Keeping kids entertained indoors can feel like a never-ending challenge, especially when the weather’s looking bleak. When your little ones are bouncing off the walls, it’s tempting to switch on the TV or hand over a tablet… but before you reach for a screen, try these epic indoor games first!
These fun and engaging activities won’t just save the day, but they’ll also help your kids develop important skills. Whether you’ve got a toddler or a preschooler, we’ve got you covered with 15 awesome indoor games that will turn any dull day around!
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1. Building Blocks

Building blocks are a timeless toy, they offer simple yet engaging construction play using wooden or plastic pieces. Little ones can stack, balance, and connect blocks to create anything from towering castles to cozy houses!
You can’t go wrong with a classic set of wooden building blocks. We also love this set of mega blocks, which will keep little ones entertained from young toddlers through to pre-school and beyond. They’re super easy for young toddlers to use and the possibilities are endless!
Another big hit with little ones when it comes to building blocks is magnetic blocks, like this awesome set from Amazon. They’re sure to keep kids (and adults!) entertained for hours.
Finally, every household with little ones should have a box of stickle bricks. These sticky bricks encourage motor skill development, along with creativity and imagination!
Benefits
Playing with blocks of all kinds is excellent for enhancing fine motor skills, as your little ones learn to grasp and manipulate the pieces. This classic activity also helps with spatial awareness, as they figure out how to fit blocks together. Finally, it encourages creativity as they experiment with different designs.
Tips
To make block play even more fun, get involved and start building together! Encourage your child’s imagination by suggesting different structures to create, whether it’s a bridge, a zoo, or a spaceship. The possibilities are – quite literally – endless!
Read Next: Best Toddler Activity Tables of 2025: From Wooden Play Tables to Walmart Top Picks
2. Hide and Seek

Hide and Seek is a timeless game with simple rules that kids of all ages love. One person closes their eyes and counts while the others find clever hiding spots. After counting, the seeker must find all the hidden players, making it a fun and engaging game for everyone, even the grown-ups!
Benefits
Hide and seek encourages physical activity as kids dash to their hiding spots and search for others. It can also encourage problem-solving skills as they choose the best places to hide.
Tips
To keep Hide and Seek safe and fun indoors, establish clear boundaries and avoid areas where kids could get hurt, like behind heavy furniture or in tight spaces.
3. Board Games

Board games are a classic indoor activity that can bring the whole family together! There are so many awesome toddler and pre-school-friendly board games available that will keep them entertained during rainy days. Pop-up Pirate is a classic game that’s super exciting for little ones.
Players take it in turns to put the swords in the barrel, but no-one knows when the pirate will pop!
Connect 4 is also a game staple. It’s simple for toddlers to play and encourages number skills, although many toddlers will just want to play with the counters! But whatever keeps them entertained is okay in our book…
And our final board game staple is Scrabble Junior. Whilst toddlers can’t be expected to spell words, Scrabble is brilliant for teaching them letters. My daughter used to love playing with the Scrabble letters from about 2 years old, and, now she’s 4, we’re using it to teach her to spell. It’s a must-have addition to any house with kids!
Benefits
Playing board games enhances a whole host of skills, including critical thinking, strategic planning, and problem-solving. They’re also great for teaching kids to take turns, follow rules, and handle winning or losing gracefully! Plus, it’s a great way to bring the family together without the use of a screen.
Tips
Choose games that are age-appropriate and offer just the right level of challenge. For younger kids, go for games with bright colors and simple rules to keep them engaged and entertained.
4. Simon Says
Simon Says is a classic game that’s super easy to play. One person is “Simon,” giving commands to the group. But the others should only follow the instructions if the task begins with ‘Simon says’. It’s an easy and fun game to play with toddlers and preschoolers, especially on a rainy day!
Benefits
This game promotes physical activity as kids move around to follow the commands, and it also sharpens problem-solving skills as they quickly decide which instructions to follow. If that wasn’t enough, it teaches patience and listening, as players need to pay close attention and wait for the right cue.
Tips
To keep Simon Says safe and enjoyable indoors, adapt the commands to suit your space. Swap running or jumping for actions like clapping, touching toes, or hopping in place.
5. Indoor Obstacle Course

