37 Indoor Fun and Educational Activities for Kids at Home

Whether it is a rainy day, the kids are home from school for a few days, you work from home, or you need a minute to gather your thoughts, these super fun indoor activities for kids will come to the rescue to save your sanity every single time!

Next is a list of fun and educational activities for kids at home that will not only fight boredom but also spark imagination, promote learning, and help them break a sweat to get to bed on time.

Whether you have a feisty toddler or an eye-rolling teen, indoor activities are on this list for kids of all ages.

Here are the following categories of indoor activities and games for kids we will be discussing:

• Indoor Games for Kids
• Arts and Crafts for Kids
• Indoor Learning Activities for Kids
• Indoor Activities for Kids
• Indoor Physical Activities for Kids

While some of these indoor activities require special materials, some others require nothing at all.

As we go through these indoor activities for kids, I will share creative ways you can use materials you already have around the house. If you don’t have the necessary materials, I will also share how you can either make them yourself or purchase them online from Amazon.

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Indoor Games For Kids

1. Puzzle race

Puzzles are a great go-to any time of the year. They are also great to play as a family or individually.

One of our favorite family activities is puzzle races. Everyone gets an age-appropriate puzzle, and at the count of three, the race begins.

If you have to get things done around the house and can’t join the puzzle race, create a puzzle race or challenge amongst the kids. The more excited you make it, the more excited they will be to participate.

2. Board games

Board games are a great indoor activity for kids. If you have more than one child, they can play together. Otherwise, you can join the fun.

You can opt for Monopoly, Chutes and Ladders, or Candy Land. But, if you want to double up on the fun consider one of these popular board games the entire family can enjoy:

• Banana Blast (Ages 4+)
• The Floor is Lava (Ages 5+)
• Connect 4 (Ages 6+)
• Jenga (Age 6+)

3. Simon says

Simon Says is another excellent game for kids at home. If you have older kids, then they can take turns being “Simon” so that you can get things done around the house.

4. Follow the leader

Like Simon Says, following the leader will keep the kids busy and active.

5. Treasure hunt

This indoor activity is another family favorite. The possibilities are endless with a treasure hunt, and you can be as creative as you wish. Pick a handful of things that will make great “treasures”:

• Toys around the house
• Snacks
• Candy
• Easter Eggs
• Small toy prices (keeping a handful of these is a great idea for future activities and prices)

6. Easter egg games

Leftover Easter eggs make for great entertainment. You are in luck if you have any plastic eggs lying around the house or stored away. Here are 7 fun games to play with leftover Easter Eggs.

7. Card games

Card games were a big part of our indoor activities when I was younger. Although many more indoor entertainment options exist for kids, card games are still a great choice.

Here are some popular card games for kids of all ages:

• Go Fish, Memory, Old Maid, Crazy Eights, Slap Jack, Matching – 6 PACK (Ages 3+)
• Smack it (Ages 5+)
• Uno (Ages 7+)
• Headbanz (Ages 8+)

8. Red Light, Green Light 

Another fun and simple game is Green Light, Red Light. It requires no materials, and kids of all ages can play.

Instructions: Have all the kids stand beside each other in a straight line. Stand across the room and say, “Green light.” At your command, all the kids can “walk” forward. When you say, “Red light,” all the kids must stop immediately. Whoever is still moving after the “red light” command must return to the starting line. The child who makes it to the finish line first wins.

9. Plastic cups bowling

Bowling is so much fun, and kids of all ages love it. If you have a children’s bowling playset, it’s time to put it to good use.

If you don’t, no worries. Set up a plastic cup pyramid and allow your kids to take turns knocking down the cups with a medium-sized ball. We used these recycled Mac and Cheese bowls, which I have been saving for the last few months.

10. The sticky spider web

This indoor game is so much fun, and all you need is a good old roll of painter’s tape and tissue paper!

Instructions: Find a door frame where you stick a long piece of tape from side to side. Continue doing this as you create a spider web pattern. Once you have the desired shape, crumble baseball-sized pieces of tissue paper (gift wrapping) and hand them to each child. Taking turns, the kids will aim at the sticky spider web, hoping to land their ball.  Whoever gets more landing in 10 tries wins!

11. Tape maze 

You can get this done if you have a painter’s tape and a hallway.

My kids LOVE to go through this tape maze. Get creative with the strings of tape and make it challenging. Use a timer to make it even more exciting and have them beat their record.

The only rule is that no tape can come off the wall.

12. Bean bag toss

The bean bag toss is another family favorite and is an excellent game for school-age children to practice adding, as they will be doing so to count their final score. You don’t need to have the bean bag toss game to enjoy this game; you can make your version.

Tape 6 construction papers (different colors) on the floor, with three scores. If you don’t have anything that resembles a bean bag, make your own with a small piece of fabric, beans, needles, and thread.

