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It can be hard for kids to stay focused and happy when they’re cooped up inside all day long.
Children love to play outside when it’s nice and sunny, but what to do if the weather is bad? It might seem like a good day to head indoors and watch TV, but there are other ways to turn your house into an exciting place for the kids.
Luckily, indoor play can be so much fun. We’re excited to share several creative games and some fun ways that you can turn around a gloomy, rainy day with kids.
Indoor Games to Keep Your Kids Busy
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We included activities for busy families that your kids will love to do on a rainy day, especially the family is experiencing cabin fever.
This list includes so many fun things that will have your kids play all day long when stuck inside.
Obstacle Course
An indoor obstacle course can be as simple as a few obstacles in the hallway. Your obstacle course could include :
- something to step over (a longboard, couch, rug);
- something to crawl under (table, section of rug);
- something to climb up (stool, box, stairs);
- and something to walk on (rug, carpet squares).
Make sure it isn’t too busy and that there aren’t too many things in your path. You want something to stimulate them as well as be safe.
Freeze Dance
Freeze dance is a fun way for kids to move and have fun while listening to their favorite music.
To play freeze dance, play their favorite music, and when the music stops, the kids have to freeze in any position until the song starts again.
Even though it’s simple, kids love this game because it helps them burn off all that pent-up energy!
You can keep it simple by having a dance party. Either way, it’s great physical activity for your kids.
Treasure Hunt
Organizing an indoor version of a treasure hunt will be a big hit. It’s a different way to keep children busy for hours, especially if you have an entire room or house to explore!
A treasure hunt is a game where players search for a hidden treasure by following clues. The treasure may be a physical object, such as a box or a bag, or it may be a metaphor for something valuable, such as knowledge or love.
Dress Up
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Playing dress-up is perfect for entertaining your kids on rainy days. Dressing up in costumes, wigs, and makeup can be an entertaining activity for children of all ages.
It is a fun option for the whole family.
Scavenger Hunt
Kids love a good scavenger hunt, a game in which they get a list of items, usually objects, to find. It can also involve solving puzzles, and riddles, following clues and answering questions.
Red Light, Green Light
To play, a child is chosen to be “It” and positioned a good distance away from the other players with their back to them. The others stand in a line facing the It child. When “It” calls “Green Light,” the others move toward them until they spin around and shout, “Red Light!”
Talent Show
Use the rain to your advantage by doing a talent show with your kids. They will get an opportunity to show off their skills without worrying about what may happen if they try something new.
You don’t need fancy equipment for this idea, so it’s perfect for those rainy days when you feel like staying indoors.
Hula Hoop
Hula hooping is great for staying active. It’s also good for balance and coordination.
You can also use hula hoops as part of your scavenger hunt or when building your pop-up fort.
Paper Airplanes
Paper airplanes are a classic toy that most people have played with at some point in their life.
It’s easy to make, and they’re loads of fun. You can even use them indoors when it’s raining outside! If you use colored construction paper, the kids can create airplanes in different colours.
If you need a refresher on making them, you can watch this video.
Balloon Volleyball
The rules for playing balloon volleyball are pretty simple. The basic idea is that each player swings their arm to hit the other team’s balloons until they reach the “net” on the other side. All you need is a bunch of balloons and some net to hit them over and a partner.
Jumping Jacks
Having your kids do jumping jacks is great when it rains and your kids need an activity they can do inside while staying active.
It’s easy to set up. You can say, “let’s see how many jumps we can do” or “when I count to ten, let’s jump as high as you can!”
Card Games
Playing cards is a wonderful way for your family to spend time together. Some ideas include Go Fish, Memory Matching game and Solitaire.
Hide and Seek
Hide and Seek is a popular game for children to play inside. Kids love the thrill of trying to find someone who’s hiding.
They’ll also enjoy yelling out, “Ready or not, here I come!” when they’re in pursuit. You can play with kids of all ages, including toddlers.
Couch Cushions Fort
Build an indoor fort using cushions, blankets and pillows. It doesn’t take much effort, and the materials used don’t need special attention. You need enough blankets or sheets for each child plus two more for the walls they’ll be building, and lots of cushions from around the house like pillows, sofa backs etc. Then they can spend hours playing games inside.
Imaginative Play
Imaginative play is a type of play that focuses on the child’s imagination. It can be done alone or with other people and is not structured by an adult. The imaginative play may take any form, such as playing house, pretending to be animals, creating stories about oneself and others in one’s environment, and role-playing games.
Imaginative play has been shown to help develop social skills. Children tend to use their imaginations to understand how someone else might think or feel in a given situation; it also helps kids learn how they feel in various situations.
Playing imaginatively also improves language development as well as creative skills.
Wii Fit
The Wii Fit is a video game that includes several physical activities such as yoga, aerobics, balance games, table tennis, and skiing. It’s fun for kids, and they also get some great exercise.
Indoor Gym
With our Indoor Sensory Gym, your child can play for hours, especially during the rainy season.
Our different playground equipment is a fun way to provide your child with hours of mental stimulation, sensory development and help them build muscles.
Indoor Swing
Children love to swing, and now they can do it all year round with the Rainy Day® Indoor Playground Strap Swing!
Our swing can take over 100 lbs and is designed to hold and conform to your child’s backside to offer a better sense of security.
Indoor Playground
The kit includes an indoor swing for kids, an indoor trapeze bar, and the support bar needed to secure the attachments into place. Your child will build their muscles while they are busy playing in the comfort of your home. It’s an excellent way for the kids to get indoor exercise.
To get your own rainy day indoor 3-piece kit, you can grab it here.
Other Rainy Day Activities for Kids
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If you happen to have some of these items, you can create other simple kids activities :
- With some baking soda and vinegar, you can create some neat science experiments.
- Run a car wash with the toy cars by putting them in a sink or bucket with soapy water.
- Practice balance with a bean bag toss.
- Using a paper plate, have kids practice throwing balls into the plate. If they can get a few in a row, they win!
- Walking backward through the house can help build your child’s sense of balance.
- Have your child create a race track for toy vehicles using pool noodles.
Final Thoughts on Keeping Your Kids Active on Rainy Days
Even if you’re stuck indoors, we hope you’ve been able to gather a few more ideas for some rainy day activities. There is something to keep everyone busy, including older kids, toddlers and younger kids.
We even included some creative ways and new ideas for the kids to practise their listening skills and problem-solving skills.
Our Rainy Day product line was created to keep kids busy and engaged all year round, especially during those long, dreary winter days. Our durable Indoor Playgrounds are fun and brightly colored and will last many years. It’s the perfect way to keep the little ones active with indoor activities all year round.
