For 4-year-olds! A collection of indoor home play ideas that make time inside fun
On days when the weather is bad or you can’t go outside, it can be hard to decide what to play at home with your four-year-old, right?
At this age, children’s imaginations blossom, and they become more skilled with language and with their hands.
So here, we’ve put together a list of at-home play ideas that kids will enjoy.
There are plenty of activities you can do with things you already have at home—sensory play, crafts, games, and more.
If any ideas here catch your eye, feel free to use them as a reference and enjoy a fun time together with your child!
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For 4-year-olds! A collection of indoor home play ideas that make time at home fun (51–60)
Stacking paper cups
Let me introduce a fun stacking game with paper cups.
Stack 15 paper cups into a pyramid shape, starting from the bottom.
Time each round and compete to see who can finish their pyramid the fastest.
Because you have to think about the best way to stack the cups as you go, it trains both concentration and problem-solving skills at the same time.
Plastic cups are smooth and glossy, so for children, paper cups are recommended.
Give it a try!
Picture shiritori
Let me introduce a drawing shiritori game that gets everyone excited while you draw.
The drawing shiritori game can be enjoyed by two or more people.
First, decide on a theme for the first drawing in turn.
The first person draws a picture on paper based on the theme.
The next person looks at the previous person’s drawing and draws a picture that starts with the last letter of the previous drawing’s word.
Take turns and keep going.
It gets even more fun if you set final rules in advance, such as what happens if a word ends with “n” (which would normally end the game) or if someone can’t draw on their turn.
Have fun and give it a try!
Clapping game until you drop
It’s a game you can play casually in a compact space, with no special preparations or large area required.
The rules are simple: first, each person takes a sheet of tissue paper and holds it.
Next, raise your hand above your head, drop the tissue, and compete to see how many times you can clap before it falls.
You’ll stretch your body to drop it from as high as possible and move quickly to pick it up, so it becomes a full-body exercise.
The lively clapping sounds fill the room, and it’s great to see everyone smiling and having fun!
Rock-paper-scissors is fun even in the rain
Here are some rock-paper-scissors games you can enjoy indoors with kids even on rainy days.
“American Rock-Paper-Scissors” reverses winning and losing, so it makes you think.
“Body Rock-Paper-Scissors” is a game where you use your whole body to show rock, paper, or scissors.
It’s recommended to decide in advance what movements will represent rock, scissors, and paper before you start.
In “Newspaper Rock-Paper-Scissors,” you stand on a sheet of newspaper while playing; if you lose, you fold your newspaper once and make it smaller each time.
In “Rock-Paper-Scissors Train,” the loser lines up behind the winner, and the train of players gradually grows longer.
Try these and find your favorite rock-paper-scissors game!
cuisine
How about doing some cooking together with your child as a way to practice food education? Around age four, children gradually begin to understand kitchen rules, so it’s recommended to have them join from the prep stage.
That said, be very careful when using knives or heat.
Cutting vegetables, handling raw meat, then finishing on the stove or in the microwave—go through the steps slowly, following the usual sequence that caregivers use.
Recommended dishes include meatballs, gyoza, and fried rice.
Give it a try!
