[Simple Games] Recommended Indoor Recreational Activities for Adults
When a large group gathers indoors and you think, “Let’s do something fun!”, do you ever find yourselves surprisingly stuck for ideas? In this article, we introduce simple games that are perfect for getting everyone excited, including team battles and cooperative play.
From games that require almost no props to ones you can play easily with everyday items, we’ve gathered activities ideal for indoor recreation.
Games that you progress through by cooperating naturally spark conversation and deepen relationships! There are also slightly brain-teasing games that adults will especially enjoy, so be sure to give them a try together.
- A collection of simple indoor recreational games
- Team-based recreational activities for adults that are fun even with large groups
- [For Adults] Fun recreational games. Perfect for short breaks too!
- Games and activities everyone can enjoy together. A collection of fun play ideas.
- [For University Students] A Roundup of Fun Games and Recreational Activities
- [Part 2] Recommended Indoor Activities and Recreation Games for December
- Games you can play with just conversation. Classic and popular activities you can enjoy without any props!
- Recommended for upper elementary grades! Exciting indoor recreation and games
- No worries even in the rain! Fun recreational activities you can do in the gym
- Recreation Ideas That Truly Excite High School Students! A Fun Collection of Activities
- [For Adults] Exciting Bus Recreation
- Get the Fun Going! Easy Classroom Games You Can Play at School: Recreational Activities for the Whole Class
- [Children’s Club] Easy and fun indoor games. Exciting party games
Active games using the body (1–10)
Blindfolded musical chairs
Many people played musical chairs when they were in elementary school, right? With a simple twist, we’ve turned that classic into something adults can enjoy too: “Blindfolded Musical Chairs.” As the name suggests, you just play musical chairs while wearing a blindfold—but that alone makes it incredibly exciting.
Walking around the chairs feels a bit scary, and when you sit down you do it cautiously, so it’s fun not only for the players but also for those watching.
Teleportation Game
We’d like to introduce a teleportation-style game you can enjoy indoors without worrying about the weather.
Each person holds one rolled-up newspaper, and everyone stands in a circle.
When the whistle blows, let go of your own newspaper and quickly move to catch the newspaper of the person next to you.
The key is to catch it so it doesn’t fall while moving swiftly to the next spot.
Anyone who fails to catch it and can’t move to the next position is out.
It’s a game where you can have fun while watching each other’s expressions, so give it a try! It’s sure to be a hit.
Back-to-back! Can we stand up?
Form a circle back-to-back in small groups.
Link arms with the people next to you and start from a squatting position.
If everyone can stand up together on the count of “Ready, go!” it’s a success.
But when you try it, it’s surprisingly difficult, and it’s hard to get up! Teamwork—standing up in sync—is key.
It can be tough to find indoor activities that get you moving, but this one just needs a bit of open space.
There’s no running involved, so you can enjoy it safely.
Active games using the body (11–20)
2-beat 3-beat game
A brain-training hand game where you keep different rhythms with each hand at the same time: the “2-beat/3-beat game.” For example, with your left hand you move up and down to mark a 2-beat rhythm, while with your right hand you trace a triangle to mark a 3-beat rhythm.
Each hand alone is easy, but doing both together is guaranteed to scramble your brain! Start slowly, then gradually increase the speed as you get used to it.
You can adjust the difficulty by switching hands or reversing the movements.
The surprising difficulty will make you laugh, and the sense of accomplishment when you succeed is addictive.
It’s also great for seniors’ brain training, party entertainment, or as an icebreaker at work.
Straw Tower
“Straw Tower” is a game where you compete to see how tall a tower you can build using straws, and its very openness means your strategy really matters.
The standard format is to work together over a long time limit, and things like exchanging ideas and dividing roles are key points.
If the tower isn’t standing on its own when time is up, it’s considered a failure, so cooperate while managing your time wisely.
Balancing opinions can be tricky too—if disagreements stall progress you won’t move forward, but leaving everything to others isn’t good either.
Ball-carrying relay
This is a game where you use a ball balanced on a ladle instead of a baton and try to finish faster than the other team.
It tests not only running speed but also posture and steady form so the ball doesn’t fall off the ladle.
Passing the ball to the next person is also important—matching the height of the ladles and consciously stepping toward each other are key points for winning.
Adding variations that make it easier to lose balance—such as receiving the ball while standing up from a seated position or running a course while avoiding obstacles—heightens concentration and makes the competition even more exciting.
Dancing Tissue Paper
Many people are likely looking for light indoor recreational activities.
One recommended option is “Soaring Tissue Paper.” In this game, you use a fan to keep a tissue paper floating in the air.
The amount of time the tissue stays aloft becomes the player’s score, so stay focused and keep that tissue in the air.