Here are some inspiring ideas for fun indoor games.
It's raining outside and all your kid's friends have gone. Why not do something fun together?
• Go on a bear hunt
Collect all your child's soft toys and hide them around the house. See if they can find the, using the “hot/cold” method to guide them. Fish, fowl or something between the two…
• Make a hut or den
Drape a blanket or cover over a clothes horse or across two sofas pushed together – and now turn it into an adventure.
• Play a memory game
Collect up some household objects, place them on a tray and let your child look at them carefully. Cover the tray with a cloth and see how many items they can remember.
• Play hide and seek
Place a few blankets at strategic points around the house to create additional hiding places. It's best if you play, too, but work things so that it's you who most often does the seeking.
• Build tunnels
Make them together with your child using stools or furniture, and create an obstacle course for them to climb through.
• Play let's pretend
Children can be doctors, kings, queens, manage a beauty salon or work in a shop. The adults have to go shopping, be cured or get a new hair do.
• Create an orchestra
Get out all the pots and wooden spoons to make a kitchen band. Plastic containers filled with rice make good shakers. Put on a favourite song and turn it into a proper party!
• Dance
Jump around to cool drum music, do fairy dances to softer music or just listen to music and play.
• Sing
Get out a songbook and sing along together. Sometimes kids know more than the adults, because they learn songs at nursery. You could maybe let them lead the singing!
• Create your own city
Get out all the building blocks, LEGO, trains, toy towns, cars, trucks, dolls and other toys. Push the furniture back so you have space for building.
• Bake something tasty
You could get creative and have fun with this. Invite your neighbours, friends, maybe even the cuddly toys!
Read our tips on computer games, apps and board games for children.
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