Indoor games for 4 year olds

Top 45 Indoor Games for Kids To Play

Playing is not simply for fun, it is a stress-buster, it is an activity that keeps us healthy without giving us the time to realise its value. When kids are tired of studying for long, games are their rescue which they look forward to eagerly. But in this scorching heat of Summer, no parents allow their kids to go out and play in the Sun.

Video: 10 Fun Indoor Games for Kids

It is their summer holidays, you can’t keep children away from playing. So, what can you do? You want them to play but you want them to be safe as well. Why don’t indulge your kids and their friends in indoor games? Anyways, for the kids of this generation, indoor games mean video games or games on mobile phones. But, as parents, you can show them the games of your times.You had fun right in your childhood playing those indoor games and fighting with your sibling, didn’t you? So, teach your kids the same!You can try brain games too as they will be helpful for your child’s development.

40 Highly Enjoyable Indoor Games for Children

There’s nothing like a good game to bring a family together. Here is a list of kids’ indoor games for kindergarten and preschoolers that can suit you well when you wish to spend some family time, or the weather doesn’t allow outdoor activities. Break their boredom with these games:

1. Balancing Beam

This is an easy activity and can be great for younger kids and toddlers and helps them improve motor skills and their balance.

What You Will Need

Coloured tape
Flat floor space to play

How to Play

Stick different coloured tapes tape on the floor
Each coloured tape can have a different rule to walk on. For example, you can ask the kid to walk on one leg on the red coloured tape
The child has to walk only on the tape. If he falls off the tape, he’ll be out of the game.
The child that walks the entire length of the tape without falling off the tape wins the game

Suggestion

Make the game interesting by changing the rules

2. Pitching Pennies

This game will help in building your child’s hand-eye coordination.

What You Will Need

Pennies or currency coins
Large sized paper or plastic drinking cups

How to Play

Place the cup on a chair on the table in front of the children
Give each child 5 coins each
You can ask the child to take a few steps away from the cup in accordance with his age
Explain to your child that he has to toss the coins, one at a time, into the cup
The person with the most coins in the cup wins

Suggestion

You can use marbles or ping pong balls in place of pennies to play this game.

3. Indoor Bowling

Create a simple bowling alley in your house and have fun. This game is also ideal for hand-eye coordination in children.

What You Will Need

Flat floor space to play
Ten empty bottles or soda cans
Plastic ball or a tennis ball
Tape
Marker
Spray paint (non-toxic)

How to Play

Using the tape, create a bowling lane
Peel off the wrappers of the cans and the bottles and spray paint them. Allow them to dry
Arrange the bottles at the end of the lane. You may arrange it like bowling pins or stack them on top of each other to form a pyramid
Ask the child to strike this arrangement using the ball

Suggestion

You can even opt for readily available bowling set in case you have one.

4. In and Out Hangman

This game can be engaging for young kids and may even be a fun way to learn.

What You Will Need

White or blackboard
Marker or chalk
Set of questions and answers or words and hints

How to Play

Ask your child a question and on the board draw tiny blanks to correlate with the number of letters in the answer. Allow enough space between two words to make it easier for the child to guess the answer
Instruct your child to guess one letter in the answer and one letter that isn’t in it alternatively.
Your child is allowed seven wrong guesses, which is the number of steps it takes to complete a hangman figure

Suggestion

You can make the game exciting for your child by asking about his favourite toys, movies, etc.

5. Pictionary

Pictionary is a fun game that requires one player to draw an image indicating the word, where the other player has to guess it correctly.

What You Will Need

Paper or board
Pencil or marker

How to Play

Write down different words on pieces of paper and drop them in the bowl
Ask your child to pick up the pieces and draw it on the board without telling you what it is. Alternately, you can draw, and he can guess

Suggestion

You can make this game more fun by having groups and competing against each other.

6. Sock Toss

Using some folded up socks and a bucket, you can enjoy a game of mini basketball right at home.

What You Will Need

Space to play
Socks
Bucket

How to Play

Roll up the socks into little balls and tie them
Place the bucket in one place and ask your child to move a few steps away from it
You can then take turns to throw the sock balls into the bucket. Move further away from the bucket after each turn

Suggestion

It can be made challenging for older kids by using buckets with a narrower opening.

