Rain, rain, go away, come again another day! If the weather outside isn’t conducive to outdoor play, no worries: here are some games to play with the kids when you’re stuck inside.
Land, Sea, Air
Listening and lines are all that’s required of this simple game. Choose a spot either with a natural line, such as kitchen tile, or place some tape on the floor. Behind the line is “land”, the front of the line is “sea”, and jumping up is “air”. Now, the kids have to follow your commands, in random, getting increasingly faster as you go. If anyone makes a mistake, they have to do three jumping jacks and then try again. This fun twist on Simon Says will have you all howling in no time.
Basketball
Choose some simple household objects to create a makeshift basketball with hoop. It can be as simple as a crumpled piece of paper and trash can or balls of socks and a laundry basket. Have them take shots from different spots around the room.
Maze Game
On the floor, make a checkerboard pattern with pillows, tape, or paper. You’ll need a start corner square and exit corner square on the opposite side. Draw out a pattern on paper for your kids to follow in order to make it out. To do this, they can move left, right, forward, or backward one square at a time. Choosing the wrong square means they have to return to the beginning and start over.
Puzzle Train
Gather up all the board puzzles in the house, with difficulty depending on ability. You may want to stick with 20-piece puzzles for smaller children, for instance. Make a curvy maze with each one throughout the house, going down hallways and through rooms. Place a small treat under the last one, such as a piece of candy or some gum. Then, turn over all the puzzles so the pieces fall out right under the board. Now encourage them to make their way through the puzzle train, putting each one together as they go. When done, they uncover the prize.
Jumping Challenge
To get their hearts pumping, hold some jumping challenges. How high can they jump? How far can they jump? Can they hit your hand? Can they hit a spot up on the wall? Have them set goals and then see if they can meet them.
Huckle Buckle Beanstalk
This is a twist on the classic game of hide and seek, But rather than people hiding, you hide an object instead. Choose an object to hide in plain sight somewhere in the house. If your children are little, you may want to confine this game to one or two rooms. The kids then have to put their hands behind their backs as they move throughout the house. When each person spots the object, they discretely murmur, “Huckle Buckle Beanstalk,” then go take a seat on the couch. Once the object has been spotted by everyone, choose a new object and person to hide it.
Scavenger Hunt
This is a classic for a reason. It’s fun, and it can take up quite a bit of time – which is great for weary parents who can take this opportunity to enjoy a cup of coffee. Hide various items around the house and create some lists of the objects your kids have to find. As they find them, they check off the item on the list and receive a prize when everything is found.
Obstacle Course
Create a mini obstacle course in your house for the kids to walk on, climb over or shimmy under. Use tunnels, pillows, couch cushions, blankets, hula hoops, tape trails, and pool noodles. You can even put a spin on the obstacle course, such as hot lava, where the kids have to stay on cushions, pillows, and couches and can’t touch the floor, aka “lava.”
Home Cinema
Have the kids choose a favorite family movie, prepare bowls of popcorn, hand out candy, and settle in on the couch for a movie day. Make the event special but making “movie tickets” and setting up a candy bar for treats during intermission.
Schedule a Tour of Country Home Learning Center Today
We stay busy with play even when it’s raining outside. There is never a shortage of games to play, so come check out what we do soon. To book your visit of our Austin or San Antonio facilities, just contact us today.