Instructions: Have your kids take turns tossing the bean bag from a designated “throw line.” If over half of the bean bag lands in a scorecard, write the points on paper. Whoever has the most points after five tosses wins! This is a great math game for kids as well.

13. Bean bag basketball

You can play this homemade indoor game if you made your bean bag for the previous activity.

Place a laundry basket or a toy cubby across the room, and have the kids take turns tossing the bean bag. The winner is whoever makes the most bean bag shots in 10 tries.

14. Activity cube

The activity cube is a super fun and versatile activity. You can change the activities on the cube based on your child’s age and activity preference. Your cube activities can include anything from exercises to math questions.

How to make the activity cube: The easiest way is to find a small (squared) cardboard box around the house and wrap it in gift wrapping paper. The pantry is a great place to look. Then, attach your activity papers to each side of the box.

Instructions: Have your child roll the die and complete the activity that it lands on.

15. Charades

Who doesn’t love a good game of Charades? This is the one game that is a lot more fun when we play it as a family.

This Charades game for kids is a great addition to any family’s collection.

Some of the best things about these Charades games are that:

• The entire family can play together!
• No reading required
• Three levels of play
• Active game gets kids moving
• For three or more players, ages 4+

Arts and Crafts for Kids

16. Art gallery

Making an art gallery is so much fun. This indoor activity allows kids to let their imaginations fly, as they can choose any material they wish to use to make their artwork.

Instructions: Give each child a paper. Ideally, you should use heavy-weight paper, such as watercolor or sketching paper, to support the weight of the art supplies they will use.

Offer materials such as:

• Glitter
• Construction paper
• Scissors
• Glue
• Watercolor
• Stickers
• Washable Paint
• Crayons
• Markers

Once the artwork is done, create a gallery using this colorful Mini Clothespins and Rope system. You can also create your own by connecting a piece of string to two thumbtacks on the wall and using paper clips to display the artwork.

17. Make homemade playdough

Making homemade playdough is not only fun but inexpensive and safe. You can make playdough with only a few ingredients and this homemade playdough recipe for months.

Making playdough with only cooking ingredients ensures it is safe and non-toxic for your little ones. Also, keeping your playdough in air-tight ziplock bags after each use allows you to use the same batch repeatedly.

18. Coloring books

Another great option is this timeless indoor activity for kids. You can spice it up using different coloring options, such as washable paint, watercolors, crayons, markers, and glitter.

You can stock up on coloring books next time you visit the dollar store or order them in bulk through Amazon.

19. Watercolor or washable color art

Painting with watercolor and washable paint is another family favorite.

Here is a great washable paint set on hand for all things art.

To make it even more fun, we pick a theme, and all have to make a watercolor or paint piece around it.

Once dried, hang them in your brand-new art gallery.

20. DIY music instruments

Another simple and fun arts and crafts project is to make musical instruments with recycled supplies.

DIY musical instrument ideas: 

• Tube shakers: paper towels, cardboard tubes, beans, and tape
• Plastic egg shakers: plastic eggs, rice, tape
• Drums: small bowl and tape

21. Paper bag puppets

Chances are you remember making paper bag puppets as a child. Like sock puppets, paper bag puppets enable kids to use their imagination by decorating these cute little characters.

Indoor Learning Activities for Kids

22. Book reading and storytelling

Reading and storytelling are great ways to keep kids entertained indoors. However, not all children are thrilled with reading “for fun.”

Here are some ideas to help kids of all ages find joy and excitement about reading books and storytelling:

• Read a book to your kids out loud, acting out scenes as you read along. Once you’ve done this, discuss the book.
• Have older kids read a book and complete their reading journal.
• Have a story-telling family night. Gather around with snacks and cozy blankets as everyone takes turns telling a story.
• Create a question list for each book they read and have them answer once done.
• Buy them new books. Often, they get bored of reading the same books over and over. Here is where you can find cheap books for kids.
• Consider enrolling them in an online reading program.

23. Stem activities 

STEM is a curriculum based on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. STEM activities teach kids about scientific methods that can be applied to everyday life, computational thinking, and real-world problem-solving applications.

Many schools today have STEM programs kids can enroll in and start innovating.

You can opt for STEM activity workbooks, which offer creative hands-on projects that explore science, technology, engineering, art, and math. 

You can also choose between some of the most popular STEM games and activities for kids of all ages.

24. Educational online learning

Spending time indoors and out of school doesn’t mean learning has to stop. Many online apps and websites facilitate and encourage home learning.

Some of the most popular educational websites for kids include:

• ABC Mouse (ages 2-8, currently first month FREE and 60% OFF yearly subscription)
• Adventure Academy (ages 8-13, first month FREE, also from the makers of ABC Mouse)
• Reading IQ (ages 2-12, first month FREE)
• IXL (k-12 Curriculum)
• National Geographic Kids
• PBS Kids

25. Workbooks

Workbooks are another great way to keep the kids entertained while indoors.

