– BALLOON GAMES –
Keep the Balloon Up
This may be the most absurdly simple of all the indoor games with friends – blow up some balloons, tell the kids to keep the balloons from touching the floor, and get the party started! Admittedly this can be one of those games that can get a little rambunctious indoors, so move the breakables out of the way.
Balloon Tennis or Balloon Volleyball
String up a divider as a net and see how many times they can volley the balloon over the net without it touching the ground. Fly swatters, plastic spatulas or a wooden spoon could work well for the tennis game, but they aren’t absolutely necessary. (This works best with only two children playing for safety reasons.)
– SENSORY & SORTING FUN GAMES –
Touch-and-Feel Boxes
This is a great indoor game for kids to get them to focus on the sense of touch in a world so focused on the sense of sight. Train their minds to associate information other than just how the object looks. Start by putting interesting objects into containers that a child must reach into and identify by touch. Shoe boxes work well as they can be easily cut with scissors and do not let light through. Making the boxes is part of the fun – have the kids decorate them, just make sure to cut out a child-sized hand hole on the side of the box beforehand. Place an item in each box and have your kids take turns guessing what the items are. Encourage questions and offer clues as needed.
Sorting
This is another indoor activity for kindergarten readiness that you can easily pull together. When a child plays a sorting game, they are analyzing objects, describing and comparing them and engaging in critical thinking. Start by creating “bins”, which can be as simple as using tape on a level surface.
Colors: For younger kids, using colors is the easiest way to start a sorting activity. Try taping down pieces of colored construction paper, then gather objects to match. (LEGO Duplos work well.)
Advanced: Sort by the texture of a surface or type of object, for instance wooden vs plastic vs metal.
More variations: You can make it into a full on game by timing how fast kids can find 5 objects of each type. Or enforce an order that they must retrieve them in – first red, then blue, then yellow, then repeat.
Bubbles
We typically think of bubbles as an outdoor activity; this version can be played indoors. Get a plate and straw for each child and put a coin-sized drop of dish soap on it. Mix a little water in until suds form. Each child then puts the end of the straw straight up and down into the suds so that a layer of soap forms over the end of the straw. Blowing very slowly, a single bubble will start to grow! Can you blow a giant bubble? How long can you hold it for?
I Spy
I Spy and its variations are wonderful sensory games and activities for young kids to get to know the world around them. For a child who has never played, you can start by picking out a secret object in plain view and say, “I Spy something blue” and see if the kid can guess it correctly. If there are multiple children then they can take turns looking around and guessing.
Variations: Limit the number of guesses each child gets. Or, say things like “I Spy something that is a circle.” The difficulty is easily changed by what you are actually spying (smaller or less obvious things) and how you describe what is spied (bumpy or soft things, for example).
Not all indoor games for kids have to be screen free. We offer some fun interactive games for kids that can be played together: Websites That Make Screen Time, Family Time.
– TAPE GAMES –
Balance Beam
This is a more easily set up indoor game than you might think. Using painter’s tape (go gentle on flooring), tape down a line of any length, and test. Challenge your child to follow the line all the way to end.
Angles: Try taping down further lines at different angles. Spirals and zig-zags are always fun. This is one of those physical games for kindergarten readiness that is easy to practice.
Backwards: Switch up the challenge by having the child walk the tape line backwards or with eyes closed (socks off so they can feel the line).
Other variations: Walk the tape line heel-to-toe or try jumping down the line (both feet still on!)
Tape Maze
If you’re able to create enough space on the floor, constructing a tape maze can be a super fun indoor activity. Design a simple maze for toddlers or add blind alleys to challenge older kids.
Add balls: Can the kids dribble a small ball through the maze without crossing any of the tape lines? Get a timer and mark how long it takes the kids to move the ball through the maze – then challenge them to improve their time.
Number maze: This is a good variation for children who are learning number recognition and counting skills. Mark numbers along the maze route the child can follow in the correct order from start to exit.
Design a Driving Course
Again, you’ll need the painter’s tape for this indoor activity. Design a road map on the floor for your kid’s collection of matchbox cars and those other mini vehicles we somehow all accumulate. Get creative and add other pieces to make a street scene or use furniture in the room as obstacles. The kids will have fun driving all over town all day long.
