Indoor games and recreational activities recommended for summer
We’re introducing indoor games and activities perfect for kids in the summer! When you think of summer, many people probably picture outdoor fun like swimming at the beach, playing in rivers, or going camping.
However, it’s not realistic to go out every day during the holidays, and in recent years the extreme heat has made it difficult to spend time outdoors.
Considering children’s safety, it’s not easy to just say, “Go play outside!” For parents in that situation, we’ve gathered a list of indoor activities that are perfect for summer and fun to enjoy together with your kids.
With a bit of creativity, you can enjoy all kinds of play even indoors.
We hope you find these ideas helpful!
Indoor summer-friendly activities and recreation games (1–10)
Indoor bug-catching play
Recommended for 3-year-olds! Here are some ideas for indoor bug-catching play.
Many of you might want to catch bugs outside but worry about direct sunlight or insect bites.
This time, let’s hide handmade bugs around the room and enjoy a bug-hunting game.
You can make a bug-catching net from a plastic bag or flyers, and a bug cage from upcycled materials like milk cartons.
It’s a wonderful idea that makes the most of recyclables.
It’s a unique activity that both kids who love bugs and those who feel a bit uneasy about them can enjoy.
Goldfish scooping
Just like a summer festival! Here are some goldfish scooping ideas.
Many of you have probably tried goldfish scooping at a festival, right? This time, let’s make a goldfish scooping game at home.
You’ll need long, thin strips of colored paper, paper plates, a stapler, and more.
First, roll the long, thin strips of colored paper into loops and staple them to create goldfish.
Using round stickers and crayons will make them even cuter.
Then, cut out the center of a paper plate to make a scooper (poi), and try playing a pretend goldfish scooping game!
Painting with colored water ice
Enjoy the magic of color changes! Here are some fun ideas for painting with colored ice.
Summer is the perfect season for cool, refreshing activities, and you can bring that coolness into indoor play with ice.
You’ll need water, an ice tray, paint, aluminum foil, and straws.
First, fill the ice tray with water and mix in the paint.
Cover the tray with aluminum foil, poke straws through it, and freeze.
The finished ice will be colored and look like popsicles, but be sure not to put them in your mouth.
Making potato-starch slime
Here’s an introduction to slime made with potato starch (katakuriko), which is safe and harmless even if it goes into a small child’s mouth.
The fun of slime lies in its texture and the fact that you can actually make something with a curious, unique feel.
On top of that, being able to mix your favorite colors to create colorful slime is another enjoyable point.
It’s a doubly delightful activity because you also get to learn about the properties of potato starch, which is also used in cooking.
Sinking Game
It’s a “Sinking Game,” where you pretend the room is the ocean and run around to escape from a shark.
If you’re the shark, make sure to really hype everyone up! Lay down mats in the room to act as boats.
When the shark shouts, “Sinking!” the children must jump onto the mat boats.
You can also change the rules, like preparing “islands” made from hula hoops.
If the shark shouts other words that start with the same sound as “sinking,” the kids don’t have to move—so they’ll practice careful listening, too.
Let’s make spinning tops out of ice and play
Let’s make and play with cool, icy spinning tops—perfect for a hot summer! You’ll need water, silicone cups used for lunch boxes, wooden chopsticks or popsicle sticks, and beads for decoration.
They’re very easy to make: put beads and water into the silicone cups.
To keep the stick straight, poke a hole in the center of a piece of aluminum foil, insert the stick through it, and cover and wrap it over the top of the cup.
Freeze for a few hours, and you’re done! The tops will gradually melt, so enjoy watching the change as you play.
It’s best to play on a tray or surface that can get wet.
Fizz and pop! Make your own bath bombs
Let’s try making bath bombs—a fun and rewarding activity where you can enjoy both the process of making and the joy of using them! The basic ingredients are baking soda, citric acid, water, and, if you want to add color, food coloring; for fragrance, prepare essential oils.
Mix all the ingredients thoroughly, mist with water little by little to bring the mixture together, press it firmly into a mold, and let it dry for a day—that’s it.
You can make lots using cute silicone molds from a 100-yen shop and give them as gifts to your friends, too.