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 at-home play ideas to make indoor time fun (21–30)
Agar play
Let’s try playing with kanten (gelatin) for a fun jiggly, wobbly feel when you touch it! To make it, just pour hot water and gelatin into any container you like and let it set.
If you add food coloring after the gelatin, you can make colored gelatin—so be sure to try adding your favorite colors.
If you want it cold, put it in the refrigerator after it has set.
Once it’s firm, take it out of the container and squish it up, mix different colors together, or put it into other containers and play pretend as a jelly shop or juice stand.
It’s easy to do, so give it a try!
Swirling Balloon
@mamatastv Is there an at-home activity this fun? Spinning with a hair dryer!? Trying the Whirling Balloon. Reference: Yonemura Denjiro Science Production, “Whirling Balloon Experiment.”Mamatase#MoreFreedomForMoms#ReiwaMom#ReiwaParenting#ReiwaHousework#Indoor Play
♪ Original Song – mamatas (MAMATAS) – mamatas (MAMATAS)
A unique game using a hair dryer! Here’s a fun idea for a spinning balloon ring.
Balloons are exciting and enjoyable for kids, right? Their colorful, lightweight movement makes them irresistible, and part of the charm is how play expands as children touch, toss, and chase them.
This time, let’s connect balloons to make a spinning balloon ring.
You’ll need balloons, tape, and a hair dryer.
Inflate the balloons, connect them with tape to form a loop, and you’re ready! Blow air with the hair dryer, and the balloon loop will spin round and round—it’s super fun!
Handmade toy made from masking tape (yojo tape)
What can we make? Here are some ideas for DIY toys using masking tape.
Masking tape is probably something you have on hand both at preschool and at home.
Let’s try making toys with it.
You could even set a time limit and improvise—how exciting! What would you make? What kinds of ideas would children come up with? Just thinking about it is exciting, isn’t it? In the video, it’s used like tunnels and pockets.
Give it a try and incorporate it into your playtime.
drawing
It’s the most basic of basic games, but drawing is one of children’s favorite activities.
You can give them a theme and have them draw, or let them sketch while asking, “What’s this?” and have others guess what it is.
Children’s drawings have a power that goes beyond adults’ imagination; just looking at what they draw is fascinating, and it’s a game that adults can enjoy too.
At-home games you can play with a towel
Let’s play with everyday materials! Here are some at-home play ideas using towels.
Towels are familiar items for both adults and children in daily life.
This time, let’s try playing with towels you have at your preschool or at home.
If you put a bag inside an open towel and roll it up tightly, it transforms into a ball that makes a crinkly sound.
If you tie the ends of a bath towel, it turns into a sled for dolls.
It’s fun how the shapes change, isn’t it? It’s a wonderful idea that lets children use their creativity while they play.
Number Touch Game
Let me introduce a number-touch game where you touch numbers posted on the wall.
Prepare by writing numbers on pieces of paper and sticking them randomly on the wall.
Have the children memorize the positions of the numbers on the wall.
The teacher calls out a number, and the children touch that number—this is the game.
It also helps train memory and reaction speed by remembering where the called number is.
Adjust the height of the numbers to match the children’s reach and give it a try.
You can also make the numbers easier to remember by using different colors of paper or other creative touches.
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!