Variations: The tape course is limited only by your imagination. Trains could follow train tracks or unicorns could dance on rainbows. Add cardboard boxes or tin cans to build a whole city.
– SOCK FUN GAMES –
We like the idea of a rolled up ball of socks because you probably have one sitting in that laundry basket next to you, but any of these games could be played with a tennis ball, as well.
Sock Basketball
Basketball games for indoor fun? You betcha! Make a few “snowballs” out of pairs of socks, get a laundry basket (or smaller receptacles for more challenge), and you’re all set. Kids can take turns throwing to score, and they could even take the risk of a longer throw worth more points!
More sock basketball variations: Each kid throws the ball, and if they score they take a step back. The one to score from the furthest distance wins.
Sock Hockey
Likely the safest way there is to play hockey – no helmets or even sticks required! We like to use a plastic laundry basket tipped sideways for the goal. Pick a kid (or adult) for goalie and try to toss the socks into the goal.
Sock bean bag toss: A great use for that large cardboard box you were about to recycle. Cut holes of various widths and shapes and assign point values to each one. Flip the box upside down and you’ve got an instant carnival-style bean bag toss. You can use soft socks to toss or small balls such as ping-pong. Little prizes totally optional.
Hot Potato
This indoor game can get a little giggly, so be warned! It is great though, because it is one of those games to play with kindergarten kids up through older grades. Grab any soft ball or rolled up socks and underhand-toss it to a child. Instruct them to toss it to someone else as quickly as possible. Each child repeats this. When does this game end? Who knows? Just get rid of it!
Hot potato variations: If you have enough children for this indoor activity, play short segments of music while they toss the object, stop the music, and the last child to touch it when the music stops is out of the game. Repeat until there is only 1 child.
For games and activities to play physically when you are sick of your own home: Twin Cities Indoor Playgrounds and Play Areas Guide.
-MOVEMENT GAMES –
Charades
If you haven’t played this classic game, then you need to. Right now! This game is all about acting out a word or phrase using no spoken words whatsoever. It can be easily modified for any age group. For full instructions visit here.
Animal Charades: Write down, print out or use stickers of different animals depending on the ages of your kids. Cut out each animal, fold in half, and place in a bucket. Begin the game by having the first child choose a piece of paper. The child then acts out the animal silently while the other children try to guess what animal is being portrayed. Charades games are so versatile that they can be group indoor games for 5 year olds, one on one games for 2 kids or even adult games with no kids at all. We like this game when we’re tired, too.
More variations: All secret words could come from a theme such as movies. Or play with a partner and compete against other sets of partners.
Duck, Duck, Goose (or Duck, Duck, Grey Duck for us Minnesotans!)
If you are looking for an easy but fun indoor game to play with kindergarten and preschool-aged kids, you found it! You’ll need about a minimum of 6 children to play. Choose someone to be the Goose (or Grey Duck); the other kids sit in a circle. The Goose then walks around the circle, tapping each kid on the head and calling, “Duck, duck, duck, duck…” Eventually, the Goose calls “Goose!” when tapping a child. The old Goose has to run around the circle and try to sit in the vacant spot before the new Goose can catch them.
Either: 1) the Goose is able to run around the circle and sit down in the new Goose’s spot without being tagged and a new round of the game begins. Or: 2) Goose is tagged before he/she gets to sit down in the vacant spot and remains the Goose for the next round.
Indoor Bowling
You will need a level space indoors to create a “bowling alley” for this game. Collect items to act as pins such as empty water bottles or plastic cups. A small ball works best for indoor bowling; nothing heavy is needed. If there are a lot of kids, make it an indoor team.
Variations: Make a bulls-eye on the ground out of masking tape or one on a piece of paper. With each section worth different amounts of points, the kids can take aim and challenge each other.
If you’d prefer to get out of the house instead, try our list of Twin Cities bowling alleys.
Musical Chairs
Get your dancin’ shoes on! This game is best with at least 4 or more children playing and 1 additional person to stop the music. This is probably the most popular of the children’s group games for inside.
