Indoor play activities for children can be fun and adventurous even when it is dark and gloomy or too hot to venture outside. Whether you’re stuck inside because of the weather or have limited outdoor space, these 30 indoor play ideas will keep children engaged and burning energy.
These fun indoor play activities work well when organised with children’s ideas and interests. When children are given choices to decide what to do, their sense of belonging, being and becoming soars. Given the opportunity to decide what they want to do and to help set it up, can boost your child’s confidence.
What’s more, indoor games and activities can support children to develop emotional, social, physical, cognitive and language skills, such as early literacy, fine and gross motor skills, balance, hand and eye coordination and mindfulness.
There is something for the whole family in our indoor home experiences. We’ve grouped these into:
- Physical indoor games for toddlers and preschoolers
- Group games for young children
- Activities that bring the outside in
- Secret housework or hidden children’s chore activities
- Skill-building indoor activities
- Activities to encourage a calming effect
Indoor physical games for toddlers and preschoolers
You only need a little space for toddlers and preschoolers play physical indoor games. Use a hallway or mark out an area of free space for physical play with masking tape. Many games played outdoors can be safely adapted for small spaces.
1. Obstacle course
Create an indoor obstacle course using mats, cushions, hoops, blocks, pool noodles and other items. As your child navigates the course, encourage them to move a certain way as they reach each obstacle. They can crawl, do jumping jacks, skip to the next activity, jump over a pillow and march. It is a fun way to promote physical literacy.
2. Soft ball games
Your baby can play with soft balls made with foam in safe indoor spaces. Begin by rolling a ball between you. If you don’t have a suitable ball, try a pair of rolled-up socks. Older children might prefer to play indoor bowls with empty water bottles or gently toss a foam ball to each other.
3. Match and move shuffle
Create shapes, numbers, letters or other symbols on the floor with lines of tape for a fun indoor literacy activity for preschoolers. You can have a set of matching cards which you shuffle. When you hold up a card or identify it verbally, your child moves to the matching symbol on the floor.
4. Colourful balloon games
Balloons are fun to bounce off empty walls or tap to keep up in the air. You can also play colour-based games like Find the Yellow Balloon or small group games such as Tunnel Balloon with a balloon.
5. Dance Away
Put your child’s favourite wriggle music on and dance! They can play dancing games such as Statue or dance and sing freely to their favourite tunes. Dancing is an easy way to get physical. Make a mixtape to encourage different dance styles like marching, galloping, slow walking and crazy moves.
6. Bubble play
Bubble play can be fun and adventurous for children. It has many benefits such as helping children develop both fine and gross motor skills, learning through repetition and sensory integration. When playing with bubbles, children can also learn about the concept of big and small.
Group games for young children
7. Musical cushions
Musical chairs is a lively and classic game that combines the excitement of music and the thrill of quick thinking. Instead of playing with chairs indoors, there is one less cushion to sit on each time the music stops. Musical Chairs engages gross motor skills and provides valuable lessons in adaptability and strategy.
8. Statues (also known as Freeze)
Statues is another classic children’s party game that involves music. It requires participants to freeze as soon as the music stops. The challenge comes when a person cannot hold their pose and moves while the music pauses. It enhances listening skills and promotes physical coordination.
9. Hide and seek
This game brings out the excitement in everyone. It involves one person chosen as the seeker who must close their eyes and count while everyone else scatters to find a hiding spot. The seeker then must search and uncover each hidden player, relying on their observation skills and intuition.
10. Paper plane race
First, make a line on the floor with masking tape. This line is the starting point where everyone stands. Then. see how far the paper planes can travel from this line. You can practise various folding techniques with a different piece of paper. Try wrapping paper or coloured construction paper.
11. Band Practice
Get the entire family together for band practice. Gather the instruments, including homemade shakers and a pretend microphone. What instruments will the children select first? Then, let loose and improvise with clicking castanets, dinging triangles and singing (la-la!). Alternatively, shuffle out some familiar nursery rhymes.
Bring outdoor activities inside
Looking for rainy day activities? You can easily modify these traditional outdoor experiences for indoor play.
12. Build an indoor cubby house
Give your child the tools they need to make a cubby house or fort, including boxes of all sizes, large blocks, pillows, scarves and a sheet. Plus, anything else that may help them to create their indoor tree house.
13. Classic hopscotch
Use masking tape to create your hopscotch grid on the floor. You can use large bottle caps as “stones” to throw into the squares. Children can crawl, step, hop or jump from square to square.
14. Indoor picnic
Pack a picnic or clothes basket with the basics such as bread, lettuce, tomato, cheese and ham slices, plus a picnic rug (or tablecloth) for a picnic lunch in the lounge or on the bedroom floor. Swap ingredients for age-appropriate and allergy-free options. Encourage children to make their own sandwiches.
