Elementary School Fun Day a Big Hit! Indoor Game Idea Collection
Here are some active indoor games that will get elementary school students excited at their fun party! Even on rainy days or in cold seasons, if you have games you can really enjoy in the classroom, everyone can have a great time together.
From relay-style games that build teamwork, to brain-teasers that get minds working, to physical activities that get everyone moving, we’ve gathered games the whole class can dive into while cooperating.
Preparation is simple, and they all use familiar materials, so there are plenty you can start right away—give them a try and have fun!
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Brain Teasers, Logic, and Telephone-Style Games (11–20)
A game about finding the correct moves
Act out the prompt’s movement and have others guess it.
For example, if the prompt is “forward roll,” the guesser should try various movements that come to mind.
The children around, who know the prompt, should react to each movement.
Decide in advance how to react when the movement is close to the prompt—for example, by cheering.
Using those reactions, the guesser narrows down the correct answer.
It’s also fun to have multiple guessers or to play team versus team.
You don’t need any materials, it’s a simple game, and it’s sure to get everyone excited.
Looking for the King
A fun King-Finder game for large groups.
First, split into a Detective Team and a King Team.
The King Team will imitate the King’s movements for one minute.
During that minute, the King should change their movement three times.
The detectives carefully observe during this time to figure out who the King is.
Setting a time limit can make it even more exciting.
At the end, the King Team asks, “Who is the King?” The Detective Team answers, “The King is ___,” and tries to guess correctly.
Adjust the difficulty according to the players’ ages and enjoy.
Say one thing, do the opposite game
https://www.tiktok.com/@wego_official/video/7419632630842330376It’s funny how you get tripped up even when you think you’ve got it! Here’s an idea for a “Say the same, do the opposite” game.
It’s a great way to get moving even indoors! The rules are simple: while saying the instructed word exactly as given, you perform the opposite action.
For example, if the instruction is “Forward!”, participants should repeat “Forward” while jumping backward.
The key actions involve front, back, left, and right! Since it doesn’t require knowledge or strategy, it’s an easy and welcoming game for first-timers too.
Drawing Telephone Game
Are you all good at drawing? Let’s play a “drawing telephone game,” where you play the classic telephone game using drawings.
The first person looks at the prompt and draws a picture.
The next person looks at that drawing and draws the same thing.
You keep repeating this until the last person has drawn their picture.
The last person then guesses what they drew.
Of course, it rarely goes smoothly, which is what makes it so much fun.
Prompts like animals or characters are recommended because they’re easy for young children to draw.
Give it a try at your party as a fun indoor game that everyone can enjoy together.
Alphabet Bingo
Here’s an idea for Alphabet Bingo.
You’ll need bingo cards and a set of cards with one letter of the alphabet on each.
To play, draw one alphabet card and read the letter out loud.
If the called letter appears on your bingo card, place a chip on it.
When your chips line up vertically, horizontally, or diagonally, you get Bingo! Once you’re comfortable with the basic rules, try adapting the game by matching pictures to letters or playing it like a karuta-style game.
true-or-false quiz
A classic game: the True-or-False Quiz.
How about trying a ○× quiz that even large groups can enjoy? Prepare questions that can be answered with true (○) or false (×) and write them on big sheets of paper.
If you have space, you can make it more dynamic by having “○” people move to one side and “×” people to the other.
These days, there are plenty of videos that compile trivia quizzes, so using those is an easy option.
Of course, creating your own original quiz questions is great too.
Questions related to school or fun secrets about friends and teachers can really liven things up! Prepare lots of questions and give it a try!
Rhythm 4
This is a game that tests your ability to listen to instructions and make decisions by calling out your own name in time with a 4-beat rhythm.
You advance through the four counts using actions like tapping the desk or clapping, so the overlap of sound and movement adds to the fun.
You need to listen carefully to which person the previous player called and on which number, then decide and act accordingly.
By adding variations—such as changing the actions for each number or introducing instructions that aren’t just names and numbers—you can enjoy the game at a higher difficulty level, which is recommended for those who’ve gotten the hang of it.
