Keeping your children entertained is challenging on a rainy day. However, there are lots of indoor activities that are just as enjoyable as going out to parks and arcades. You might think you have to take your kids to Chuck E. Cheese for them to have a good time, but that’s not the only option. And if you’re on a budget, these indoor fun and games are a great option for children of all ages.
Indoor Activities That Won’t Bore Your Kids
Getting your kids outside and active is tough. Keeping them inside and doing so without breaking things, tormenting the dog, or eating everything in sight? Easier when you have a great list of activities!
Hide and seek
This game will never get old. Children have played hide and seek for generations, and it’s only right to keep the tradition going. And although you can play it outside, it’s a good idea to bring the game inside for some indoor fun. The way the game works is, one person is chosen as a seeker. That person covers their eyes and counts to ten out loud. While he or she is counting, the others will run and hide. After counting, the seeker goes to look for everyone. The last person found will be the new seeker.
Indoor bowling
Image CC by NC 2.0, by aaronpropst, via Flickr
This is one of the best indoor activities for kids, and it’s so simple to play. You can purchase an indoor bowling set or, you can DIY your own version of the game. Find some water bottles and use them as bowling pins. Set up the game anywhere you’d like, however playing in the hallway is a good way to mimic a bowling lane. Grab a medium-sized ball and start the game! Keeping score makes the game more interesting and puts everyone in the bowling spirit. All else fails, you can go to the bowling alley in your town.
Basketball
Playing hoops is another fun, yet simple game that doesn’t require much. All you need is a bucket and socks. Roll the socks into a ball, and each player will take turns tossing their sock-ball into the bucket. When a player scores a basket, then that person has to take a step back. Whichever player scores from the furthest distance is the winner.
Image CC0 by Skitterphoto via Pixabay
Spelling bee
Educational fun and games are a creative way to get kids to learn enjoyably. For a spelling bee, you’ll want to pick a few words and provide the word to each player one-by-one. For instance, if the word is a pickle, you’ll pronounce the word and use it in a sentence if needed. If that player gets the word right, they move on to the next round and so on. The last person standing is the winner. If there’s a tie, you’ll have to do a tie-breaker until someone wins.
Spot the difference
Fun indoor activities can fall under a variety of categories and exercise your child’s brain doesn’t have to be a bore. Brain games are entertaining activities that build core executive function and self-regulation skills, and memorization can improve your child’s concentration and mental development. Ask your child to study you and pay attention to everything you’re wearing. After giving them a couple of minutes, leave the room and change something about yourself. You can put on a bracelet, or take off your belt. Come back and see if your kid can spot the difference!
Make a healthy pizza
When there’s a thunderstorm outside, nothing beats a gloomy day like pizza. This is the perfect time to get the kids involved in the kitchen. Fun indoor activities that include cooking are all about bonding and making memories. Let the kids pick out the toppings they like and start baking. You can also get creative with the type of pizza you make. Perhaps make a healthy one and then also a dessert pizza. Spread peanut butter on top of a tortilla, sprinkle chocolate chips, add banana slices, and you’ve got a sweet pizza treat!
Build a fort
Forts are sure to turn a rainy day into an epic day. Grab some sheets and blankets, and drape them over tables, chairs, and the couch. Pick whichever pieces of furniture are the best. Place extra blankets on the floor under the fort and toss in some pillows. If you’d like, you can drape sheets over the tv and make it a movie night. Pop some popcorn and enjoy the rain!
Image CC0 by Stock Snap via Pixabay
Laser tag
If you’re looking to kick things up a notch, laser tag is the way to go. This one of the best indoor games out there and it’s perfect for older children. You can purchase a laser tag set and bring the excitement home. A spacious area and lots of hiding places make the game more exciting, so the bigger space, the better. Home laser sets have built-in sensors, so there’s no need to wear a vest. Just hit the lights and have a ball!
Firefly
If you don’t have a fancy laser tag set, that’s okay. Your family will still have fun playing firefly. Choose one person to be the firefly and give he or she a flashlight. The other players will turn around and count to 60 while the firefly walks away and hides ( with the flashlight turned off). Once hidden, the firefly will quickly flicker the flashlight on and off while the others try and catch it. The person who has the light has to move around and flash it every 60 seconds. Whoever catches the firefly is the one who controls the flashlight next. Make your fun and games a bit more interesting.
Scavenger hunt
Indoor games for kids don’t only have to be for young people; adults can join in too. Start by writing a list of clues and give them to all the participants. A sample clue could be ” I’m paper, but I’m not used for writing a letter. The spot by your potty suits me much better”. And the answer is toilet paper, so whoever gets the tissue first wins that clue. The person who gathers the most clues wins the game. You can time it if you want to make things more interesting. If there’s a lot of people playing, you can also divide everyone into teams.
UNO
One of the most popular card games ever is Uno and it is great indoor fun. This classic game will always bring the family together for a good time. There are also lots of cool variations of the old-school version of the game. There’s also Uno Dare, Uno Blast, and more. Try out the alternatives to make things more interesting. To get some exercise in, you can make up physical activities the losers must do, like jumping jacks.
Connect Four
Connect Four is hands down a fan favorite. This game is simple, yet fascinating and requires only two players. Each player chooses a color and takes turns dropping the chip down the game board. The board is a plastic grid with a column of seven openings and six holes running vertically. As the players take turns dropping the chips, whoever gets four chips is the winner. The connection if four can run horizontal, vertical, or diagonal. Again, make to the loser perform a physical task so that you know they are staying active while playing.
Image CC0 by blickpixel via Pixabay
Indoor Party Games for Adults
The best indoor party games aren’t just for kids, they are for you, too.
The newlywed game
You may remember this game as a television show; however, you can bring the excitement of the game into your home. Write down some questions that your spouse should know about you. If you have friends that aren’t married, it’s fine. The questions can be anything a significant other should know, like “What did my parents say when they first met you?” The objective is to see who knows each other the best. The couple that answers the most questions correctly about one other wins the game.
Charades
This game is one of those indoor activities that’s a good addition to any party. You can put a “grown-up” twist on things by making the words a bit more difficult. You can choose words like waterfall, hurricane, and shadow. Hand everyone pencils and strips of paper and have them write down some difficult words. Then, put the strips of paper into a bowl or hat. If you have a small group, each player can play against each other individually, or you can divide teams into larger groups.
The first player draws a piece of paper from the hat and acts out the word that’s written. The person acting out can’t speak or make sounds, and the other players have to guess the word. The team only has 60 seconds to guess the right word. Whoever guesses correctly gets the point and the first player or team to reach 10 points first wins the game.
Karaoke
You could never go wrong with a night of karaoke. It’s one of the most fun indoor activities ever. If you have a karaoke machine, it’s even better, but if not, the party doesn’t have to stop. You can subscribe to a song software service like RedKaraoke and sync it to a wireless speaker. On the other hand, if you don’t care about technicalities and want to have a good time, blast your favorite tunes, and have everyone sing along. Maybe play some old songs and take everyone down memory lane, either way, your guests will have a ball!
Have Fun With Your Indoor Activities
You can also make games up on your own. Whatever you decide to do, just remember to have fun and enjoy yourselves. These kinds of days will make for great memories.
