Indoor games and activities for kids.
There are lots of times where it is unavoidable to be stuck inside with kids.
It could be raining, snowing, too hot and humid or there could even be a pandemic. (crazy how if I was writing this last year a pandemic will never be on my list of reasons to be stuck home, but here we are …)
I think many moms will agree with me that kids plus energy equal chaos.
If I could bottle up and sell all the energy in my toddler, I would absolutely go on a shopping spree with all the money ill make (haha).
However, since that isn’t possible (a mom can at least daydream, right?!) I have to look for creative ways to keep my toddler busy and release all the energy,
Its always a win-win for me, a happy and worn out toddler equals easy bedtime. (and some wine time for this mama)
It is also quite important to give your kids opportunities to engage in movement activities every day and that can be a little difficult when stuck at home.
for me, being stuck at home with an energetic toddler means screaming, (possibly lost my voice a few times), Leaping to save him from falling or hurting himself.
You know how difficult it may be to assist your child channel his or her hyperactive toddler energy into something constructive.
So, here are some basic movement games you may do at home to keep your kids occupied and happy.
It is perfect for when it’s raining, snowing, hot, and humid or like me if you are stuck at home on lockdown due to coronavirus.
Most of these games require a partner, so you might have to hop in and join the fun and maybe get in some exercise in the process. ( win-win).
Indoor Games and Activities For Kids
1. A Game of Sock Toss
This is an awesome throwing activity.
I love it because all you need are items already in your house plus a sock is a soft enough safe choice for throwing inside. ( we definitely don’t want any broken tv or lamp).
Take a pair of socks and roll them up together.
You could also make-shift balls other soft items like a wad of newspaper.
Get your clothes hamper or a bucket, and you have a quick activity for your kids to practice their aim.
Make it interesting by seeing who can make the farthest shot.
2. The Obstacle course Game
Everyone loves a good obstacle course, and this one is perfect for kids of all ages. You can make it as challenging or as easy as you want, but here are some fun suggestions:
– Jump over obstacles
– Run through the tunnel
– Do a cartwheel on a mat
– Jump around balloons (Make sure to place them away from any hard floors!)
– Have each child carry their favorite stuffed animal or blanket through obstacles using only their arms
– Play Simon Says with different rules every time. For example, at first do everything Simon says without clapping your hands, then change it to doing everything Simon says but only if he claps his hands first.
– Spin around 5 times and then try to walk across the room
– Hop like a bunny and crawl like a bear. (Bear crawls work on hands and feet)
– Hide behind an obstacle for 30 seconds, find your spot, then come out from hiding
These are just a few ideas, but you can have as much fun as you want with this one.
Related: Tips for working from home with kids.
3. Keep the balloon from touching the ground.
This is a traditional game that all children like. For kids, this is a fantastic indoor game and entertainment.
To play, blow up balloons and tie the end of each balloon, throw it up in the air and they should try to make sure they don’t let their balloon touch the ground.
To make this game even harder, you could have your kids try to keep their balloons in the air for a certain amount of time.
I got into this with my toddler and oh boy was I sweating and panting afterward.
This is guaranteed to release any pent up energy in your kids.
This is fun for any age group because it’s so simple yet effective!
4.Sticky Spider Web:
Use painter’s tape to make a web-like design on a doorway opening (idea via Hands On As We Grow). Give your kids some newspaper to scrunch up and throw up at the web.
5. Waddle with balloon
To play this game, you child should try to Waddle across the room with a balloon between your his knees, without dropping it.
You could make it more difficult for older children by requiring them to navigate around a few obstacles.
If they drop the baloon it, they’ll have to start over.
7.Alley Of Alligators
This game always gets my kid screaming in excitement.
It is an excellent indoor game that kids love.Alley of alligators.
- Start laying out some “islands” or “ships” on the ground.
- You could use blankets, soft toys, journals, and other items, and then
- Have your children hop from one to another without slipping into the “water” and being bitten by alligators.
8.Mirror, Mirror
The idea is to get your child to replicate physically what they see.
Stay about just a foot apart from your youngster and have him try to imitate all of your gestures.
- Touch your nose,
- do jumping jacks,
- make funny faces,
- Act like a monkey,
- Raise your arms to the skies.
Add your own variations and make it exciting, add moves that involve movement then switch roles and copy your child.
9.Indoor scavenger hunt
An indoor scavenger hunt is a great indoor game and activity for kids.
When you’re at home, it’s a successful way to keep your toddler occupied.
how to play; give the kids a list of item they need to find in the house have them go around looking everywhere for these items, all over the house.
The winner is the first one to find all their items.
Hint : This game also works well if you are trying to clean your house!
10.Indoor Bowling
To play this game, create a bowling lane using markers, or tape strips and for your bowling pins you can use empty bottles , or containers.
To bowl,you can use any form of ball and try to knock down as many plastic water bottles or containers as you can.
Try to kncok down the bottles all at once.
I use stuffed animals when playing this game. I stand a few stuffed animals then, my little one tries to knock the stuffed animals down.
.11.Egg ‘n’ Spoon Race
This is definitely a classic and never disappoints.
how to play this game you will need a raw egg and a spoon( or a small object that fits on a spoon if you want to save yourself from cleaning up the egg mess)
Put the egg inside the spoon, and from one end of the room to another. whoever finishes first wins!
You can also incporporate an obstacle course to make it interesting for your kid to navigate through without dropping the egg.
12.Hide-and-Seek
My toddler loves this game. The first few times we played it he kept giggling excitedly while hiding. It was too funny.
I had to tell him that giggling in his hiding spot leads me directly to him, hahaha.
To play this game, you take turns to hide and be found.
For younger kids, it’s better to define an area for hiding in other to prevent any form of accidents.
13.Bubbles Chasing
We play with bubbles almost every day.
unsurprisingly, bubbles are a favorite amongst children.
Make it a game by getting your child to pursue and capture as many bubbles as possible.
Blow some up and encourage your children to burst them all before they hit the floor, which will result in a lot of leaping and dashing.
This traditional activity is a great approach for your child to practice a variety of gross motor skills, including jumping, grabbing, tiptoeing, bending, crouching, and more.
14.Dance Party
Have your kids twirl and twist their way around the room. Clear out open space, turn on high-energy music, and have a dance-off!
15. Push Mirror
Simply grab a mirror and perform different activities with your kid.
For example.
- Talk about things you see in the mirror!
- Show your little one what they look like when their mouth is closed and when it’s open.
- Introduce emotions to your child by showing them what face you’re making in front of the mirror!
- Sing into the mirror together!
- Use a flashlight to show different shapes and shadows on the walls and then tell stories about each shape and shadow
- Move around so that your child can see you in every spot available in front of the mirror: left, center, right, up very high, down very low
- Make funny faces at your child using various accents
- See how many animals or people you can name by at each other’s reflection
Consider one of these simple indoor activites the very next time your youngster is jumping off the walls and floors (and driving you nuts).
What are some of your favorite indoor activities? Let me know in the comments.
