[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.
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Sports and Exercise Recreations (11–20)
Squash volley
It’s a sport adapted from volleyball that uses a badminton doubles court and a special soft ball.
Matches are played in teams of three, and the biggest difference from volleyball is that you must always hit the ball three times before returning it to the opponent’s court.
The soft ball reduces impact when struck, making it easier to participate, but because it doesn’t bounce the way you expect, it creates strategic mind games.
Since it’s a small-team format, assembling teams with consideration for participants’ stamina and balance is also an important point.
Sport Tag
It’s a sport that adds athletic elements to the traditional game of tag that everyone’s played.
While moving around to avoid being caught, you aim to capture treasures placed on the opposing team’s field.
Deciding how many players to allocate to offense and defense and how each person moves makes team strategy a big highlight.
Even if participants have different fitness levels, you can balance the game by adjusting team assignments, numbers, and rules, making it easy to enjoy even for those who aren’t confident in sports.
basket
As the population continues to decline, it’s said that sports playable with smaller teams will become more popular.
In this context, the sport expected to take the lead is basketball.
Compared to baseball and soccer, basketball can be played with fewer people, and the gender ratio is about half and half.
It’s a next-generation sport that we can recommend not only to those who played on the basketball team in school, but also to people starting as adults.
Bowling
Bowling is a classic indoor activity, isn’t it? It’s fun just to play normally, and it can be interesting to add special rules like the famous “no-English bowling” you see on TV shows or YouTube.
Competing by score with rewards or punishments is a standard approach, too.
If you don’t feel like going out, it’s also fun to DIY a set using items like plastic bottles.
bouldering
Bouldering has become a staple sport even as a hobby for adults.
It’s tough at first, but as you practice you’ll find yourself climbing more and more routes, and before you know it, it helps you get over a lack of exercise.
Recently, more bouldering gyms have been designed to be welcoming for women as well, so be sure to check them out.
Going with friends is also highly recommended.
table tennis
Table tennis is a classic pastime at hot spring inns, but these days there are more and more commercial facilities where you can play sports, and it’s become common to see places where you can play table tennis.
Even if you weren’t on the table tennis team back in school, it’s now easy to give it a try, so why not challenge yourself? Play for about an hour and you’ll work up quite a sweat—it’s a great workout.
Tug of war
The tug-of-war that everyone has experienced at least once is drawing fresh attention as an indoor recreational activity for adults.
All you need is a rope and a bit of space.
It’s a simple team game, but because it uses the whole body—arms, legs, and core—it’s great for combating a lack of exercise.
The clear win-or-lose outcome naturally gets people fired up, which is part of its appeal.
As long as you take safety precautions so the floor isn’t slippery, you can enjoy it indoors with peace of mind.
Nostalgic yet new, it’s a recommended idea that people of all generations can enjoy.
Experiential/Sensory Games (1–10)
The “Haa” game
It’s a sure-to-get-everyone-excited card game called “Haa” Game.
Although it’s called a card game, you play using cards with prompts written on them.
Even the word “haa” can mean different things depending on the situation—like a sighing “haa,” an exasperated “haa,” and so on.
The cards describe a situation; you draw a card with a letter and act it out, and the others guess which “haa” it is.
Those who guess correctly earn points, and the performer earns points based on how many people guessed it.
It’s a game that tests your acting skills (lol).
30-second drawing showdown
“Drawing,” a classic kids’ activity! Let’s add a 30-second time limit and have adults give it a try! Since it has a game-like element, it’s best done with a few people rather than alone.
First, choose a prompt, set a 30-second timer, and draw.
That’s it? you might think—but once you’re an adult, discovering your own drawing skills and those of the people around you is guaranteed to get everyone excited!
The Perfect Match Game
Set a target number and take turns asking each other questions whose answers are numbers—the goal is to make the final total match the target exactly.
It’s the “Perfect Match Numbers Game”! For example, set the target to 100.
In teams, you ask each other questions so that the running total ends up at 100.
Any question is fine as long as the answer is a number—things like “How old are your siblings?”, “How many people are in your family?”, or “How many guitars do you own?”.
Keep adding each numeric answer to the total, and the team that hits 100 exactly—or gets closest to it—wins! It’s a game for adults that challenges your thinking and imagination as you figure out which questions will get you to an exact match.