“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!
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- Get moving and have a blast! A collection of safe play ideas
- Games that get the whole family excited! A collection of ideas you can start right away with no equipment
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- Fun that’s a blast solo or in groups! A collection of game ideas even first graders can do.
Indoor activities you can do at home: from educational play to active games! Fun, smile-filled ideas (1–10)
Spinning RaceNEW!
Lie down on the mat and play rock-paper-scissors; if you win, do a single roll.
Repeat this, and whoever reaches the goal first wins! Because you’re on a soft mat, it’s safe and fun, and kids will love the rolling motion.
The mat length is up to you, but since this game relies heavily on luck, it might be better to keep it short so you can play many rounds.
If you make the mat longer, try adjusting the rules—like letting only the kids roll twice.
Balloon Rally: Fun for Everyone!NEW!
The person playing the goal holder stands holding a cone upside down.
The parent and child hold hands and carry the balloon to the goal by keeping it floating against their bodies.
For older participants, try aiming for the goal without moving the cone; if that’s too hard, enjoy it by catching the incoming balloon with the cone.
Since it uses balloons, this event is great for an indoor sports day.
If you hit it in the wrong spot, the balloon can fly off in an unexpected direction, and that suspense draws in the audience and really amps up the excitement!
Space changeNEW!
This is a game where you switch spaces with each other by moving to the sound of a whistle.
Two parent-child pairs face each other with a bit of distance between them.
Then, distinguish between the whistle tones and move to the other pair’s space using the indicated movement such as “run,” “skip,” “jump,” or “side step.” There’s no winner or loser in this game, but aim to move quickly and accurately without bumping into the other pair! If memorizing the whistle tones is difficult, you can give verbal cues for the movements instead.
Towel ridingNEW!
A parent and child face each other and stand on a prepared towel.
Sounds easy, right? But here’s the twist: you keep folding the towel to make it smaller.
That means the space to put your feet keeps shrinking, and if you don’t get creative, you won’t be able to stay on.
It’s a fun activity where the parent and child discuss how to stand together and then put it into practice.
It can spark conversation and strengthen your bond.
When you beat the time limit, give each other a high five and share the joy!
Fun for adults too! Train gameNEW!
This is a game where a parent and child place their hands on each other’s shoulders to make a train and work together to reach the goal.
The fun twist is that the person at the front keeps their eyes closed.
How do they move forward? The person behind gives instructions by tapping their shoulders.
Tapping both shoulders means “go straight,” tapping only the right shoulder means “go right,” and tapping only the left shoulder means “go left.” Feel the signals carefully and aim for the goal.
If you play with three or more people, the second person from the front also closes their eyes.
It seems the accuracy and speed of the instructions will decide the winner!
Space travel you can enjoy with your child!NEW!
Have the parent lie on their back with their knees bent, and have the child sit on the lower part of the shins.
Ask the child to hold on firmly with their feet and stretch both arms out to the sides to make an airplane pose.
From there, the parent can sway their legs side to side or tilt them forward so the children can enjoy a “space trip.” In the latter part of the video, the child is spun around once, but most parents won’t be able to do this right away, so it’s fine not to do it.
If there are children who want to try, a teacher should assist and let them attempt it slowly to avoid injury.
Balloon Ball Passing GameNEW!
It’s the balloon version of the ball-passing game.
You can set any method for passing the balloon: back-to-back and pass it overhead or between the legs, twist your bodies to pass from the side—whatever you like.
If you include it as a field day event, it would be great to have several teams compete simultaneously to see which parent-child pair can pass the balloon 10 times the fastest.
Or make it a class competition, with classmates and their guardians working together to set the fastest time—that sounds fun too.
If you play outdoors, be careful so the balloon doesn’t fly away!