50+ Fun Indoor Activities for When You Are Stuck Inside

Ok Mom and Dad, here is your challenge– snow day. School is out but the roads are impassable. So, no fun road trip to the Children’s Museum. You pushed your kids to play outside already. Now their snow clothes are drenched and they have had enough outside play for the day.

It is only 10AM.

What is your plan? Do you have a plan? How about some fun ideas that will make staying at home just as fun as any adventure outside the house?

Well, I have come up with over 50 fantastic ideas for fun indoor activities for kids that will help save the day when you are stuck inside. If you do even a few of these activities you will be a rock star in your kid’s eyes. So, what is on the list? Read on to find out and embrace that snow day!

indoor activities for kids

50+ Fun Indoor Activities for Kids

  • Follow the Leader: Everyone gets a turn to lead. Young kids might not get it at first, so when it is your turn, introduce a silly walk or bust a dance move.
  • Simon Says: Simon says put your finger on your nose! Touch your head! Ack!
  • Marching Band: You can either make beautiful music with your kids using toy instruments, or you can make your own instruments!
  • Dance Party: Get those wiggles out! Click here for a great playlist to get you started!

indoor activities for kids

  • Sing Silly Songs: Who says you can only sing silly songs around a campfire! Break out some Laurie Berkner or Veggie Tales! For more kids music ideas, click here.
  • Red Light, Green Light: This is a great game to play in a hallway or playroom. You could even make your own stop and go signs beforehand.
  • Hide and Go Seek: Ok, seriously. This game was one of my childhood favorites. Just make sure you put limits on where your kids can hide!
  • Obstacle Course: Make tunnels, climbing structures, and other obstacles that your kid will have to navigate. Click here for obstacle course ideas.
  • Playdough Tea Party: Get your dolls and stuffed animals dressed up, set out the fine china (plastic teacups), and roll out/decorate some cookie and cupcake creations.

indoor activities for kids

  • Wash the windows: Trust me on this one, all you need is a squeegee and spray bottle. Your kid will be engaged for at least 1/2 an hour.
  • Board Games: There are so many great board games you can play with even young kids. Check out this list to get you started.
  • Watch a Movie: When we are low energy and the weather is yucky, there is nothing better than a bowl of popcorn and some snuggling in with a good Disney classic. Click here for a definitive Disney animated movie list!

indoor activities for kids

  • Build a Fort: You don’t have to get fancy– just drape a sheet over a table and call it a day. Or, check out more super cool ideas here.
  • Simple Painting Activities: There are so many simple but fun ideas for painting. Try these ones out-
  • Indoor Bowling: All you need is a ball and something to knock over. You could use empty cereal boxes, or paper roll tubes, or even block towers.
  • Mother, May I: Great for following directions. Might be better suited for kids in grade school.

indoor activities for kids

  • Make Necklaces and bracelets: There are so many ideas for making jewelry with kids. Here are some favorites:
  • Bake cookies: Nothing says indoor fun like whipping up a batch of Nestle Toll house Chocolate Chip cookies or even decorating sugar cookies!
  • Build a road for play trucks and cars. Go crazy and build a city!: Use masking tape or painters tape. You can even purchase ‘road tape.’ if you want to get serious. Check out some design ideas here.
  • Try a Science Experiment: Again, there are so many great ideas. Start with some of these ideas.
  • Build a Crepe Paper Laser Maze: This could be part of your obstacle course or a fun activity all on its own.
  • Build a rocket: Or really, anything else with Magnatiles. For more ideas on great activities you can do with magnatiles, click here.

indoor activities for kids

  • Decorate a box: Paint it, color it, put stickers all over it. Make it into a truck, a robot, a monster. You get the point.
  • Stickers!: Need I say more? Really, stickers. It is as simple as that. Check out a cool idea for a sticker wall here.
  • Play with ice. Need some ideas? Check these ideas out.
  • Measuring cups, water, and bubbles: You don’t even need to worry about making a mess. Just slap a bathing suit on your kids and let them have fun in the bathtub.
  • Create a grape sculpture: Great engineering activity.. and you get to eat the grapes afterwards! Check out the post here.
  • Make paper bag puppets and put on a show: This activity could easily take up an entire afternoon.
  • Hold a talent show: Show off that singing voice, tell a great knock-knock joke, do a cartwheel!
  • Have a fashion show or just play dress-up: Clearly, princess is a runaway favorite. However,  what about doctor, firefighter, astronaut? Have fun with it!

indoor activities for kids

  • Coloring books and crayons: A classic indoor activity really. Make it a date and whip out a coloring book of your own as well!
  • Make cards: Send a love note, a thank you note, an encouragement card. Really, anything would be great.

indoor activities for kids

  • Make handprint or footprint crafts! Create a great keepsake with your kids. Don’t forget to label it with the date! Here are a few ideas to get you started:
  • Play games on the iPad: Don’t be afraid of electronics. On the contrary, there are some fantastic apps out there. Check out a good list of kid game apps here.

indoor activities for kids

  • Look at family pictures: I really can’t think of a better way to bond with your kids than to sit on the couch, flip through family photo albums, and tell stories of how your kids were born, how you met your spouse, where everyone came from, etc…

indoor activities for kids

  • Make rainbow rice, or colored pasta: This is so. much. fun. It is fun to make it. It is fun to create and play with it afterwards. For ideas and recipes check out these links:
  • Play with Kinetic Sand or cloud dough: This is sticky sand that really doesn’t get messy. Just to be sure, keep it contained. Here is a great recipe for making your own!
  • Make marbled paper: This is so easy and so much fun. You can make the marbled paper and then cut shapes out for various projects. We made fall leaves! You can also make shaving cream paint and do the same thing. We made beautiful flowers.

indoor activities for kids

  • Create a suncatcher: There are a number of great ways to do this. Check out these ideas-
  • Make some gak or slime: Watch out Nickelodeon! This activity is so much fun. Here are a few recipes you have to check out!
  • Go on an ice excavation: Freeze small plastic objects in water and then let your kids dig them out. Instructions on how to do this can be found here.
  • Go on a lion hunt, or a bear hunt, or a bug hunt (or, you know.. a scavenger hunt): Pre-position items around the house and help your kid discover them. Maybe put together some simple clues.
  • Read a pile of books together: There are so many great books for kids, even young kids. Here is a great list to get you started.

indoor activities for kids

  • Practice forming letters: Form them with playdough, trace them with paint. There are a lot of fun techniques you can use.
  • Full body tracing: Have your kid lay down and trace their body. Then, when the outline is complete, let them fill in the details. Their creativity might surprise you!
  • Indoor camping. Pitch the tent, get your flashlights out, and make some smores!

indoor activities for kids

  • Have a mini-spa day. Paint your nails and have lots of giggles.
  • Create a small world with your kid and let their imagination go crazy! Check out these ideas!
  • Make a light table and let your kids be mesmerized by it.

So, are you excited to play yet? What ideas would you add?

Thanks for reading and I hope you make some fantastic memories from indoor play this season!
Sara

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