
- Take the striker and hit the coins to reach the pockets on the board’s corner.
- The value of each coin is different, and there is variation in rules across other regions.
- You can play the game in pairs to make it more competitive.
18. Snakes And Ladder:
If you are looking for a classic family game that can be enjoyed by everyone in the family, Snakes and Ladder is one of the best options.
What You Need:
- Dice and coins.
- Snake and ladder board.
How to Play:
- Place the coins at the start of the boards and roll the dice.
- Move the coins corresponding with the number rolled by the dice.
- You can climb up if you reach a ladder. However, you will drop down to the tail if you fall on the mouth of the snake.
- This game works best when played with three or four players.
19. Sorting Activity:
Suppose you are looking for indoor activities for 2-year-olds or even younger kids. In that case, this sorting activity can be an exceptional choice that helps improve cognitive development in kids.
What You Need:
- Small items or pompoms of different colours.
- Small bowls.
How to Play:
- Mix up all the marbles in a big bowl.
- Now ask your kid to sort the pompoms and put each colour marble in different bowls.
Read: Printable Number Worksheets
20. Create A Music Band:
If you are looking for entertaining indoor activities for preschoolers, creating a music band can be an excellent option. You can use simple things around the house to create a musical instrument that encourages your child to play.
What You Need:
- Steel glass.
- Buckets.
- Coins.
- Plastic bottle.
- Beans.
How to Play:
- You can either let your kids be creative or help them by placing coins in the steel glass, marbles in steel bowls and beans in a plastic bottle, creating different musical instruments.
- Give your kids a stick.
- As your kids tap on each item, ask them to observe how each gives out different sounds.
- You can further get creative by singing along to your favourite song.
We have presented you with the list of the best indoor activities for kids you can try in the comfort of your home with the things available around the house. You can choose a game depending on the age group and the number of kids in the house. Go through this article to get an idea about different indoor activities for kids of all ages, and choose the one that your kids will enjoy the most. Don’t forget to let us know if you found this article helpful!
FAQs:
1. What is an indoor game?
As the name suggests, a game we can play in the comfort of our homes is called an indoor game. This article provides you with various indoor game options you can explore.
2. What are the benefits of playing indoor games?
Indoor games help kids develop vital skills when facing several challenges and situations. It also helps them be more expressive and creative in finding quick solutions.
3. Which are the most popular indoor games?
Some of the popular indoor games are:
- Chess.
- Carroms.
- Table tennis.
- Ludo.
- Squash.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is based on research, and you can make changes as per your need and convenience. The website is not responsible for the authenticity and accuracy of the information.
