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!
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Indoor activities and recreation games recommended for summer (21–30)
Kendama
With kendama, moving the sword in sync with the ball helps develop both the optic nerves and the body’s nervous system together.
It also gradually builds concentration.
Because you play with proper posture, your posture improves as well.
After practicing to a certain extent, if you teach them to use their knees in time with the kendama’s movements, their motor skills will improve even further.
Thunder Game
Let’s move our bodies while having fun! Here’s a thunder game idea.
If you’re spending time indoors, you might worry about not getting enough exercise.
That’s when this thunder game is perfect.
Children should lie down on their backs.
Make sure to leave enough space so they don’t bump into furniture or other people.
While a parent or teacher says “goro goro” (rumble), the children stay lying down.
When they hear the cue word “dokan” (boom), they quickly flip to put their stomachs on the floor.
Try whispering or speeding up the cues to add variety and keep it fun.
Coin drop game
Even in the heat of summer, you can enjoy a cool atmosphere with the “Coin Drop Game”! Fill a tank with water and sink glass cups or dishes inside.
Drop coins into the tank—if a coin lands in one of the submerged containers, you score! Using containers of various sizes expands the range of challenges.
You can also assign points based on container size and have players try multiple times, with the higher total score winning to boost the game’s excitement.
If you prepare higher difficulty settings and offer more luxurious prizes for tougher challenges, it will motivate kids even more!
What comes to mind when you think of ◯◯?
It’s a game called “What comes to mind when you hear ◯◯?” The rules are very simple: if everyone’s answers to the prompt match, you succeed.
If the answers don’t match, the game won’t end.
For example, with a prompt like “What comes to mind when you think of sea creatures?”, people might think of jellyfish, sharks, and many others.
Everyone needs to give the same answer.
The more people you have, the harder it is to match answers—and that makes it more exciting.
It’s a fun, highly recommended game to liven up a summer hangout at home.
100-yen store sticker book
Here’s an introduction to sticker books you can buy at budget-friendly 100-yen shops.
Kids really do love stickers, don’t they! Since they tend to stick them all over the place, letting them use a sticker book is a great idea.
There are also sticker books geared toward girls, like pretend-play sets and dress-up dolls, which are sure to spark your child’s fashion sense and love of style!
Chimney Balloon-Flying Game
Soft, floating balloons don’t hurt even if they bump into you, making them a perfect toy for little kids.
Here, we’ll introduce a game where you use a fan to send balloons flying.
First, tie a string to a plant stand you can buy at a 100-yen shop, wrap an A3-size PP sheet around it, and stand it upright to make a tube.
Stuff balloons into the tube, and your setup is ready.
At the count of “Ready, set, go!”, everyone fans upward from below to launch the balloons and play.
Try turning it into a game by asking, “Who can get the most balloons out?” and have fun!
Balloon badminton
The great thing about indoor play is that it isn’t affected by the weather and you can play comfortably inside.
Especially in summer, heatstroke is a concern, so we might end up playing indoors more and more from now on! Balloon badminton is a gentle activity that everyone can enjoy together, from little kids to grandparents.
Just replace the badminton shuttlecock with a balloon and play the same way you would badminton.
If you don’t have a badminton racket, you can substitute something like a plastic desk pad!
Ball games you can play alone
Here are five ball games you can play by yourself! First: kick the ball yourself, run, and pass it through your legs.
You’ll use your head, too, as you think about how hard to kick.
Second: toss the ball up and pass it through your arms—moving your body is the key.
Third: balance one ball on top of another and keep it still.
Fourth: hold the ball above your head, bend your body backward, pass it through your legs, and catch it—great for flexibility.
Finally, a game using a hula hoop: while the hoop is spinning, move the ball.
You don’t need to throw or kick hard to have fun with any of these, so give them a try!
Make ice cream
When you think of summer, you can’t help but crave an ice-cold frozen treat, right? Ice cream is easy to buy, so making it yourself might not even cross your mind.
But there’s actually a fun, simple way to make delicious ice cream—even kids can do it.
All you need is a food storage bag.
Just put the ingredients for the flavor you want inside the bag.
For example, for a yogurt-kiwi ice, add yogurt, kiwi, lemon juice, and honey to taste into the food storage bag, then squeeze and mash it with your hands.
Pop it in the freezer, and you’ll be amazed at how easily you can make a tasty ice treat! Try it with whatever flavors you like.
It’s a safe and fun indoor activity—and delicious, too.
Highly recommended.
Make curry
Let’s try making curry! But not real curry—we’ll play by making slime curry.
If you search online, you’ll find recipes for making slime.
It’s a pretend-cooking game where you make curry: preparing rice with play materials, chopping vegetables, simmering in a pot—it’s a really fun activity for kids who love cooking.
Through this kind of play, children can learn the actual steps of cooking, which comes in handy when they make real curry, so it’s highly recommended.
Give it a try when you want to enjoy an indoor activity that’s a bit different from the usual.