30 FUN Indoor Activities with Kids

There’s just some about the kids playing outside that brightens all our moods and puts a smile on my face.  In fact, my son needs to run and jump so much that when the weather doesn’t cooperate, we have a problem.  Yet over the years, I’ve compiled my favorite bag of mom tricks and indoor activities for kids to help us burn energy anyways.

These activities are simple, usually things we have on hand, and are geared to wear out even the busiest of kids.

Whether you live in a state where inclement weather is inevitable, or you just need some ideas for those rainy days you’re stuck inside, may this bless you with unique activities for the whole family.

30 FUN Indoor Activities for Kids

1. Make an indoor bowling alley.

Using a hallway, line up items you wish to ‘bowl down’ and grab a ball.  Just as in typical bowling, have fun       competing to see who can knock down all the ‘pins.’

2. Paint using unusual objects around the house; such as toy cars, and run the wheels through the paint.

The kids will love painting with different textures!  Try Bubble wrap or sponges for a fun twist on regular painting projects.

3. Choose a fun, Bible study activity card to have kids make their Bible stories come alive.

4. Play I Spy with items around your house.  This is a great everyone can sit down and play (which is a win for mom!)

5. Make and use homemade bath paints.

I found an easy recipe for bath paints that you can easily whip up using household ingredients.

6. Play hide-and-seek.

7. Have a costume parade using dress-up clothes.

8. Bake together.  The kids will love getting their hands dirty and enjoy seeing what delicious concoction they can create from the ingredients in the pantry.

9. Put on a skit.

10. Paint with Popscicles.

11. Build a fort.

12. Play with Kinetic Sand.

These sand kits are a huge hit with my kids and they are a great way to get their sensory needs met!

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13. Build a card-house.

14. Have a dance party.

15. Sculpt with clay.

16. Play charades.

17. Set up a small tent inside and have a camp out.

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18. Find a dark room and make shadow puppets. Or, let them make their own puppets with old socks or paper bags.

19. Have a pillow fight.

20. Give mommy a makeover; let the kids style your hair, clothes, and makeup.

21. Play balloon volleyball (we keep a few punch balloons from Dollar Tree on hand for such an occasion!)

22. Put together a large jig-saw puzzle.

23. Karaoke.

24. “Paint” with shaving cream.

25. Start your own band {No instruments?  Pots and pans work great or make your own!}

26. Play Find the __?___ Game: Chose an item to hide and then have the kids find it. We do this activity often and my kids love giving us clues to find the objects they hid.

27. Cut apart large boxes and make a road for cars and trains. Or make houses for dolls and garages for the cars.  Really, the fun is endless with boxes!  Plus, throw in some duck tape to connect them and watch the fun grow!

28. Have a tea party dressed in fancy clothes. Make “invitations” for stuff animals, dolls, and even pets to extend the fun.

29. Make and fly paper air planes. You Tube has some amazing tutorials for paper airplanes in case it’s been awhile since you’ve last made one!

30. Play “old-fashioned” paper games, such as tic-tac-toe and hangman.  Plus, it’s fun to keep a running tally of who is winning at each game to keep the fun going.

 

When your kids are stuck inside, how do you cure boredom and have fun as a family?

12 Comments

  1. I compile lists like this all the time so I am always looking for new ideas. Thanks for sharing with this cabin fever filled Chicago mama!

    1. Oh I know those northern winters! I grew up in Wisconsin and I know that winter can last an eternity. I hope this helps bring some fun ideas to your house!

  2. Thankfully, this is a gorgeous almost spring-like day at my house, but it’s been a long winter, and I have felt like I was about to run out of indoor activity ideas. Thanks for sharing your great ideas. I especially think my toddler and preschool will love the indoor bowling idea!

    1. Oh how wonderful you had a spring-like day! What a blessing! We are going to try the bowling idea tomorrow and I can’t wait. 🙂 Have fun making memories with your children!

  3. You can still have fun on those days you just can’t play outside! Our favorite is hide n seek but our house is small so it doesn’t last long. Another one we like is finger painting and board games. Thanks for sharing!

  4. We have had many bowling alleys and paper airplanes in our home when we get locked up in the house, because of weather. There are some new ones I might have to try. Thanks for sharing this great list.

    1. Thanks, Robin! I’m glad you enjoy some fun indoors. We are headed for more winter weather this weekend, so I am going to be prepared!

  5. I may need some of these ideas tomorrow. We’ve having our first winter event this year and are iced in for day 2 tomorrow. Kids are already going crazy after one day (glad we don’t live somewhere really cold). Too bad I have to work, so makes these days even more stressful. Thanks for the ideas!

    1. Us, too Kathryn! Snowed in again and while we’ve already done a lot of these, there are many we’ll repeat. Stay safe on the roads!

  6. Great ideas! I just shared them on our facebook page ’cause I know lots and lots of moms could use a few of these ideas right about now. 🙂
    Thanks for linking up with us at Coffee and Conversation each week. We appreciate you. <3
    Blessings,
    ~Candy

    1. Thanks for sharing, Candy! That list has been a lifesaver for me as I keep the kids happy indoors this week. Many blessings to you!

  7. We’ve had a lot of yucky weather lately, and I hate for the kids to sit in front of a screen. These are good ideas!

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