Activities Kids Can Do at Home – Fun, Affordable Easy Ideas & Inspiration
Help the kids have fun at home with these easy indoor and outdoor activities using simple household items, pantry staples, recycled materials and a little bit of imagination!
As families stay home to slow the spread of COVID-19, with the cancellation of countless upcoming events and travel at a standstill, we hope these ideas will come in handy for the days and weeks ahead, especially during the school holidays in April. Keep the boredom at bay with:
♥️ Indoor Play
♥️ Online Adventures
♥️ Arts & Crafts
♥️ Backyard Fun
♥️ Baking & Cooking
INDOOR PLAY
Build a Cubby or Fort
Kids love doing this! Grab all the blankets, cushions and pillows you can (provided you are happy using them!) and find a cosy corner in the house, ideally next to a sofa or something you can peg blankets onto. Let the kids arrange it using whatever they can find, then once you’ve finished, you can all have a nap together – perfect!
Indoor Stair Slide
If you have stairs, putting together a few packing boxes like this, makes the coolest indoor slide for the kids.
Indoor Camping
Why not sleep out in the living room for a night for something different? Use cushions, sleeping bags, air beds and pillows and get comfortable on the floor. When it’s bed time turn off the lights and ready a story by torch light.
Or let your child camp in their own bedroom. Mr 11 built this fort below and slept in it for about 3 weeks last year. It was a bit back-breaking and difficult for Mum and Dad to crawl in and out each night to say Goodnight, but he loved it.
Reading
It goes without saying that ‘quiet time’ is essential to help cope with long periods of time cooped up at home for any reason. Books take you away to another world and are vital to a child’s learning, and equally important for older children and adults alike. Re-read an old book on your bookshelf, buy new books online or try e-books from the library. It’s free to become a member at your local library.
Board Games
It may seem obvious, but board games are the perfect way to spend time with kids inside, particularly as they get older and can play more challenging games. Some of our favourites include: Othello, Monopoly, Uno and Scrabble. Remember there are lots of junior versions of regular board games for the younger kids.
Puzzles
Great for all ages levels – start of with an easy one and move up to smaller, more difficult pieces. Siblings can even time each other to see who can put the puzzle together in the shortest time!
Play Cards
Get a traditional pack of cards and play as a family, or teach the kids an old classic game they can play on their own – such as Solitaire (pictured below). Games that are great for kids include Go Fish, Runny, Snap and Crazy Eights. There are also great cards games you can buy, such as UNO – read more here about a new version.
Games in the Dark
Remember playing games in the dark? Good old Hide n Seek is always fun for little ones (and can be played during the day) or play a game of Spotlight – turn the lights off (or close the blinds during the day) and someone who is ‘it’ hides with a set of keys in a cup and a torch. They need to keep their eyes closed or water an eye mask. They have to shake the keys now and then to make a sound and when they think someone is near, try to catch them with the flash of the torch. Everyone else playing has to try and grab the keys without getting caught in the spotlight!
Hallway Hurdles
Everyone can compete in this one – including pets who are happy to play! Stack cushions one row at a time, then take turns jumping the pile each time you make it higher. Try not to touch them with your feet!
Mini Hallway Golf
Indoor golf is fun for all ages so get creative with some boxes and create a target to aim the ball at. Keep score with the number of shots it takes to get the ball into each opening. If you don’t have a golf club try a stick or bat and experiment with different balls, such as a tennis ball or ping pong ball. Read more here
Paper Planes
Paper planes are a fun, creative way to play inside – have a competition as to who can fly their plane the furthest! See our Paper plane activity here.
The Floor is Lava
Kids love this one! Make an obstacle course inside that the kids have to complete without touching the floor. Use cushions, chairs, the couch, low coffee table, beanbags, dog bed…whatever is safe enough to stand on to reach the safe destination!
Indoor Scavenger Hunt
Make SLIME
Have you tried to make slime at home? It’s so much fun and a great indoor activity. Check out our super popular posts on How to Make The Best Fluffy Slime, How to Make Glitter Slime and the if you’re having trouble getting the desired result – check out our tips on How To Fix Slime!
#Instaband & #TogetherAtHome
Celebrities around the world are spending their time in self-isolation by using the power of social media – they are recording themselves singing live and sharing it with the world to enjoy from home – like Guy Sebastian below. Look up your favourite artist, find a comfy spot to chill out and watch their performance on Instagram or Facebook.
View this post on Instagram
Tik-Tok Videos
If your children are older and using the Tik-Tok app, there is plenty of entertainment at their fingertips, and the opportunity to record their own fun and share it with their friends.
Spotify Playlists
Spend time selecting your favourite songs and making a family playlist – maybe for a special event coming up in the future, or just to enjoy listening to now. Perhaps take turns playing your favourite song in the background while enjoying other activities around the house.
Dance Competitions
Do a dance-off in the lounge-room with the kids. It burns off a surprising amount of energy and it’s also lots of fun. There are also some hilarious video dance offs going viral on social media – why not make a video to entertain your friends and family. For some inspiration, CLICK HERE to see some of our favourite family music videos we’ve seen recently.
Family Concert
Put on a family concert (or parents you can just be the audience!). If your kids love to perform, help them set up a stage area, dress up in costume or fancy dress, choose the music and away they go! Send a video of the performance to grandparents to watch, or to friends, and maybe challenge them to make their own.
Games and Challenges
Use these everyday objects to create fun challenges for kids.
Check out more ideas here:
♥️ Online Adventures
♥️ Arts & Crafts
♥️ Backyard Fun
♥️ Baking & Cooking
Have an idea not listed here? Please feel free to share it with us so other families can enjoy it too. Just email us at hello@playandgo.com.au or comment below.
At Play & Go Adelaide we make every effort to provide accurate information to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication. We recommend confirming times, dates and details directly before making any plans as details may be subject to change.
Image Source: Photos by Play & Go / Infographics as specified
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