Whether it's a rainy day, a break from gadgets, or just some unplugged family time, there are plenty of ways to keep children entertained and engaged indoors without having to rely on screens. From baking to board games, these activities are great for encouraging physical activity and social interaction.
Below are 25 screen-free indoor activity ideas to try out at home:
1. Bake cookies, brownies, or a cake. Click here to try out our fun "Good Kid Cookie" recipe
2. Make a sensory bin or play with one of our pre-assembled sensory bins.
3. Or try out other fun sensory crafts
4. Play dress up using old halloween costumes
5. Host a formal indoor tea party. Make some special treats to go with your tea. Get dressed up and teach your kids proper etiqueete for tea, how to set the table, etc.
6. Play some classic games like "red light green light," statues, or "Simon Says" in your hallway
7. Build a bird house or bird feeder
8. Practice your origami skills
9. Grab some old t-shirts and have an indoor tie-dye party
10. Teach your pet new tricks
11. Print out free printable worksheets
12. Solve a puzzle
13. Play "would you rather?" or "20 questions"
14. Have an indoor dance party
15. Build a blanket fort with a blanket over a card table or make a custom one out of a big cardboard box. Visit our Pinterest site for some amazing cardboard box ideas!
16. Practice yoga
17. Clean and organize you room
18. Play Charades
19. Put on a puppet show. Have the kids make little puppet theatres out of a shoebox or cardboard box, puppets, and have them put on a puppet show. Make it an all-day event by having them make tickets and treats for intermission!
20. Create an scavenger hunt
21. Play family board games
22. Have an indoor picnic
23. Plant an indoor garden
24. Let imaginations soar with Tinker Toys, Legos, or other construction sets. A few of our favorites include Suction Construction Building Set, Plus Plus Snap and Link Sets, and our Jelly Blox Sensory Building Set.
25. Play Hide and Seek – or play hide 'n seek with a small stuffed animal (one person hides it and everyone else searches for it). Have older kids provide written clues.
More articles you might enjoy:
The Many Benefits of Sensory Rich Play and How To Make Your Own Sensory Bins
Fun in the Kitchen: Cooking Activities for Kids and their OT Benefits