Obstacle courses are a great addition to any rainy day with kids! Create a safe and fun course using everyday items like pillows, cushions, and furniture. Kids can crawl under tables, hop over cushions, and weave around chairs as they make their way through the course.
Benefits
Obstacle courses are excellent for encouraging gross motor skills as kids climb, jump, and crawl through the obstacles. It also enhances coordination and balance, and promotes problem-solving.
Tips
To keep things varied, include both crawling and jumping elements in your obstacle course – in a safe manner!
Read Next: Nature’s Playground: Unveiling the Science Behind Outdoor Play
6. Musical Chairs
Musical Chairs is a traditional game where kids and grown ups alike walk or dance around a circle of chairs as their favorite music plays. When the music stops, everyone scrambles to find a seat, with one chair fewer than the number of players.
Benefits
This classic party game is great for developing listening skills as little ones have to pay close attention to the music.
Tips
For younger kids, make the game safer by using soft cushions or pillows instead of chairs. You can also slow down the pace of the music to give little ones more time to react.
7. Dance Party

A Dance Party is all about free dancing to your favorite tunes, where kids can let loose and move however they like. There are no rules—just grab a speaker, like the kids echo dot – and let your little ones go crazy!
Benefits
Dancing is fantastic way to get your little ones moving. It can help to improve coordination as they learn to sync their movements with the music and encourages emotional expression.
Tips
To keep things exciting, include a variety of music styles during your dance party. Exposing children to different rhythms and genres—like pop, classical, and world music— will keep them engaged.
7. Puzzle Time

Jigsaw puzzles are a great addition to a day at home. And there’s so much choice to suit all little ones, whatever their age and interests. We love these wooden animal puzzles for younger toddlers. They’re simple but colorful and fun. As they get a little older, how about going for puzzles that teach them letters and spelling too? These wooden puzzles have a few more pieces, along with the name of each animal to encourage letter recognition.
And if your little one is into a particular show or cartoon, try a themed puzzle. We love these Bluey puzzles, suitable for toddlers 3 years and older. And this Frozen puzzle is a must for mini Elsas and Annas. With 24 pieces, little ones might need help from a grown-up, but it’s a great activity to bond over!
Benefits
Working on puzzles boosts problem-solving skills as little ones figure out how the pieces fit together. It also enhances hand-eye coordination as they pick up and place each piece, and it teaches patience as they work towards completing the jigsaw.
Tips
Start with puzzles that have large, easy-to-handle pieces, especially for younger children. This makes the process less frustrating and more enjoyable. As they grow older and more confident, gradually introduce puzzles with smaller pieces and more complex images. Be on hand to help in all instances, of course!
8. Coloring and Drawing

Coloring and drawing are firm favorites in our household. Kids from young toddlers will love to get arty and creative. And there’s really no limit to this activity – the possibilities are endless! We love this mega pack of twistable crayons that require no sharpening and are great for toddlers and kids of all ages!
For older toddlers, we love this huge pack of gel pens, complete with a carry case! It’s a great addition to any road trip or vacation. And you can’t use crayons or gel pens without paper…
For fans of the Disney film Cars, we love this coloring and activity book set. It’s sure to keep little ones entertained for hours on a rainy day. This ABC coloring book is also a must, especially for little ones who are starting to learn letters.
Benefits
Drawing and coloring encourage creativity as children experiment with different designs and colors. It also helps develop fine motor skills as they learn to control pens and crayons, and it enhances color recognition.
Tips
Provide large sheets of paper to give kids plenty of space to create. Using washable materials is a great idea, too—it makes cleanup a breeze and lets kids explore their creativity without the worry of ruined furniture or walls!
Crayons are best for smaller toddlers. As they get older and more confident, you can start introducing felt tips and gel pens.
Read Next: 15 budget-friendly outdoor activities for 1-Year-Olds
9. Indoor Scavenger Hunt
An indoor scavenger hunt is simple, but effective! It involves your little ones finding objects hidden around the house, turning your home into a fun and exciting adventure.
Benefits
Scavenger hunts support observation skills as children search for hidden items. It also boosts memory as they recall the list of things to find and promotes problem-solving as they figure out where the objects might be hidden.
Tips
To keep it safe, create a list of items that are easy to find and suitable for your indoor space. You can make the hunt even more engaging and exciting by adding clues or giving hints. Depending on the age of your little one, going with them to find the objects will ensure they stay safe!
10. Storytime Theater

Storytime Theater is all about acting out your toddler’s favorite storybooks or creating new stories, turning reading time into an imaginative and super fun experience.
Benefits
Acting out stories encourages language development as kids practice speaking and understanding words. It also sparks creativity and imagination as they bring characters and stories to life!
Tips
Make the experience even more engaging by using costumes or props. Simple items like hats, scarves, or stuffed animals can add a fun element and inspire your little ones’ stories. You could even throw in some costumes for your toddler to dress up in. We love this Melissa and Doug astronaut costume, complete with gloves and helmet! And this set of princess costumes is perfect for telling tales of castles, dragons and heroic princesses who save the day!
11. Playdough Creations

