10 Great Indoor Activity Ideas For Kids

10 Great Indoor Activity Ideas For Kids

Rain, rain, go away come again another day. Or maybe it is snow, snow, go away come again another day. Here in the Midwest you never know what the weather will be like in the winter. It could be 60 and sunny on a Monday, and then 20 and snowing Tuesday morning. There is a saying that if you don’t like the weather in the Midwest just wait a few minutes and it will change. 

If you have kids in your house what do you do when that rain, rain won’t go away? You could always plop them down in front of some cartoons but where is the imagination in that? How about some indoor activity ideas to keep them busy and entertained? Here are some ideas for some indoor activities for kids that are sure to bring your family together and help pass through those rainy days.

Hide and Seek

This is a staple indoor game for my kids. And is a great one to play along with them. Sometimes I will hide in the most obvious of places but the kids always go check the same spot that they hid in. We have to set boundaries though because often they will try to hide in locations that are just not safe.

Card Games

Card games are not only a great indoor activity but also a great learning tool. Playing some UNO or go fish can teach your kids some basic math skills and color recognition. Make sure you pick age appropriate games or the fun might be short lived.

Construction Block Building

Using age appropriate LEGO or DUPLO construction blocks you can get those gears working and build something. I would suggest that maybe try to work with them and build something outside the instructions. Coming up with new creations and mixing together sets can be fun and exciting.

Board Games

Just like card games board games make for a great way to pass the time on a rainy or snowy day. Playing classic board games like Sorry or Life can help entertain all for hours. I would recommend staying away from Monopoly as it has been known to cause family drama.

Charades

Need an indoor activity idea that gets them up and moving? Kids always need to burn some energy so playing charades not only keeps them busy it gets them up and moving acting out the charades. If you need help see this charade generator to help with the fun.

Fort Building

Fort building requires no blue print, no extra materials, no game pieces. Just a little imagination and some chairs and some sheets from the beds and bam, instant fun. Last summer there was restrictions on camping in tents so instead of camping out we camped in and made a fort and slept in it. My son was so excited he wanted to do it every weekend. 

Cooking

As long as they are old enough to help cook, cooking with your kids is not only a great indoor activity but also a good bonding experience. Passing on recipes or discovering new ones together can create new memories that will last them a lifetime. Just remember to have fun and don’t worry about the messes you create. In fact if there are messes it is a good experience to learn how to clean the kitchen.

Reading

Reading is an indoor activity idea for kids that could be done individually or as a family. If the kids are older maybe everyone can sit in the same room and read whatever book of their choice. But if you have younger kids perhaps you let them pick out some books and you try reading to them or together as a family.

Art Time

With art time the key is to let them have open imagination. Put on some old clothes and put out some newspaper or protective covering and let them go at it. You can let them finger paint or color with marker (washable of course). You could also build paper mache hats or upcycle some bottles into boats. Just have fun with it and let them experiment.

Video Games

I was hesitant to add this but I add it with a big caveat. The kids can’t just go play video games by themselves. Pick games that are multiplayer and can be played on the same screen. Something like Mario Kart or Wii Sports. If they can get up and be active that makes it even better. The idea is to spend time together as a family and not just space out playing a video game.

Bonus: Play Outside

If it is safe for your kids it really doesn’t hurt for them to go play out in the rain or the snow. Now obviously we don’t want our kids to play when it is lightning or may temperatures are way below freezing. But my kids have a blast putting on some rain boots and rain jackets and stomping through puddles, or bundling up and sledding through the snow. Technically this isn’t an indoor activity idea but once they are done you can bring them in and have some hot chocolate and snack to warm them up.

Using indoor activities for kids to pass the day on those bad weather afternoons will make your kids look forward staying inside. I know a time or two my kids got upset because the power didn’t go out during a storm because they know as soon as the power goes out we break out the board games. And you don’t even have to wait for bad weather. Just schedule a day of fun indoor activities for your kids and have a blast. If you need some extra ideas check out this link.

Got any other ideas for fun indoor activities? If so drop a comment or let us know on our Facebook page.