Fun Indoor Games for Elementary School Kids Without Any Equipment
Looking for easy indoor games? Don’t miss this! In this article, we introduce indoor games for elementary school children that don’t require any equipment.
We’ve gathered a variety of activities—from energetic movement games you can enjoy indoors to word-based games.
Since you don’t need to prepare anything, they’re perfect for when you want to play right now! They’re also great for rainy days, extreme heat when it’s hard to go outside, or when it’s difficult to prepare enough supplies for everyone.
Give these a try and enjoy fun, never-boring time indoors!
[For Elementary School Kids] Fun Indoor Games You Can Play Without Any Equipment (1–10)
Epicenter Game
If you’re looking for a fun indoor activity, the “Epicenter Game” is perfect.
It’s great for groups of five or more, so it’s ideal when lots of friends get together.
The rules are very simple: one person is the epicenter, and everyone copies their movements.
The twist is that everyone keeps changing their movements to mislead the guesser.
Can the guesser find the real epicenter? It tests observation and insight, so everyone’s brains and bodies will be working at full speed.
It’s a fun game that will liven up the room even when you can’t go outside!
Monster Hunter Game
The “Mouju Kari Game,” a play-along game set to a rhythmic song, is super fun! Everyone stands in a circle, and when an animal name comes up, you quickly form groups based on the number of syllables in the name.
For example, “zou” (elephant) means a pair of two.
The rules are simple, so it’s easy to start right away.
It naturally builds quick reflexes and decision-making, making it perfect for elementary school kids.
Play it as a family and it’ll strengthen your bonds, too.
Great for indoor play on rainy or hot days.
Before you know it, the room will be filled with smiles!
Word association game
A word-association game where you link words together—it’s a fun activity that everyone can get excited about! Once you pick a theme, take turns saying the words that come to mind.
It’s super simple because you just say a word you associate with the previous person’s word.
But the process of working together to draw out new words one after another is perfect for developing children’s vocabulary and imagination.
You can play as many times as you like by changing the theme, so it’s great for rainy days or indoor play on weekends.
If parents and kids play together, it’s sure to be even more fun.
And the fact that you can start right away without any tools is part of its charm.
human disentanglement puzzle
The human knot is a classic indoor game you can enjoy without any equipment.
First, everyone forms a circle and holds hands randomly with people who aren’t next to them.
Linking hands with someone farther away makes it more challenging! Once everyone is connected, try to untangle the knot without letting go.
Work together—raise and lower your arms and talk it through.
If you manage to untangle everything and return to a single circle, you’ve succeeded.
But sometimes it ends up as two circles…? It’s a fun game that uses both your brain and body, so give it a try on a rainy day or a hot day!
Bamboo Shoot Nyoki
When it comes to indoor games you can start right away with no preparation, the classic is “Takenoko Nyokki”! It’s a simple game where, to the chant “Takenoko takenoko nyokki-ki,” players take turns calling out “One nyokki, two nyokki,” adding a motion like bamboo shoots sprouting as they speak.
If your timing overlaps with someone else’s, or if you’re the last one left, you’re out.
It’s a light psychological battle where you watch others while trying not to be overly cautious.
As a game that lets kids move their bodies energetically even indoors, it’s popular among elementary school students.
Gesture Game
A gesture game you can start right away with no props! Everyone forms a circle and acts out prompts using gestures.
Performers are challenged on their expressiveness, and guessers have to stretch their imagination.
The atmosphere is super friendly, and even onlookers can’t help but smile.
It’s perfect for indoor fun with family and friends on rainy days or hot days! It also sparks lively communication, making it great for school or party entertainment.
Come on, let’s all get excited together!
Have fun with variations! The ‘Wild Beast Hunting Game’
In the classic Beast Hunt game, you form groups based on the number of letters in the beast’s name, but this is a remixed version! It starts the same with the leader’s call, “Let’s go hunt beasts!” followed by everyone shouting out weapon names in a call-and-response.
From there, the leader and the children head out to slay the beasts.
There are small beasts and big ones, so choose your weapons as you go and take them down.
The adult acting as the leader will need some performance skills, but kids love pretend battles.
Let your inner child out and have fun together!