7. Indoor Obstacle Course

You can build an obstacle course around child-proofed areas; this is a fun option for kids of various ages.

What You Will Need

Chairs
Blankets
Exercise ball
Hula hoops
Anything else that may be useful

How to Play

Set up the course as space permits and as you would like it and make the rules
Each obstacle may require a different way to cross through it. For example, ask your child to pass from under a chair or pass through the blanket tunnel twice before he could move on to the next obstacle.
He will be given a point only after successfully completing each obstacle

Suggestion

Child-proof the area before setting up an obstacle course to avoid any injuries.

8. Follow the leader

If you have several kids at home, this activity can be great fun and is one of the easiest ways to get the kids to follow what you are doing.

What You Will Need

A list of simple activities
Space to play

How to Play

Select different themes for the game. It could be physical activity, gestures, or expressions
You can be the leader or give each child a chance to be the leader
All the players will have to mimic what the leader does, jumping, dancing, laughing, etc

Suggestion

This game can be the perfect excuse to squeeze in some exercise when kids are bound inside the house.

9. Puzzles

Give your child access to various puzzles that can be both engaging and educational.

What You Will Need

Different kinds of a picture or word puzzles

How to Play

Explain to your child that he needs to set the pieces of the puzzle together to form a picture in case of a picture puzzle
If you have younger children, you can try some 3D puzzles toys
Words puzzles are excellent for older kids in order to improve their vocabulary

Suggestion

Keep some puzzle books handy at home that can be given to your child when you cannot get out.

10. Card games

Simple card games are great for kids in order to mould their logical reasoning and colour and number identification.

What You Will Need

A deck of cards or two

How to Play

You can play simple kids card games like spoons, trash, cards, memory card (needs two decks), crazy eights (where you need to get rid of all your cards), etc.
Go fish is a simple card game that is ideal for pre-schoolers.

Suggestion

You can always opt for Uno, which can be a fun alternative.

11. Building a Fort

Although not necessarily a game, it can keep your child engaged and occupied.

What You Will Need

Pillows
Chairs
Cardboard boxes
Blankets
Anything else in the house that can be used

How to Play

To make a cardboard fort, you can simply stack up a few cardboard boxes together and stick them with tape
Stack up pillows on two sides with a gap between them and throw a blanket over for a simple pillow fort
A few sticks and a blanket can help you build a tepee tent
Simply cover a table or a couple of chairs with a blanket, and you’ll have a small fort. You could also fold up the blanket on one side and call it an entrance

Suggestion

You can build a fort with pillows, cardboard boxes, and blankets with your kids.

12. Dominoes

Stacking dominoes and watching them fall in quick succession can be enjoyable for people across ages. It can also give your child something to do for an entire day.

What You Will Need

Dominoes game set

How to Play

Stack the dominoes in the pattern and arrangement that your child prefers. You can help your child with this.
Once all the pieces are set, you can ask your child to flip the first piece and watch as the rest follow suit.

Suggestion

Try different patterns and capture the entire thing on video for a memory that will last.

13. Ice Tower Excavation

Ice tower excavation is just the game your child needs when it is too hot to step outside. It is simple and can be enjoyed for hours.

What You Will Need

A tall container
Different toys and trinkets

How to Play

Place the toys in the container and fill it with clear water
Place this container in the freezer until the water turns to ice, and the toys are trapped inside
Ease this ice block out of the container and arm your child with tools like salt, eye drops, and squeeze bottles to melt the ice and rescue the toy

Suggestion

Use a container that has a uniform width to make it easier to take the ice out of it.

14. Read

Getting your child into the habit of reading is a great way to keep him occupied on most days.

What You Will Need

Books

How to Play

Pick up a book with pictures and read with your child

Suggestion

Get your child a new book each time to captivate his attention.

15. Freeze

This simple game can be a great family activity that both adults and kids will enjoy.

What You Will Need

Music
Space to play

How to Play

Play the music and dance till the music stops and ask everyone to freeze in the position they were in.

Suggestion

You can even ask the kids to pose in specific postures to make the game challenging.

16. Paper Bag Skits

This creative game is ideal for older kids and can be played during a sleepover when you have a lot of kids together.

What You Will Need

Paper bags filled with small props like spoons, jewellery, ball, sock, etc.

