Recommended for 3-year-olds! Fun indoor activities and group game ideas
Three-year-olds experience a surge in vocabulary and are characterized by enjoying communication with those around them and showing interest in many things.
They are full of curiosity and eager to say, “I want to try it!”
So this time, we’re introducing ideas for indoor activities and group games that are perfect for the development of three-year-old children.
From games that let them fully move their bodies and discover the joy of interacting with friends, to activities that foster imagination and expressive skills, we’ve gathered a wealth of indoor play ideas that will satisfy three-year-olds!
Please use these as a reference and have fun together!
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Recommended for 3-year-olds! Fun indoor activities and group game ideas (1–10)
Animal pretend play
Kids love animals, so pretend play where they become animals is always a big hit.
Teachers or parents can call out an animal, and the children simply imitate it—making for a very fun indoor activity.
Imitating the teacher or parent is, of course, fun too, but it’s also great to give prompts and play an animal gesture game.
Musical Chairs
It’s the famous game “Musical Chairs,” which everyone can enjoy, from small children to adults.
It’s very simple and doesn’t depend much on age, so kids can play it easily.
It’s also an all-round game that works with both small and large groups.
The basic rule is “play music, and when the music stops, sit,” but it’s also fun to sing the music yourselves or sit on a stop command.
A spinning top made from a milk carton
By the time children are three years old, they gradually start to use scissors.
How about trying a scissor-based craft: a “milk carton spinner”? First, wash and dry a milk carton in advance, then open it up so it forms a cross.
Have the children use scissors to cut away the unnecessary parts along the sides of the cross-shaped carton.
Draw guide lines to help them practice cutting straight.
Let them draw pictures on the white parts, then attach a plastic bottle cap to the center to finish! Try spinning it on a smooth floor to see how well it turns.
Recommended for 3-year-olds! Fun indoor play and group game ideas (11–20)
Color tag (a children’s chasing game)
It’s a traditional game.
You don’t need any equipment, and even small children can play.
On sunny days, try it outdoors.
The person who is “it” calls out a color—for example, “red.” Everyone else looks for something red and touches it.
While they’re touching it, they’re invincible and can’t be tagged by “it.” Anyone who can’t find the color and gets tagged becomes the next “it.” Good rules for choosing colors include “pick colors everyone knows” and “colors on clothing or shoes don’t count.” A kindergarten or daycare playground is plenty big for this game.
It’s also great for intergenerational activities with older adults who prefer light exercise!
Rock-Paper-Scissors Train
A great game to recommend for preschools and kindergartens is “Rock-Paper-Scissors Train.” While singing, the children in the class play rock-paper-scissors.
The child who loses lines up behind the winner like a train, and in the end, the one who keeps winning becomes the leader of a single long train.
The key point is that everyone can enjoy a sense of unity by singing together and forming the train.
It’s a game where children can have fun while learning rock-paper-scissors.
Let’s all get excited together!
Ring toss
It’s an easy game you can make with things you have at home, but ring toss always gets kids excited.
It’s also popular at fairs and festivals.
To make the rings, roll up long strips of newspaper into circles and wrap them all around with vinyl tape.
Using two colors or making them colorful will delight the kids.
For the targets, just fill plastic bottles with water and wrap them with colored construction paper.
You can also prepare bottles in different sizes and change the points depending on the size.
Clay play
Let’s try a classic sensory activity: playing with clay.
By age three, few children are likely to put things in their mouth, but using homemade play dough is the safest choice.
You can easily make it by mixing flour, water, vegetable oil, and salt.
Before starting the activity, show the children the dough and ask, “How does it feel?” “What does it smell like?” They’ll surely get excited thinking about what to make with it! Roll it into balls, stretch it, or flatten it with a smack.
Encourage the children’s rich imaginations and see what wonderful things they create!