Keep reading for over 200 ideas for indoor activities for kids!
I imagine that in 20 to 30 years us and our kids are gonna be saying to the next generation, “Picture it, (your respective state) Spring 2020, the entire United States shut down,” and we will tell them all the crazy things that happened during this historic time.
Sadly, it will be a hard story for some families to tell. For others, like mine, we will tell of a time when we had to make the best of a bad situation by staying at home and finding ways to entertain ourselves.
Being homeschooled, and a mostly play-based homeschool at that, my kids were able to adjust fairly easily. They have had YEARS of practice playing independently so when I was coming up with a list about the indoor activities my kids liked, it included the following:
- Legos
- Pretend play
- Forts
- Audiobooks
- Coloring
- Sensory play like kenetic sand and water play
- Video games
- Walks around our neighborhood
- Paper crafts
- Hanging out in their hammocks
In order to come up with some more awesome things for your kids to do during this strange, and sometimes difficult time, I looked to some other bloggers for awesome ideas for indoor activities for kids.
Indoor Activities for Kids
Indoor Activity Ideas
Round-up posts with tons of fun ideas for indoor activities for kids.
9 Unique Ideas for Emergency Indoor Learning and Fun with Kids
This post not only includes activities for kids, but also tips on emergency preparedness as well as over 50 ideas on what to do at home with your kids.
LEGO Challenge
LEGOS are my kids go-to activity so they would LOVE this "30 Days of Play Calendar."
35 Fun Indoor Activities for Kids (for when you’re out of ideas)
50 Of The Best Fun Indoor Activities for Families
This post includes creative activities, imagination activities, energy busters, and quiet time activities.
87 Energy-Busting Indoor Games & Activities For Kids
Burn off some energy with these ideas for tape games, balloon play, silly games, scavenger hunts, and obstacle courses.
50 Awesome Indoor Activities for Bored Kids (No Parents Required)
Need to get some work done? No problem! Check out these awesome independent activities for kids.
21 Clever Ways to Keep Toddlers Busy
Trying to keep a toddler busy is no easy task, so check out this post for 21 ideas on how to entertain your toddler!
Boredom Busters for Families When You are Stuck at Home
An AWESOME round-up post with tons of ideas for family boredom busters, perfect for single parents or parents of teens.
65+ Things to Do With Kids at Home
From cooking to scrapbooking, this delightful post gives you a little bit of a lot of things!
66 Creative Things At Home With The Entire Family
Make the most of your time together by cultivating connection. I love this post so much.
Virtual Play Dates
How to be social in the age of social distancing.
Virtual Play Date Parties
If your kids are missing their friends or family, check out this post for adorable virtual playdate ideas.
Learning Activities and Worksheets
Perfect for the kids who need busy work which some kids totally do.
50+ FREE Printable Activities for PreK-Grade 3
If your kids LOVE sitting down with printables or worksheets, this post is for you with over 50 printable activities for kids.
Scavenger Hunts
The PERFECT fun activity for kids which can be done outdoors or indoors.
Nature Scavenger Hunt Printable
If you are able to safely go outdoors, check out this adorable post on having a nature scavenger hunt. You can even include family that lives far away!
Nature scavenger hunt printables
This site has AWESOME content on doing more outdoor nature things with your kids.
Pretend and Dramatic Play
Playing pretend or dramatic play would keep my kids busy for HOURS when they were younger. And I'm betting if I gave them some of these ideas today they would run with them!
25 Easy Pretend Play Ideas
Vet clinic, bakery, and elevator are just some of the awesome pretend play ideas in this blog post.
Pretend Play Printables For Kids
Some super cute printables for your pretend play needs including post office, passport, and groceries!
Sensory Play
Sensory or messy play is still one of my kids favorite boredom busters.
Sensory play: What it's all about
Learn what exactly sensory play is as well as some easy ideas to get you started!
100 Sensory Activities For All Ages
Sensory play isn't just for little kids, check out this post for over a 100 ideas for sensory play for kids of all ages.
Screen Time
Want to know one of a work-at-home homeschooling moms biggest tricks? Screen time. In some cases screen time can amplify bad behavior but that has never been the case with my kids. Check out the posts below for tv and video suggestions.
12 Best Video Games for Kids Moms Will Feel Good About
My kids love video games more than tv but I have no idea what they should play. That's why I love posts like this.
I started homeschooling in 2013 when my kids were 3 and 5. I started my blog around the same time taking many breaks along the way, but the biggest lesson I have learned is that educating your children at home is simple, not easy. And if you want to be successful at it you need to step up and be a leader.
In the words of Jon Acuff, you want to “pivot, not panic,” when you come across a challenge. In the words of Jocko Willink you need to “adapt and overcome.” This entire situation is NOT easy and you will probably need to give yourself some grace, but it is not impossible. And when this is all over, you will some pretty awesome stories to tell.