How to Play

Form groups of kids and give each group a paper bag filled with different props
Tell them to create a small skit using the props they have received
After 15 minutes, allow each group enough time to showcase what they have planned

Suggestion

This game can be made more creative with elaborate props.

17. Hide and seek

With some space inside the house, you can play this for hours.

What You Will Need

Space to play inside the house

How to Play

Ask one child to close his eyes and count till 20 until the rest of them hide in different places
Once the seeker is done with counting, he will have to go to find others
The first person to be caught has to count the next time when the others hide again

Suggestion

You can take the game up a notch by playing it in the dark. Ensure to child-proof the house before doing so.

18. Treasure Hunt

With a simple yet fun treasure hunt game, you can give your kid the chance to learn and utilize his cognition.

What You Will Need

Hints and clues at each hidden location
Coins or treats

How to Play

Hide treats or coins in various places like under the bed or in cereal boxes along with clues to the next location, creating a trail
Give your child a hint to where the first clue is and let him find the rest on his own

Suggestion

Leaving some currency coins along with the clues can be a great option.

19. Hot Potato

This indoor game is ideal for young kids in a group.

What You Will Need

A potato or a ball

How to Play

Make them sit in a circle and pass the potato to each other
Play music
Stop the music, and the kid with the potato is out. The last one to remain wins

Suggestion

You can play this game with any prop like a ball or a toy.

20. The Listening Game

This game can engage your child’s senses and help him improve his listening skills.

What You Will Need

Several objects like toys, combs, salt shakers, spoon, etc.

How to Play

Place the objects before the child and let him observe
Now have your child close his eyes
One by one, use individual objects to create a sound and have your child guess what object it was

Suggestion

You can use a blindfold to ensure that your child doesn’t get tempted to peak.

21. Bubbles

This is one of the easiest ways to enjoy bubbles indoor without creating a mess.

What You Will Need

Straw
Dishwashing soap
Plate

How to Play

Place a small amount of dishwashing soap on a plate and pour some water on it and mix it until some suds begin to form
Ask your child to place one end of the straw in the suds and blow gently from the other end to make bubbles

Suggestion

You can play this with several kids and see who can make the largest bubble.

22. Simon Says

Simon says is a classic game that can be enjoyed by all the members of the family.

What You Will Need

Space to play

How to Play

Instruct your kids that they are to do what you say only if you start the command with the phrase ‘Simon says…’
If you say anything without saying the phrase, they aren’t supposed to do it. If they do, they will be out of the game.
The last person to follow all the commands accurately wins and gets to become the next Simon.

Suggestion

Make the game more challenging by tricking the children.

23. Touch and Feel Box

This entertaining game can be a good learning experience and teach the children to identify the object by touch alone.

What You Will Need

Shoe box
Different objects

How to Play

Cut out a hole in the shoe box big enough for the child to fit his hand inside.
Place different items in the box and ask your child to identify them by touch alone.

Suggestion

Make the game fun by adding objects of varying textures.

24. Playdough

Give your child some playdough, and you can see his creativity unfold.

What You Will Need

Playdough

How to Play

Set your child at a table or in his room with play dough and ask him to create anything that he likes

Suggestion

You can also give him names of specific objects and ask him to mould them to improve his cognitive skills.

25. Imaginary cooking

If your child shows interest in the kitchen, this can be the perfect game for him/her.

What You Will Need

Simple utensils or a cooking set

How to Play

Give your kids access to a few utensils, and you can watch as their imaginary cooking skills unfold
You can also place orders for them to prepare

Suggestion

You can give your child simple cut vegetables to make it all more real.

26. Family Photo Game

This game can improve your child’s memory.

What You Will Need

10 or more family photos

How to Play

Arrange the photos in front of your child
Call out the name of the family member and your child should be able to identify them in the photo and point them out
You can also name the location and with for your child to point out

Suggestion

You can play this game with pictures of other places and objects as well.

27. Kids Yoga

Yoga is a great activity to enhance flexibility in your kids.

What You Will Need

Flashcards with pictures of the postures
Yoga mat or a carpet

How to Play

Teach your child simple yoga poses and encourage him to do it when you name it
You can use flashcards with the names and pictures of the postures to help your kid remember

Suggestion

Make the activity more engaging by teaching your kids animal poses and playing songs during the activity.

28. Balloon Ball

This game also improves a child’s hand-eye coordination.