Variations: If you don’t have enough chairs, try substituting pieces of colored construction paper taped to the ground. When the music stops, the child who gets both feet on first claims the spot.
Indoor Obstacle Course
Depending on the skill level of the stations you create, obstacle courses can be fun indoor games to play with kindergarten-aged children through adults. Here are some ideas for your course that you could put in any order:
- Put down pillows or couch cushions for the kids to jump from one to the next. Or, the kids could jump over the pillows or cushions!
- Climb over ottomans.
- Allow only jumping/somersaulting/crawling/crab walking from one area of the course to another.
- Put down some balance beams as described in game #2.
- One of my personal favorites as kid – crawling through tunnels made from blankets or sheets hung across chairs and couches.
- Perform various exercises such as 20 jumping jacks, etc.
- Crawl under tables
- Slide down flattened boxes from the couch to the rug
- Jump through into a hula hoop circle
Variations: For older kids, time them to see how long it takes them to go through the whole course.
Sardines
Tired of the same old indoor group games for kids? Shake up your game of hide-and-seek a little with only one person hiding and everyone else doing the seeking. In the game of Sardines, as soon as a seeker finds the hider, he or she must join the hider in the hiding spot. (It’s a fun challenge to discover a hiding spot that will fit your whole crowd!) The last person to find the spot becomes the hider for the next round.
Hide and Seek
This has to be one of the oldest games on planet Earth. It ranks among my favorite indoor games for family get-togethers. Anyone from tot to grandma can play along. (This is a good way to modify hide and seek for smaller kids).
In the dark: The variations of this game can be truly fun for both kids and adults. Hide and seek in the dark (or dim room) can be a mildly spooky thrill. It really can be a lot harder to find someone, which appeals to older kids. As with all games, exercise caution and talk ahead of time about what’s off limits.
The Floor is Lava
I had to add this idea to our list of indoor games for preschoolers because my four-year-old LOVES this game, which she learned from her older siblings. Any time, any where she is likely to yell, “The floor is lava! Mom you’re dead”. Sweet, I know. It is a very easy game to learn. When the floor is declared lava, no one is allowed to touch it. Players have to get where they are going by stepping on furniture and anything they can toss on the floor. Hint: I always declare that moms and dads have special lava shoes, so we can still walk on the floor.
Variations: Hey! You could make anything lava: “The fridge is lava.” “Mom’s chocolate is lava”. It could work?!
Many of these Fun Physical Games for Kids can be adjusted to be indoor games for kids.
– SCAVENGER HUNTS & TREASURE HUNTS –
Scavenger Hunt
If you haven’t done a scavenger hunt lately, then you just aren’t living! Depending on how many items you want the kids to find and how many kids are a part of the game, you can either hand write the lists of items for each child, or type it up on a computer and print out copies. If the items will be in difficult hiding spots, write clues next to each item on the list. The kids will love the adventure and challenge.
Traveling Scavenger Hunt
A scavenger hunt can be taken on the road rather easily and many attractions (museums and galleries in particular) offer their own versions.
Color & Number Hunts
Simplify the hunt for younger children. Instead of writing items on a list they may not be able to read, mark boxes of color on a white piece of paper and ask the children to find items around the house to match the colors. Add numbers into the mix if they have a grasp on those.
strong>Variation: When we’re out in public waiting in a line we often play a stationary color scavenger hunt game. First kid spots something red, second kid something orange and so on down the rainbow. It helps to pass the time and aids the youngest kids in learning their hues.
Puzzle Piece Hunt
This works best if you start with a relatively tidied-up space (which we find in short supply around our house.) Hide the pieces of a large jigsaw puzzle around the room and ask the kids to hunt for them. Bring the pieces back one at a time to fit together into the completed puzzle.
Glow-in-the-Dark Hunt
This awesome idea came from our reader, Denise, and I had to share! Denise said, “My kids love it when I hide glow-in-the-dark stones, turn off the lights, and let them see who can collect the most. They usually demand we repeat the game multiple times (ages 4 and 7).” I found some cute glow-in-the-dark stones online for a pretty reasonable $10.
