Being cooped up at home can drive anyone a little bonkers. While you adore your family, spending every waking moment together can test anyone’s patience. A fantastic way to break the cycle of boredom and quell that urge to hide away is by engaging in games. Hear me out! Sharing laughs and smiles with your kids is a wonderful way to ease the stress and shake off the monotony of being indoors. Plus, if you pick some active games, your little ones might tire themselves out earlier than usual! If you’re simply looking for a way to keep your mini-monsters entertained for a few hours, check out the game ideas below.
Ever find yourself halfway through November thinking, “Oh no, winter is going to drag on!” only to realize it’s not even winter yet, and you still have months of chilly weather ahead? Or perhaps you live in a warmer climate and feel the same urge to isolate yourself during the hottest summer days.
No matter where you are, a lengthy bad weather weekend can make you realize just how challenging it is to be home with kids all day. Of course, our kids are our pride and joy, but when cabin fever sets in, keeping them entertained can feel like an uphill battle. Luckily, we’ve compiled a list of over 20 fun indoor games for kids, so you can take a breather.
Quick Suggestions for Immediate Relief
If you’re desperate for a moment of peace, these simple ideas require minimal effort from you.
- Be Nice to Your Sibling for One Hour: Can they manage it? You might want to promise a small reward, but you know they can be sweet to each other at times.
- First to Clean Their Room Wins: You’ve probably been on their case about their messy rooms for ages. Let the winner choose lunch or dinner for the family or pick the movie for the night.
- Let Them Cook: Allow your kids to impress you with their cooking skills. Points can be awarded not just for taste but for cleanliness too—meaning they have to tidy up after themselves!
- Dust Off That Old Game: Remember that game they pestered you to buy last Christmas? You probably have it somewhere in the closet. Suggesting or playing a game like “Pie In The Face” requires no effort from you.
When They Need a Bit More Guidance
If your first attempts didn’t quite work, try these activities.
- Coloring Pages: The internet is full of coloring pages. Print them out or let the kids color on their tablets.
- Mazes: There are countless websites filled with mazes of varying difficulties for your kids to tackle.
- Get Interactive with a Wii: If your kids need to burn off some energy, a Wii or Kinect can help them stay active indoors.
- Optical Illusions: Remember those fun illusion posters from book fairs? Kids might not even know about them anymore!
- Optics4Kids: This website teaches about optical illusions and challenges kids to create their own.
- DailyTop10: Check out their fun optical illusion videos that your kids will enjoy.
- Thanks, Michael Bach!: This optical illusion enthusiast has gathered over 100 illusions that will keep your kids busy for hours.
- PC Magazine’s Collection: They’ve compiled a variety of optical illusions as well.
- Brain Den: For the ultimate collection of optical illusions neatly sorted, Brain Den is the place to go.
- Make Your Own… Book: This book guides kids in creating optical illusions while reducing their screen time.
- Magic Eye 25th Anniversary Book: The beloved series has released a new book to celebrate its milestone.
Fun Activities to Engage Together
Once you’ve had your break and feel ready to join in the fun, here are some great ideas for family time indoors.
- Painter’s Tape Fun: Use painter’s tape to create a hopscotch or obstacle course in your living room.
- The Floor is Lava: Rediscover the childhood game of navigating through the room without touching the floor!
- Minute to Win It Day: Recreate challenges from the popular show “Minute to Win It.”
- Balloon Volleyball: Use painter’s tape for a makeshift net and play volleyball, or see who can keep a balloon in the air the longest.
- Card Games: Dust off those classic card games from your own childhood and teach your kids.
- Host a Scavenger Hunt: Create a list of items to find or make it an “I Spy” challenge for added fun.
- Hide and Seek: A timeless game that kids will enjoy, no matter how well they hide!
- Follow the Leader: Teach them silly walks or fun movements to imitate.
- List25: Explore their content for fun and interesting activities to do together.
- Fort Building: Instead of lounging on the couch, grab some cushions and blankets to build a magical fort and enjoy lunch inside!
- Architecture Challenge: Use popsicle sticks to create something grand, like the Empire State Building. It’s a fun project that can keep you busy for hours.
This article offers a treasure trove of ideas to keep kids entertained indoors. For more engaging activities and tips, check out our other blog posts like this one here.
In summary, being stuck indoors can be a real challenge, but with these fun activities, you can keep the kids entertained and find some peace for yourself. Whether you’re playing games, creating art, or building forts, there’s no shortage of ways to beat cabin fever together!