What You Will Need

Balloons

How to Play

Blow up some balloons and play throw and catch with your child.
You can also challenge your child to gently tap the balloon against the ground to keep it in the air.

Suggestion

This game can be challenging with more than one balloon of different colours.

29. Home Band

Create a musical instrument with simple things from around the house and encourage your child to play.

What You Will Need

Buckets
Shakers made of a plastic bottle with beans or coins
Any other utensil or container that can be used

How to Play

Provide your child with these objects and allow him to get creative.
You can even sing along for a better experience.

Suggestion

Keep adding objects to the mix to encourage his creativity further.

30. A Dance Party

Dance party can be a fun way to spend your time indoors.

What You Will Need

Music and space to dance

How to Play

Play your child’s favourite music and dance freely, or copy choreographed dance moves.

Suggestion

You can even choreograph your own routine to make it exciting.

31. Magic Show

Simple, easy-to-do magic tricks can leave your little one in awe.

What You Will Need

A cup and a coin or clip

How to Play

Place the clip under the cup and slowly, without your child noticing it, drop it on the edge of the table
Lift the cup to reveal nothing. Your child will be amazed that there is nothing under the cup

Suggestion

If you are creative, you can try more magic tricks to awe your child.

32. Land, Sea, Air

This make-believe game can be the best for a fun time at home.

What You Will Need

Space to play marked by various things

How to Play

Divide your house into two parts, namely land and sea.
When you call land, your child needs to jump on the land, and when you call sea, he has to jump on the floor that you decide. If you call air, he’ll need to jump as high as possible.

Suggestion

This game can be paired with a good amount of exercise along with fun.

33. Musical Chairs

This is a game for whole family or a group of kids.

What You Will Need

Music
Chairs

How to Play

Place chairs (1 less than the total number of players) in a circle
Play music and ask the players to dance around the chairs
When the music stops, they will need to sit on the closest chair. The person without a chair is out of the game. This chair and music game is very much fun.

Suggestion

You can ask the players to run around the chair to make it more challenging.

34. Guess the Person

This is a pure guessing game and can be played by the whole family.

What You Will Need

A piece of paper to write the names on

How to Play

Your kids will write a name of a family member, friend or teacher on the paper and keep it with him
You will need to guess the right name of the person

Suggestion

This game can be more interesting by giving clues about the person.

35. Chinese Whisper

This simple game can end up with hilarious results. It is best played in a large group.

What You Will Need

Space to play

How to Play

Sit around in a circle and whisper anything into the ear of the person sitting next to you.
This has to continue until the message reaches the last person and he will need to announce it out.
The game is fun because the message usually gets distorted by the time it reaches that last person.

Suggestion

Make the game challenging by whispering long phrases.

36. Carom

This four-player game is perfect for some family time.

What You Will Need

Carom board, coins

How to Play

Aiming a striker, you will need to hit the other coins into the pockets on the corner of the board
Different coloured coins have a different value, and the rules may differ across the region

Suggestion

Make the game competitive by playing in teams.

37. Head Pop

Popping balloon can be a fun activity for anyone, including adults.

What You Will Need

A cap with a pin or a needle attached to it
Balloons

How to Play

Hang or stick the balloons at different heights
Make your child wear the hat and jump up to pop the balloon

Suggestion

Exercise caution and ensure that your kid does not touch the needle or the pin.

38. Snakes and Ladder

Snakes and ladder is a classic family game that can be enjoyed by everyone.

What You Will Need

The snake and ladder board game with dice and coins

How to Play

Each person gets to roll the dice and move as many spaces as the number on the dice
If you reach a ladder, you climb up, and if you fall on the mouth of a snake, you will need to drop down to the tail

Suggestion

Play this game with three or four players for the best time.

39. Sorting Colours

This game is ideal for toddlers and younger kids, and it aids in cognitive development.

What You Will Need

Bowls
Marbles or small items of different colours

How to Play

Mix up items of all the colours together.
Now ask your toddler to sort items of the same colour and put them each in a different bowl.

Suggestion

If you are using marbles ensure to supervise your child to avoid any choking hazard.

40. Rock, Paper, Scissors

This simple, yet engaging game is a favourite among many.