Playdoh is a staple of any household with young kids. There’s endless fun to be had molding and shaping a rainbow of colors into various forms. It’s perfect for encouraging creativity. Just make sure you do it in a room without carpet!
There are so many different versions of Playdoh available, but we’d suggest sticking to the original. Some other doughs we’ve tried have gone hard super quick and just aren’t as good quality as the original brand. Get started with this 10-pack of Playdoh in a variety of colors and this epic set of 44 Playdoh accessories, including Playdoh tools, molds, cutters and stamps.
We also love this Playdoh kitchen creations set. Make pizza, cookies, spaghetti, burgers and so much more! It comes with 5 Playdoh colors too.
Benefits
This hands-on crafting activity can help to strengthen fine motor skills as kids pinch, roll, and sculpt the dough. It also fuels creativity as they design their own unique creations and offers sensory benefits, with children loving the soft, squishy dough.
Tips
As your little ones get older, you can challenge them to make specific Playdoh creations, like gingerbread men, donuts, rockets and anything else your little one can think of!
Read Next: 15 budget-friendly outdoor activities for 1-Year-Olds
12. Balloon Volleyball

Balloon Volleyball is a super fun and easy activity to do indoors. It’s so simple – simply get the kids to hit a balloon back and forth, trying as hard as they can to keep it from touching the floor!
Benefits
This game can help to improve hand-eye coordination as children track and hit the balloon. It also enhances balance as they move to keep the balloon from touching the ground and promotes teamwork when playing with others.
Tips
Ensure little ones stay safe by clearing the area of sharp objects and using a soft, lightweight balloon. You could even put a row of cushions on the floor to separate players!
13. Indoor Bowling
Indoor Bowling is a fun activity where kids knock down pins using a soft ball. It’s a simple setup, but fun for all ages! We love this Melissa and Doug kid’s bowling set that features 6 cute animal pins and a small bowling ball. Each pin has a weighted bottom for easy setup, and it even comes with a carry case so you can take it with you on trips or vacations!
Benefits
Bowling helps develop hand-eye coordination as kids aim and roll the ball. It also improves motor skills as they control the ball’s direction and strength, while boosting focus as they concentrate on knocking down the pins.
Tips
If you want to go DIY, you could use empty plastic bottles as pins and a lightweight ball. You can even add some sand or rice inside the bottles for an extra challenge!
14. Sensory Bins

Sensory Bins are great for helping kids to explore different textures. And it’s simple to set up. Simply fill a container with a variety of objects and materials, like rice, sand, or water beads. And the options really are endless. You could use cotton balls, ribbon, silky scarves, pom poms, bubble wrap, craft feathers and anything else that’s safe but fun to explore!
In terms of containers, a dry washing up bowl, storage container or large mixing bowl would work. And add some tools to make it super fun. We love this pack of sensory scoops. It includes tools to scoop, pour, sift and funnel the different materials and objects in the sensory bin.
Benefits
This activity stimulates sensory development as little ones experience a range of textures and materials. It also strengthens fine motor skills as they scoop, sift, and manipulate objects.
Tips
Fill the bin with safe, tactile materials like rice, sand, or water beads, and always supervise little ones closely to ensure they stay safe and don’t eat anything they shouldn’t! Adding small toys can make it even more fun, as they come across their favorite toys whilst exploring.
15. Parachute Play
Parachute Play involves using a small parachute, like this one from Amazon, or a large sheet to engage kids in fun activities like lifting, shaking, or running under it.
Benefits
Parachute play encourages teamwork as children work together to lift and move the parachute. It also improves coordination as they time their movements with others.
Tips
Incorporate different games to keep it exciting, such as lifting the parachute high and running underneath or bouncing soft balls or soft toys on top of it. It’s a great activity for the whole family to get involved in!
Conclusion
These 15 indoor games offer an amazing variety of ways to keep little kids entertained while helping them develop important skills. From encouraging creativity with activities like coloring and Playdoh to enhancing coordination and teamwork through balloon volleyball and parachute play, each activity or game has its own unique benefits – and promises to keep the screens at bay! Whether it’s fine motor skills, problem-solving, or physical activity, these indoor games have it all.
And it’s not just toddlers and kids that will love these activities; they’re all perfect for playing as a whole family. They’ll help you to create memorable moments together, whilst supporting their growth in exciting ways.
So there’s no need to be afraid of rainy days. Keep this list handy, and fill the house with fun!
From our families to yours.