Treasure Hunt with Clues
This indoor game usually gets all ages in our family involved. The younger ones often request their older siblings to design a treasure hunt that will lead them around the house in search of some token prize (usually fruit snacks). The challenging part is writing the clever clues that will lead the seekers from point to point until the treasure is located. Adults can be involved and make this as simple as necessary for younger kids to play if they cannot yet read. For instance, using picture clues instead of written clues.
Rhyming clues: Older kids might enjoy the extra challenge of creating clues that rhyme. Bonus: they’re working on their writing skills!
More Scavenger Hunts Around Town: Twin Cities Quests, Scavenger & Treasure Hunts for Families
– TABLETOP GAMES & BOARD GAMES –
Dominoes
Another one of those classic games for kids and adults alike. Visit here for instructions on how to play. You don’t even need to buy dominoes, just print them and cut them out!
Domino Chain
Unlike playing the game dominoes, you’ll need to purchase these from a store. This is one of those active games for kids that can go all day on a rainy day. Simply set them up one after the other and tip them over!
Mahjong
Similar in size and shape to Dominoes, Mahjong is another tile game. Like dominoes, you can find printable versions online or pick up a cheap set that will last for years. Find the traditional Mah Jong rules here.
Rube Goldberg machine
The objective of a Rube Goldberg machine is to complete a simple task using a complicated series of steps. (Yes, making it complicated is actually the fun part.) My kids have built these machines at home to compete at our local county fair. Your own Rube Goldberg machine doesn’t need to be nearly so involved. The goal is to link together simple devices to produce a domino effect, in which each device triggers the next. Completing a simple task is optional and can depend on how much the children want to be challenged.
Our Favorite Board Games for Families
Board games — the ultimate indoor games for kids. Below is a fun games list of some of our classic favorites. We know that families often look for indoor games for 4 players. Most of these board game activities for kids will accommodate four or even more players.
- Candy Land (Great color and counting game for preschoolers)
- Sorry!
- Monopoly
- Chutes and Ladders (Great counting game for preschoolers)
- Chess
- Checkers (Add Chess & Checkers to your list of 2 player games indoor ideas)
- Pictionary
- Scrabble
- Twister
- Buildzi – A Fun Family Game That’ll Keep Kids Busy for Hours
- Blokus Strategy Game
- Four Score
- Any age-appropriate trivia game.
More: Gianna shares her: Top 3 Games to Play with Preschoolers and our friends at Grand Rapids Kids have even more suggestions: 25+ Best Family Board Games for Kids. They cover toddlers through teen/adult board games.
Leave us a comment: What are some of your board game ideas for kids? We’ll keep growing our list.
Marbles
When collecting marbles for this game, make sure to get 1 bigger marble for each kid that is going to play. First, make a circle 3 feet wide out of masking tape or string. Place 3-5 marbles near the center of the circle for each player. Each child takes a turn, with their hands outside the circle, flicking their big marble out of their fist with their thumb towards the marbles in the center. If they knock any marbles out of the ring then they get to keep them and play again. If they miss, then they leave their big marble there until it is their turn again. The winner is the kid with the most marbles when all marbles are knocked out of the ring.
Dice Games
A set of 10 dice can fit in your purse and you instantly have mini games to play at home or wherever you land. These are four of our favorite family indoor games you can play with just a set of dice, paper and pen. The links will take you to instructions on how to play.
- Beetle: The game is entirely based on random die rolls so any age can play.
- Yahtzee: Great for kids starting in grade school through adults.
- Dice chess: Knowledge of chess basics is required to play.
- Farkle: Knowledge of numbers and computation is required to play.
- Left Center Right: This fun and fast-paced game can be played with ordinary dice and chips.
- The Money Game: I made up this game when my kids were learning the value of coins. We dumped a bunch of coins in the center of the table. Each player would take turns rolling a die and counting out the number of coins based on the number they roll (1-6 cents per turn). The goal is to get to $1.00 first. To make it more of a learning game, at the end of each play, the player trades out their change for the least amount of coins (i.e. if they have five pennies, they trade it for a nickel. Two dimes and a nickel trade out for a quarter, etc.). This game offers enough chance and excitement, that even the bigger kids have fun playing it.