15. Play indoor basketball
Multiple people or one person can play this fun game. Grab a ping pong ball and a bucket (an empty repurposed ice cream container works too). Each person throws the ball from the same starting point. When the ball enters the bucket, take one step back and try again. If you miss, keep trying until you’re successful.
16. Grow an indoor garden
This activity cleans up well on either a tiled or wooden floor or with a plastic sheet, such as an old bathroom curtain, to cover the carpet. Get some potting mix, seeds or seedlings, a short-handled garden trowel, a bucket, indoor pots, a watering can, and gloves. Fill the pots with soil and your favourite plants. Place in sunlit areas of your home for best results.
17. Hula hoop jumping
Hula hoops have many purposes. You can twirl and roll them with ample space, such as in the garage, or use them on the floor as a fixed point. Each hoop can have an activity associated with it. Personal favourites may include stomping, hopping on one leg, jumping or silly dancing.
Secret housework or children’s chore activities
18. Can you find… Treasure Hunt activity
Give your child a basket or bucket to put toys into. Then, ask them where a particular toy or stuffed animal is and play “hot” or “cold” to help them find the items you list (hint: they should be items they have played with and need to put away).
19. House cleaner for hire – a game for serious preschoolers
This roleplaying game comes with a serious choice. Your child can choose cleaning chores, such as scraping leftovers into a bin for the compost or washing the dishes after lunch or dinner. They might prefer to sweep the kitchen floor or dust the bookshelf for some pocket or play money.
20. Child Chef Prodigy
Preschoolers love cooking and helping to prepare food. Cooking with children helps them to learn essential skills such as learning about different ingredients, promoting creativity, following directions and how to measure. They also practise fine motor skills by using cookie cutters, mixing and stirring.
21. Which bin? Recycling and refuse
Invite your child to sort your waste into the correct recycling and refuse bills. You may have a bin for green waste to go into the compost, a container for recycling and a place to store textiles and other items that can be donated and reused.
Skill-building indoor activities
22. Mirror play for infants
Mirror play encourages children to explore and understand their bodies, facial expressions, and movements. Through mirror play, babies can develop self-awareness and a sense of identity. I also promotes their coordination and motor skills, and enhances their social and emotional development. Overall, mirror play provides a fun and interactive way for babies to learn and grow.
23. Art and craft
Art and craft activities where children can choose from loose-parts play to make something meaningful to their interests are bound to exercise fine motor skills. Gather natural resources, recycled items, scissors, glue, homemade playdough, craft sticks, pieces of paper, paper plates and paper towel rolls for lots of fun.
24. Sensory bin
Sensory activities are lots of fun. While some sensory experiences are messy, you can adapt an indoor activity with a sensory bin or bathtub. You can make a simple activity with food using jelly, dry fun cereals like puffed rice, chocolate powder and different fruits like oranges and lemons.
25. Home Library
Picture books are fun to have about when children are playing. These may be books that explore and build on their favourite interests. Children can sit and look through the books, listen to the stories within their pages or role play their favourite character.
26. Board games and puzzles
Keep a few simple games within easy reach. Preschoolers may prefer more adventurous card games and dice. Children can benefit from games that improve logical reasoning, symbol and number identification, colour arrangement and segregation abilities.
27. Block play
Give your child ample room and time to build, demolish and rebuild creative and familiar structures. Children learn so many things from block play. It assists in developing imaginative and social skills and their emotional well-being.
Calming activities to encourage sleep or quiet time
28. Yoga activities
Practising yoga promotes children’s physical fitness and flexibility, improves balance and coordination, and enhances body awareness. Additionally, yoga helps children develop mindfulness and relaxation techniques. It can enhance their ability to manage stress and regulate their emotions.
29. Listening to calming music
Calming music can help reduce anxiety and stress by providing a soothing and relaxing environment. Bedtime or during transitions are ideal times to use it. Calming music promotes better focus and concentration, supporting children to engage in reading or quiet time activities. Additionally, it can aid in regulating emotions and promoting self-regulation skills.
30. Meditation
Meditation can have numerous benefits for young children. It can help them improve their focus and attention span, reduce stress and anxiety, enhance their self-awareness and emotional intelligence, and promote mental well-being. Additionally, practising meditation from a young age can instil healthy coping mechanisms and mindfulness skills.
We hope these indoor play activities and games bring joy to you and your child’s day.
Build on your child’s ideas and interests with Petit Early Learning Journey
At Petit ELJ, we support children’s agency, recognising their right to make choices and decisions, where every child is capable of leading their play and learning. We inspire children to explore our indoor and outdoor environments to discover experiences that build on their ideas and interests.
Our educators approach the learning environment with the whole child in mind. They get down to the child’s level to see it from their point of view and invite children to collaborate on their learning journey.
We encourage you to come view our learning and play spaces too. Contact your nearest centre to speak to a Centre Director and discover how we can support your family and children.
