How to spend time at home with children
Even adults find themselves wondering what to do with time at home, so it’s even tougher for kids—when they get bored, they can get cranky, and it becomes a real challenge.
To help you enjoy those long hours at home, here’s a lineup of games and ideas that kids are sure to love.
There’s a variety—from things you can do with little to no money, to items you can get at a 100-yen shop, to activities that take a bit more time and effort.
Of course, there are also options that adults can enjoy together with the kids, so use these as a reference and have a great time at home!
- [For Kids] Indoor Games and Activities Recommended for Winter Break
- Crafts parents and kids can enjoy together. Recommended craft ideas to keep children entertained.
- [100-Yen Store Crafts] Handmade ideas that captivate adults too. Stylish DIY/handmade.
- [For Adults] Make the Most of Your Free Time! Ideas to Kill Time
- Have Fun with Your Kids! A Roundup of Board Games Recommended for Parents and Children
- [Indoor Activities] A Collection of Craft Ideas Recommended for Elementary School Students
- [Fun For Solo Adults] How to Enjoy Your Time at Home
- [Children’s Club] Easy and fun indoor games. Exciting party games
- [For Kids] Today’s Handmade Craft Ideas
- Indoor activities you can do at home—from educational play to physical games! Fun ideas that will fill your day with smiles.
- Solo indoor play ideas for elementary school kids: a collection to turn boredom into fun time
- Fun for adults and kids alike! Home festival ideas to capture the lively spirit of a Japanese matsuri
- Indoor Games You Can Do in 5 Minutes: A Collection of No-Prep, Instant-Fun Ideas
How to spend time at home with children (11–20)
Play with the whiteboard
These days, peel-and-stick whiteboards are widely available.
You might think they’re only for offices, but they’re actually very useful at home too! Stick one on a wall and it instantly becomes a drawing space for your kids.
If you have children who love to draw, you may have had trouble with them doodling on the walls.
In that case, putting up a removable whiteboard will solve the problem in no time! It’s also a good idea to put masking tape around the edges so kids don’t draw outside the whiteboard.
Treasure Hunt Game
There’s only so much you can do inside the house, right? When you’re spending time at home, you tend to end up doing the same things, and it can start to feel kind of boring.
That’s when a treasure hunt game is a great idea! Turn your usual home into a stage where treasures are hidden.
Hide toys, snacks, or other things kids will love, and create a few clues that lead them to the spots! Guided by the hints, the kids searching for the treasure will surely be more lively and excited than ever.
Crafting with milk cartons
In households with children going through growth spurts, many probably make a point of drinking milk every day, right? And in those homes, you always end up with empty milk cartons.
You often hear that they’re good for recycling, but if you’re not quite sure how to put them to good use, we recommend crafts made with milk cartons! Just paint them to make them colorful and cut them into your favorite shapes, and they become great toys.
They’re perfect for at-home time and fun to enjoy from the making process onward!
Colored water play
It always seems that when a child says, “I want to play with colored water,” we don’t have any paint at home.
In times like that, you can make colored water using tissue paper flowers! This is the soft, colored paper often used to make flower decorations for entrance or graduation ceremonies.
Here’s how to use it.
First, fill a plastic bottle about halfway with water.
Then tear the tissue paper flowers into small pieces and put them into the water.
Using scissors to cut them is fine, too.
Once you’ve added them, put the cap on the bottle and shake it up and down.
And that’s it—your colored water made with tissue paper flowers is ready!
Parent-child yoga
When you spend more time indoors, a common concern is getting enough exercise.
It’s a worry for both adults and children, but especially for kids at the age where they want to develop their motor skills—it’s no exaggeration to say it can influence the rest of their lives.
Even if you can’t go outside, you still want them to get some moderate physical activity.
That’s where parent-and-child yoga comes in! Rather than tackling complicated poses, you complete simple missions together, and before you know it, you’ve both been moving your bodies and having fun.
It’s especially recommended for anyone who wants an easy, low-pressure way to get some exercise.
Balloon volleyball
If you want to get moving and play a sport while staying at home, balloon volleyball is highly recommended! Using a regulation volleyball indoors could break things and turn into a disaster, but with a balloon there’s no speed, it’s soft and light, so you can enjoy volleyball with zero damage! Even at home, stretch a string or some tape across the middle of a spacious room as a makeshift net to divide the space.
Just like that, you’ve got an instant court! It’s a great option when you want to get some exercise and refresh yourself.
How to Spend Quality Time at Home with Your Kids (21–30)
Play to develop hazard awareness
By catching only balls of the specified color, children can develop hazard awareness.
You’ll use a pool cue and colored balls.
Cut the pool cue lengthwise in half and join the halves to make a rail.
Set it up on a table, then roll various colored balls down it.
Ask your child to use the pool cue to catch only the balls in the color you told them beforehand.
Seeing, deciding, and moving instantly—this experience will surely help give children the power to protect themselves from danger.