For when you need some place to go for indoor summer games and activities: 10 Free & Air-Conditioned Indoor Family Outings.
– CARD GAMES –
Great Card Games for Families
Kid-friendly card games are an easy way to keep indoor games for kids on hand. While you can buy books with instructions for more game than you’ll ever be able to play, we recommend some of the most popular games for families to start:
- War: (instructions). (See more ideas for indoor games for 2 players below).
- Crazy Eights: (instructions)
- Rat Slap: (instructions)
- Spoons: (instructions)
- Llama Drama: (read our review here)
- Kings Corners: This is our family favorite for the summer of 2023. (instructions)
A deck of cards is one of the most versatile toys to keep on hand. I love them because they are inexpensive, usually recyclable and small enough to store anywhere.
– PAPER GAMES –
Paper Games – Indoor Games & Activities For Kids Anywhere You Might Need One
These classic paper games are fun, super portable activities (all you need is a sheet of paper and a pen) and require no set up or clean up. If you are looking for indoor games for just two players, these are always good go-tos. What would you add to this list?
- Hangman – children do need to know their letters to play this game. You can start with simple, three-letter words to practice spelling skills or increase the challenge for older kids with multiple words or phrases. Give the kids a hint by telling them a category the word falls into (i.e. “Animal”).
- Dots and Boxes
- Tic-tac-toe
Master the Paper Airplane
There are so many great paper airplane designs. Do an internet search for some new folding instructions and see who can make the best-flying airplane. Need some help getting started?
- Stefania Luca of Non-Toy Gifts published: The Awesome Paper Airplane Book for Kids: Creative Designs and Fun Tear-Out Projects in 2021
- The Science Museum of Minnesota shares this printable template to make your own Delta airplane.
Paper Airplane Landing Strips
This is a great engineering game we love from What Do We Do All Day? Can you design the ideal airplane to land in the correct “landing strip?” Get creative with the landing space adjusting the size to fit the kids playing.
Tackle a New Origami Project for Some DIY Toys
Origami, like paper airplanes, has in inexhaustible supply of online patterns and instructions. Spend an afternoon searching your favorite characters and chances are you’ll find an origami. Here are a few search word ideas we have had good luck with:
- Grogu/Baby Yoda
- Pikachu
- Lucky Box
- Pac Man
- Elephant & Piggie
– QUIZ GAMES & SPOKEN GAMES –
No equipment, no storage necessary for any of these games.
Alphabet Game
This activity is all about coming up with themes and is among the family pastimes that are easily convertible to group indoor games. I’ve listed some theme ideas below to get you started. Within your chosen theme (or category), take turns with letters of the alphabet and come up with things in the theme. For instance, in the theme “Animals”, you would have anteater, baboon, carp, duck, etc.
- Animals
- Countries and US states
- Famous people (many sub-categories here, actors, actresses, etc)
- Household items
- Kitchen items
- Food
- Drinks
- Movies
- Cartoon characters
Variations: Normally played in the car, start from “A” and say things that you see while driving or find each letter on signs and license plates as you pass. Or, create more of a challenge for older kids by having them come up with 5 things in each category.
Rock, Paper, Scissors
For anyone looking for mini games indoors, this is the go to. I always love using this game to settle something when I don’t have a coin to flip. You can play once or keep busy for a long wait at the doctor’s office.
Variations: Try holding a tournament. You can get as fancy as you want, writing down the tournament brackets of all the children on paper, or having each child play all other children and see who gets the most wins.
Telephone
The more kids the better. Line the kids up, think of a sentence of sufficient length, and see what that sentence becomes by the time each kids whispers it into the next kid’s ear. O.M.G. Funny.
Twenty Questions
This activity is great one for indoors, car rides, and anytime you are waiting. Super easy to play – one person thinks of an object, and another person has 20 questions to guess what it is!
Variations: Instead of a thing, one person thinks of something in a category such as famous people or occupations.
Two Truths and a Lie
This game is a favorite of the short fun games for kids when a leader needs to facilitate introductions, but it doesn’t need to be used only with strangers. Each kid simply writes down two truths and one lie about oneself, and the others need to guess which one is the lie.
Variations: Try a game of two lies and a truth and guess the truth!
