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!
- Age 4: Simple and Fun! Handmade Toy Ideas
- [For 4-year-olds] Ideas for group games and craft activities that can be done indoors
- [For 4-Year-Olds] A Collection of Indoor Play and Game Ideas That Get Everyone Excited
- For 4-year-olds! Introducing recommended indoor activities, group games, and crafts
- Easy to make! DIY ideas for Whack-a-Gator
- [Age 5] Exciting and fun! A special feature on ideas for at-home play
- [Childcare] Recommended for toddlers! Toy ideas you can make and play with
- [For toddlers] Simple but amazing craft ideas — including toys they can play with
- [Childcare / Physical Play] Fun Activities to Get Moving
- [Children’s Club] Easy and fun indoor games. Exciting party games
- [For 4-Year-Olds] Fun to Make! A Collection of Halloween Craft Ideas
- Perfect Summer Craft Ideas to Try in July for 4-Year-Olds
- [For Preschoolers] Thinking Is Fun! Riddle Special
For 4-year-olds! A collection of indoor home play ideas to make time inside more fun (41–50)
Gesture Game
Move your body to match the theme! Here are some gesture game ideas.
Gesture games are a great way to have fun while staying active indoors.
Imitate gestures based on a theme to act out animals, vehicles, everyday actions, and more! Through play, kids can develop communication skills and creativity.
Once they’re comfortable with simple gestures, try making the themes a bit more complex.
You can just picture children laughing and playing together with friends, teachers, and parents.
Seven Steps
Let’s have fun with a counting song fingerplay! Here are some ideas for Seven Steps.
This activity is a rhythm game that nurtures concentration by counting while moving the body.
Some children may find it a bit difficult until they get used to the rules, but sharing the sense of accomplishment with friends when they succeed will deepen their bonds.
If they make mistakes, don’t get discouraged—keep the atmosphere light and try again! This can help foster children’s perseverance and a mindset that doesn’t give up.
sensory toy play
Fun for all ages! Here are some sensory toy play ideas.
You’ll need: food storage bags, colored water, oil, adzuki beans, erasers, toy goldfish, beads, bells, hair gel, and tape.
Put the materials you prepared into the bag along with the hair gel! Changing up the colors and textures makes the feel different and more interesting.
Sensory toys are recommended not only for infants but also for preschoolers—they’re engaging to look at and touch, and kids will be totally absorbed.
Handkerchief-snatching game
The classic indoor game you can play even on rainy days, the “Handkerchief Grab,” has lots of fun variations depending on the rules.
In this version, players sit on chairs facing each other with their knees touching, place a handkerchief in the middle, and grab it when the whistle blows.
It works well with a larger group, or you can do head-to-head matches and make it a tournament.
There’s also a high-level version where someone keeps chatting to distract players, then blows the whistle when their attention slips.
It’s a recommended game that everyone can enjoy while training reflexes and coordination!
Pasta Twirling Race
Here’s a perfect indoor activity: the Twirling Pasta Race.
Prepare some “pasta” by attaching yarn to a paper plate with tape.
On the free end of the yarn (the side without tape), attach an empty plastic wrap core.
To race, hold the core and twist it to wind the yarn around it.
It’s a fun competition to see who can wind the yarn—pretend pasta—onto the core the fastest.
To make it even more exciting, place a cutout of an animal with its mouth open between the paper plate and the core, and set up a little sign showing it “eating.” You could also time each round to add a competitive element.
pa pi pu pe po
The word “pa-pi-pu-pe-po” can be pretty hard for children to say.
But don’t worry.
This activity is a quiz game where you guess what word someone is saying using “pa-pi-pu-pe-po.” The adults—teachers or guardians—create the words with “pa-pi-pu-pe-po,” and the children try to guess the correct answers.
You can choose any words, but pick ones the children already know—ideally things they see in their daily lives.
For example, turn “toilet paper” (toiretto pêpâ) into “popipeppo paper,” or “dandelion” (tanpopo) into “papipopo.” Words that contain several “pa-pi-pu-pe-po” sounds might make it easier for the children to guess.
Sorting Game
Let me introduce a sorting game.
Prepare three colors of balls—red, blue, and yellow—and one red box and one blue box.
Catch the ball that the teacher throws, then put red balls into the red box and blue balls into the blue box, while avoiding (not catching) yellow balls.
By repeating these movements continuously, you can train reaction ability.
Start with slow throwing speed at first, and as you get used to it, it’s recommended to increase the speed to make it more fun.