[Children’s Club] Easy and fun indoor games. Exciting party games
Looking for active games you can enjoy in a quiet indoor setting? Even on cold or rainy days, playtime can turn into a fun, smile-filled experience when you’re with a kids’ group or friends.
Here are indoor games with simple rules that you can start right away—moving your body while engaging your mind.
From music-based games to activities with quiz elements, these ideas are all about shared excitement and anticipation.
You can freely adapt them to different group sizes and ages.
Give them a try and create some treasured memories!
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Indoor Games for Physical Activity (41–50)
Balloon Tennis
“Balloon tennis,” where you use a balloon instead of a ball! Real tennis balls are small and hard to aim at, and because they’re hard, it hurts when you get hit—that’s the drawback.
But with a balloon, it doesn’t hurt if it hits you, and it floats down gently, making it easier even for small children to hit with a racket.
You can prepare balloons of various sizes, or after inflating them, let some go without tying them and chase them as they fly—there are lots of ways to play depending on your creativity.
Be sure to keep a close eye on the kids so they don’t get hurt while chasing after the balloons.
Indoor games that get you moving (51–60)
Let’s roll the dice and compose music!
Let’s try composing music while enjoying rhythm using the technique of ‘chance music’ discovered by John Cage.
What you’ll need are dice made from drawing paper, cardstock, or cardboard, a black pen, and staff paper or any paper for notes.
When you hear the word ‘compose,’ many people might feel anxious, thinking ‘That sounds hard’ or ‘I might not be able to do it,’ but this time the theme is completing it based on the numbers rolled on the dice, so you can try it casually! Moreover, it can be enjoyed by a wide range of ages—from infants and young children to elementary school students and adults—so please give it a try.
Rock-Paper-Scissors: Reflex Game (1–10)
Newspaper Janken
This is a game called “Newspaper Janken.” Every time you lose rock-paper-scissors, you have to fold the newspaper you’re standing on in half.
If you manage to stay on the newspaper until the end, you win; if you fall off, you lose.
It’s a very simple game, but it’s surprisingly thrilling and fun! It’s a game that tests both your luck at winning rock-paper-scissors and your sense of balance.
Bamboo Shoot Nyoki
You can enjoy this game empty-handed even in a spare moment: Takenoko Nyokki! It originated on the quiz show “Nep League,” and despite its simplicity, it gets even adults fired up.
First, everyone chants together: “Takenoko, takenoko, nyokki-kki,” then, one by one, players raise their clasped hands upward like a bamboo shoot sprouting and call out “one nyoki,” “two nyoki,” and so on.
If your timing overlaps with someone else’s, or you end up unable to say your number before the end, you’re out.
The key is to watch the others carefully and call out your ‘X nyoki!’ with both caution and gusto!
Catch
This is a game called “Catch,” where you use both hands to grab the fingers of the person next to you.
If you form a circle, it looks like even a large group can play.
It could be even more exciting if you add trick prompts, like saying “cabbage” instead of “catch.” Since your right and left hands have to do different actions, it looks simple at first glance, but it’s a game that makes you think.
Trump ‘Ikkyu-san’
A playing card game called “Ikkyu-san” that any child who can read numbers can play.
Arrange the cards in a circle face down, then play rock-paper-scissors to decide the order.
Starting with the first child, draw one card and place it face up in the center of the circle.
If the number drawn is 1, 9, or 3, quickly place your hand in the center.
The child who puts their hand down last takes all the cards in the center.
If someone makes a false move, they also take the cards in the same way.
Repeat until the cards run out.
The winner is the child with the fewest cards at the end.
Pyramid Rock-Paper-Scissors
Perfect for class or grade-level activities! Here’s a fun idea for Pyramid Rock-Paper-Scissors.
Rock-Paper-Scissors is a simple, classic game that always gets everyone excited, and with a few tweaks, it becomes even more engaging for kids! After splitting into Defense and Offense teams, the Defense team stands on the lines drawn in a pyramid shape.
The Offense team aims to defeat the King by playing rock-paper-scissors against the Defense team and advancing with each win.
A key rule for the Offense team: if you lose a round, you must return to the starting point!