Fortunately/Unfortunately
I think this game is based on a children’s picture book; my kids actually suggested it out of the blue on a road trip one day and I’d never heard of it. We first divide into two groups (“fortunates” and “unfortunates”). Then, one of the fortunates starts a story with a positive sentence (“Fortunately, I won the lottery today!”) and an unfortunate replies with a negative one (“Unfortunately, my mom made me spend all the money on my little brother…”). Repeat the sequence and listen in amusem*nt as your story grows pretty wacky!
Jeopardy
Perfect for grade-school kids who need a break from the screens. Create a homemade game of jeopardy and suit the categories to the age group you’re playing with. You provide your own game questions and price levels. Materials used can be as simple as writing the categories on a white board or pin post-in notes to a bulletin board. Split kids into three teams, if possible, and rope an older sibling or adult into being the game host. For buzzers, use three different noise makers (we use small musical instruments such as shakers and whistles). Once buzzed, the team has a certain amount of time to come up with the correct answer. (via How to Adult).
The Song Game
I thought I made this game up. We used to play it in the car, but now I see it is a board game, too. When we played it in the car as kids, we would let the youngest sibling say a word and we would have to come up with a song about the word, In our rules, there was no winner or loser, it was just a fun way to keep us busy in the car.
More Like This: Games You Can Play with No Energy, No Space and No Screen
– CAR GAMES –
Almost everyone has at least a handful of toy cars – like Matchbox or Hot Wheels. My siblings and I could play with these for hours and I have one child who feels the same way.
Car Races
We always had a set of those long orange tracks that we could daisy-chain together. But, if you don’t, you can use strips of cardboard to make a track. Line it down some stairs or from the dining room table to the floor and see whose car goes the fastest or longest. Take this a step further for school age kids and build soap box cars for a old-fashioned soap-box derby.
Car Painting
Kids can make some pretty cool art by driving a toy car through poster paint on a large sheet of poster board. Get different size cars and use different color paint to make a variety of tracks. This could make a great focal art for a kids bedroom.
INDOOR GAMES FOR KIDS OF ALL AGES, CATEGORIZED
INDOOR GAMES FOR KIDS AGES 2-4
For indoor games & activities for preschoolers, we often want to think of fun physical games to tire the little ones out – especially when the weather is uncooperative for outdoor games. We have a few ideas for both physical games for children as well as quieter games for preschoolers indoors. While this list is all toddler approved, many of these simple games for preschoolers can be adjusted for older kids, too.
- Balance beam
- Touch-and-feel boxes
- Sorting – Sorting games make good color games for preschoolers.
- Bubbles
- I-Spy
- Keep the Balloon Up
- Painting with Cars
More: Screen Free Preschool Fun: Entertaining My Youngest While the Others are At School
INDOOR GAMES FOR KIDS AGES 5-8
Some of the best fun can be had with these indoor games & activities for school age kids. You’ll recognize many of these games to play with school-agers from your own childhood. We’ve suggested this list as great indoor games for kindergarten through third grade, but like all the games, they can be adapted for other ages.
- Simon Says
- Duck, Duck, Goose
- Hide & Seek
- Charades
- Indoor Obstacle Course
- Musical Chairs
- Paper Games
- Car Races
More: 25 Easy Arts & Craft Ideas for Kids Throughout the Year
INDOOR GAMES FOR KIDS AGES 9-12
As kids get to middle school age, games can sometimes get a bit more complicated, but are still a great deal of fun. When your kids are looking for fun games & activities to play at home with friends inside, they could try any of these games.
- Indoor Bowling
- Sock Basketball
- Marbles
- Board & Table Games
- Card Games
- Dice Games
- Dominoes
- Mahjong
- Rube Goldberg Machine
- Quiz Games
“Fun physical games to play in the water? Family Exercise Fun: Twin Cities Indoor Waterparks and Pools.
If you have more fun games and indoor activities ideas for kids, we would love to hear them. Leave us a message in the comments, send us an email or tag us on social media. Let’s get this list up to 100!!!
75 Fun Indoor Games for Kids was originally published in 2016 by Tom Kingston and has been updated periodically by FFTC Staff.
