Are you looking for indoor games and activities to entertain your young one this winter? Check out this list of 25 fun and creative indoor activities for toddlers — guaranteed to keep their imaginations running wild and help them get the exercise they need! Best of all? There is no preparation required for parents! Just grab some bits and pieces from around the house and get playing!
21 easy indoor games for toddlers
Pillow Jumping
Pillow jumping is the perfect indoor game for your toddler! Build a pillow-filled bridge around your living room and let them run, jump and explore their way across. Kids use their imaginations to build tunnels, and castles, cross rivers and climb mountains. Plus, you won’t need to worry about the mess. Just race your toddler to run around and pick them up and put them away. Even tidying up can be fun!
Box it Up
There is so much fun to be had with a cardboard box! Give your child a big cardboard box, textas and stickers, and let them use their imagination on what to do. They can climb into the box and decorate it. You could cut holes in as windows or as a tunnel. Remember that next time you have a big cardboard box, put it aside for a rainy day! We have more great ideas for games with cardboard boxes here.
Balloon Balancing
Another fun game you can play with your toddler indoors is Balloon Balancing! Blow up a bunch of balloons. Then, have your little one carefully place all the balloons on top of each other. This activity will help enhance their motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and balance.
Roll-the-Ball Relay Races
Gather some balls of various shapes and sizes and give each child one ball. Make sure there’s plenty of space in the room, such as two separate paths or an area with obstacles, including furniture and toys. Instruct them to roll their ball until the finish line and race against each other; who can roll to the finish line first? Have a prize ready at the end for the winner!
Guess Who’s Got the Bean Bag
Hide a beanbag somewhere in the house and have your toddler search for it by guessing which room it’s in. As you’re helping them to explore each room, have them move around to keep their mind and body active. When they find the beanbag, reward their hard work with cheers and smiles!
Obstacle Course
Set up an obstacle course using pillows, cushions, and furniture to encourage crawling, jumping, and balancing skills.
Guess the Animal
Take turns acting like an animal using movements and sounds. The other has to guess what animal you are pretending to be.
Simon Says
One of the classic indoor games for kids encourages listening skills and physical activity. Call out commands like “Simon says touch your toes” or “Simon says jump up and down.”
Toy Drums
Set up various round household objects (plastic bowls, pans, cups, tins) to act as drums. Have your child use sticks to hit the ‘drums’ (big kitchen spoons work well!). Listen for the different noises and pitches that the various objects make.
Sensory Steps
Find a selection of different materials from around the house – such as bubble wrap, tiles, and woolly clothing – and create sensory steps for your child to step on. See how each feels underfoot.
Bowling
Use plastic cups or empty water bottles as pins and a soft ball to knock them over. This game helps improve hand-eye coordination and gross motor skills.
Puppet Show
Use old socks to make sock puppets and put on a puppet show. If you aren’t feeling creative, use a selection of soft toys! Seeing their favourite teddy acting out a play will surely make everyone laugh!
Animal Races
Pretend to be different animals and race around the room. You can pretend to be a frog, bunny, or crab, which can also help develop fine motor skills.
Balloon Volleyball
Blow up a balloon and use a makeshift net to play volleyball. This game encourages hand-eye coordination and can help develop gross motor skills.
Wall Shadows
Use a torch to make patterns and shadows on a wall. Can you make a bunny? A bird?
Hula Hoop
Use a hula hoop to play games like hula hoop toss or hula hoop tag. Or even just hula hoop! These games are great for building balance and coordination and provide plenty of giggles too.
Indoor Hopscotch
Create a hopscotch board using tape or paper, and let your toddler jump from square to square. This game helps improve balance and coordination.
Follow the Leader
Simple indoor games are often the best; this one is no exception. Take turns being the leader, and have your toddler follow your movements. You can incorporate jumping, hopping, and other physical activities. No equipment is required, and an excellent opportunity to be reeeeeeeally silly!
Water Play
Fill a shallow container with water and put various objects in it for your toddler to play with. What sinks, what floats? What is slippery? What is squishy?
Parachute Games
Parachute games are great for groups of multiple children. You can use a large sheet if you don’t have a parachute. An easy favourite is ‘Popcorn’, where you put soft balls (or scrunched-up pieces of paper) in the middle of the parachute, then everyone holds a corner and shakes the parachute. The balls look like popcorn!
Scavenger Hunt
Set your child a challenge to find things from around the house. This is a great way to practice numbers, colours and textures. For example, ‘Find me three yellow things’, or ‘Find me six soft things.’
What are your favourite indoor games to play with your toddlers?
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