Indoor activities you can do at home—from educational play to physical games! Fun ideas that will fill your day with smiles.
“Isn’t there something we can play indoors?” When it’s raining or you’re spending a day off at home, it can be surprisingly hard to come up with ideas once you actually decide to play.
So this time, we’re introducing indoor activities you can enjoy in the living room or any room at home.
From educational play that fosters learning to active games that get bodies moving, we’ve gathered fun ideas sure to bring smiles all around.
There are plenty of activities that parents and kids, friends, and even different generations can enjoy together, so feel free to check them out!
Indoor activities you can do at home: from educational play to active games! Fun, smile-filled ideas (1–10)
Plate relayNEW!
https://www.tiktok.com/@bear_kids_official/video/7542105490289970440A plate-passing relay that helps with color recognition and finger dexterity.
The rules are simple: prepare a paper plate with several colored patches attached.
As the plate comes to you from the person before you, look for where your clothespin’s color appears on the plate, clip your clothespin there, and pass it to the next person.
You can make it more challenging by changing the size of the paper plate or narrowing the areas of color on it.
Splitting into teams and racing to see who can pass it to the last person fastest could make it even more exciting.
Cup-in gameNEW!
https://www.tiktok.com/@bear_kids_official/video/7501579940396043528It’s a game where you roll a ball aiming for paper cups set along the edge of a table.
If you throw too hard, the ball will jump over the cups; if you throw too softly, it won’t reach them.
This game helps you learn how to control force and develop hand–eye coordination.
It’s a good idea to tilt the table slightly so it slopes upward.
Prepare several paper cups and aim to sink the ball into all of them.
Assigning points to each cup and going for a high score sounds fun too!
Gesture GameNEW!
https://www.tiktok.com/@bear_kids_official/video/7496007426555055378This game, where you convey prompts using only gestures without words, helps foster communication.
Make eye contact to gauge the other person’s reactions, and if they don’t seem to catch on to your movements, change your actions to convey the prompt.
By repeating the gesture game, you’ll develop the ability to observe others and adapt to them.
Take turns being the gesturer and the guesser, and think about which kinds of movements are easiest to understand.
cat’s cradle
Let us introduce the classic traditional game, cat’s cradle.
There are two ways to play: solo cat’s cradle and two-person cat’s cradle.
If you’re playing alone, try challenging yourself to see how many moves you can string together in succession.
If you’re playing with two people, it works well to take turns after each figure.
Classics like the “broom” and the “ladder” are great to try.
Cat’s cradle is easy for anyone to pick up, and it helps develop concentration and spatial awareness.
Angel Clay
https://www.tiktok.com/@narumama_asobi/video/7405931928077094160Fluffy and springy! Here are some ideas for using Angel Clay.
Angel Clay is a type of lightweight clay known for its soft, fluffy feel and delightfully springy texture.
In recent years, it’s become easy to pick up at 100-yen shops, which is a nice bonus.
These ideas are perfect for kids who’ve grown tired of regular clay or for when you want to incorporate tactile play at home.
Of course, you can play with it using just your hands, but it’s also great to repurpose materials like plastic cups and straws.
Give it a try!
Sniper target shooting
https://www.tiktok.com/@apeko_asobi/video/7526913772192091399Let’s role-play and have fun! Here’s an idea for a sniper-style target game.
A sniper is apparently a soldier who shoots targets from a long distance using a gun and the like.
This time, let’s enjoy target practice at home while pretending to be a sniper! What you’ll need: paper cups, balloons, the cores from plastic wrap or similar rolls, scissors, vinyl tape, and aluminum foil.
Planning your strategy—like which angle to aim at the paper cup targets—sounds fun too, doesn’t it? It’s a unique idea that’s sure to get kids excited!
Trust Game
https://www.tiktok.com/@nicola_magazine/video/7141709674159639810Would you like to try the “Trust Game,” where balance is key? You don’t need any equipment, and you can play whenever the mood strikes.
First, everyone forms a circle and holds hands with the people next to them.
Lean your bodies backward, and on the count of “1-2-3,” everyone squats down at the same time.
If you can squat without losing your balance, you’ve succeeded.
If the balance of forces breaks and even one person loses their balance, it’s a fail—start over from the beginning.
This game gets harder as the number of players increases, but the joy of success is all the greater! Give it a try with everyone.