In Texas, we’re all too familiar with the summer heat. Spring is over, school is out and it’s time to welcome the sunny days and outside adventures. But as summer creeps in, the heat can become too much for playing outside. So next time the temperature skyrockets, come back to this list for some unique, indoor fun that will keep you and the kids entertained all afternoon (or longer)!
Note: all activity ideas taken from What Moms Love.
Tape line fun
Make 5–10 separate lines of tape on your floor or carpet. Next, place each one about a foot apart. Follow the rules to one of the games below, or make up your own jumping game!
- Long Jump: See how many lines your child can jump over in one leap. See if they can beat their own score, or who the ultimate winner is. Experiment with different jumping techniques to see which one gets them the farthest.
- Run ‘n’ Jump: See how far they can go when they get a running start!
- Long Jump Backwards: Increase the difficulty by performing the tasks jumping backwards.
- One-legged leap: How far can you jump on one leg?
- Reach ‘n’ Stretch: How far can their leg reach with one foot on the “start” line? (Think Elf on the escalator)
Hopscotch
Get some tape and make your own indoor hopscotch course. Come up with different challenges, such as completing the course backwards, on one foot, or even with eyes closed!
Ping pong catch
Grab a plastic cup for each participant and a few ping pong balls, or any small object that will fit in the cup. Next, have your kids toss the ball to a partner and try and catch it in the cup. Start out close together, and take a step back each time someone catches the ball.
Crab walk races
This activity requires a good amount of space, so it works best if you have a basement or open floor space. Use tape to mark a course, or simply set boundaries such as, “from the living room to the playroom.” If there’s not enough space for multiple kids to race at once, time them each individually to see who is the fastest. You can do similar races with bear walks, army crawls, wheelbarrow walks, or any other kind of walk you know.
Lego color hunt
This is a great activity for kids of any age, and it doesn’t require a lot of room. Start with four pieces of paper that match your Lego colors. Hide 10 of each Lego color all around the house, and then let each child pick a piece of paper. The first person to find all the Lego pieces that match their color wins. Add a level of fun by asking them to build something with the pieces they find.
Indoor basketball
If you have socks and laundry baskets, then you have all the supplies you need for this indoor basketball activity. Place a laundry basket a few feet away, or further for more of a challenge, and try shooting pairs of socks into the basket. You can even play indoor HORSE with your makeshift basketball hoop.
For even more inside activities to try out this summer, check out these 87 energy-busting indoor games, shared by What Moms Love.