There are plenty of activity workbooks to fit every age and every interest.

You can stock up on workbooks on your next trip to the dollar store, Walmart, Target, etc. Or you can order them on Amazon and have them arrive at your door.

Indoor Activities for Kids

26. Cookie baking and decorating

Okay, let’s face it—baking anything is always a good time. So what better indoor activity for kids than a cookie-baking and decorating party?

Whether you make the batter from scratch or buy ready-to-bake cookies and decorate them, what matters is spending time together.

27. Movie night

Simple yet classic…. movie nights never disappoint.

Grab your troop, pop some corn, and gather other favorite movie treats. Don’t forget to pull out some comfy pillows and blankets and enjoy a family movie together.

28. Video games

I know I know—video games aren’t always a parent’s favorite, but on days when the kids are home from school, and you have a million things to get done, video games can come to the rescue.

Oh, and… Remember to set time limits before you agree to this little fiasco.

29. Build a fort

I don’t know of anyone who doesn’t have great childhood memories of building a fort.

Whether you use the dining room table as a roof or push furniture together, there are many ways to create a cozy, magical fort.

Provide them with all the materials they need to create the best fortress ever—pillows, blankets, bedsheets, flashlights, and books. If you are feeling fancy, help them finish it off with some Christmas lights.

My husband and I once helped the kids build a fort out of cardboard boxes… It was epic!

30. Build a city out of Legos

Legos are very popular in my house. They are always fun to use as they allow the kids to make multiple creations. To make it more interesting, call out an object and have the kids build it, or have them join forces and make an entire city out of Legos.

31. Karaoke

Do you want to keep the kids entertained indoors? Let them do Karaoke!

This is so much fun, especially when you do it as a family. Get ready to laugh and dance as you sing along with popular songs.

You can download many Karaoke phone apps that will do the trick. But, if you want to make it official and declare Karaoke a regular weekly activity for the entire family, consider this cool Karaoke microphone for kids.

This BlueFire Wireless 4 in 1 Bluetooth Karaoke Microphone is a portable, hand-held wireless microphone that can be used as a microphone, Bluetooth speaker, loudspeaker, recorder.  It can easily connect via Bluetooth or a 3.5mm audio jack to your iPhone/Android Phone/Tablet/PC, or you can also insert a TF card to use the microphone.

Indoor Physical Activities for Kids

32. Put together a fashion show

Fashion shows are so much fun, especially for older kids. Let the kids sort through their closets (or yours if you dare) and organize a fashion show. Remember to specify rules before the catwalk begins: ” Every clothing item you use must be put back in its place once the show is over.”

33. Balloon rain

This activity is so simple, yet they love it! Inflate a handful of balloons and make them rain.

They can free-play by simply hitting the balloons up in the air… or you can make it extra fun by assigning them balloon challenges.

Here are some fun ones:

• “Don’t let the balloons touch the floor” challenge
• Balloon darts
• Balloon and spoon race

34. YouTube exercises for kids

Just because they have to be indoors doesn’t mean they can’t be active.

YouTube has a series of “Exercise Videos for Kids” that help kids stay entertained and active. You can log in from your smartphone, tablet, computer, or, better yet, a smart TV.

35. YouTube Dance Party

YouTube also offers a wide range of popular Dances for Kids. They are a blast!

If your kids are indoors for a particular time, consider adding dance videos to their routine charts and schedules.

36. Build an obstacle course

Another great indoor activity that will exhaust some pent-up energy is putting together an obstacle course. Look around your home for items you can use to put together a fun obstacle trail.

Chairs, furniture, shoes, toys, construction paper squares taped to the floor—be creative. Also, ask for their help; I guarantee you they will have plenty of great ideas!

37. Hide and seek

Last but not least is our good old friend, hide and seek!

It is exciting, energy-wasting, fun, and requires no equipment.

Make sure you specify the rules beforehand, for instance- places that are off-limits to hide in.

★ Related Articles:

• How to Create an At-Home Learning Routine and Printable Schedule 
• The Ultimate Chore List for Kids of All Ages 
• How to Help Your Child Develop Good Home Learning Habits 
• 7 Important Before and After School Routines for Kids

Final Thoughts About Activities for Kids at Home…

Motherhood is hard! I know firsthand that when children are home from school for days on end, it can be a challenge to keep them active, entertained, and learning all at the same time, especially if they must be indoors!

Despite the reasons to stay indoors, these indoor games and activities for kids are sure to keep them entertained and out of your hair for a while.

Although they can do most of these activities on their own, make sure you find some room to interact with them as they complete them.

Regardless of how overwhelming it might feel, having them home with you and enjoying these magical childhood moments with them is priceless!

What are your go-to activities for kids at home?

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