What You Will Need

Space to play

How to Play

You and your child will have to make the gesture of rock, paper, or scissors with your hand simultaneously.
Rock – folding your hand into a fist, paper – outstretched palm, scissors – a V shape using your index and middle finger.
The rule of the game is that rock trumps scissors, paper trumps rock, and scissors trump paper.

Suggestion

Write down your points and see who wins the most number of sets.

41. Make Your Music Band

A simple and easy game to help your kids build basic musical skills.

What You Will Need

Utensils
Plastic bottles
Plastic glasses
Empty food tubs

How to Play

Play music by tapping familiar songs using utensils on empty glasses or buckets.

Suggestion

Make teams and run a friendly competition.

42. Jumping Game

A fun indoor game for 3 year old.

What You Will Need

Painter’s tape

How to Play

Using painter’s tape, separate an area in your home. You can call it land and air.
Now ask your child to jump into the specific area you call out.

Suggestion

You can also ask your child to hop on one foot instead of jumping.

43. Hit the Target

Make your child practice their target skills using this game.

What You Will Need

Empty plastic bottles
Socks

How to Play

Line up the empty water bottles.
Ask your kids to throw rolled-up socks to knock over these bottles.

Suggestion

You can use empty foil rolls in place of plastic bottles.

44. Musical Chairs

A musical game that your children will love to play again and again.

What You Will Need

Music
Chairs

How to Play

Put chairs in a single line, with one less chair than the number of people playing.
When the music plays, children have to run around the chairs.
When the music stops, children must find a chair to sit on.
The child who doesn’t have a chair to sit on is out of the game.
Take away one chair in each round until there’s one winner left.

Suggestion

You can play nursery rhymes in place of music for children to learn while playing.

45. Join the Dots

A indoor games for preschoolers that you can play at home with your kid.

What You Will Need

A plain sheet of paper
Pencil

How to Play

Make a 5×5 square of dots on a page.
Take turns to join dots with a line, but you can join only two dots at a time.
Join the dots to complete a box, and put your initial inside it.
The person with the highest number of boxes wins the game.

Suggestion

To make the game more fun, increase the number of players.

Write down your points and see who wins the most number of sets. It’s natural that you won’t be able to play with your child all the time. Commitments like work at home or office might keep you busy. But, your baby can use his me-time to develop his “Smarts”. To encourage his overall development, you can also buy activity boxes that are designed for kids. The activities in these boxes can help improve your child’s eye-hand coordination, sense of direction, vocabulary, and other soft skills at the right age. Furthermore, your kid will learn about the world in a fun way.

Also Read: 15 Easy & Fun Christmas Party Games For Kids

Best Indoor Games for Kids

Photo: iStockPhoto

Another rainy or bone-chilling day? We see you over there: Restless kids fidgeting on the couch, the clock ticking slower than usual, and you're fresh out of ideas for things to do. Well you've come to the right place. We have your back with this list of the best indoor games you haven't already tried. We've got kid-friendly card games, creative indoor activities, fitness fun, free games and ways to repurpose all the stuff you had on your newborn checklist.

1. Pencil-and-paper games

From Battleship to Sprouts, we’ve created a must-play list of pencil-and-paper indoor games that beat TV any day. Gather some pencils and paper and check out our best of pencil-and-paper games.

2. Building

You don’t need a fancy building set for this. Popsicle stick cities, card towers, even buildings out of blocks, or indoor forts out of boxes or pillows, will do just fine. If you want to get competitive, whoever builds the highest tower wins. If your kids love building and want a more advanced set of blocks, check out these magnetic building sets (ages 3 to 99) your builders are sure to enjoy.

3. Magical Mama (or Papa)

Be your kids’ very own Harry Houdini—without the locks, chains and water tanks, of course. Simply place a coin under one of three cups and shuffle the cups around. Then ask your children to guess which cup holds the coin. Sneaky parents can place the cups near the edge of a table and secretly drop the coin.

Watch your tots’ eyes light up in amazement when they learn the coin is gone! You'll probably enjoy playing the game too.

4. Card games

Card games are great for challenging young minds and creating hours of indoor fun. Grab a box of cards and check out our favorite traditional card games.

5. Puzzles

Exercise those creative, cognitive and problem-solving muscles with a good puzzle. You can use a store-bought variety or have the kids make their own. Have your children draw a picture on a sturdy piece of cardboard or Bristol board.

Merchant

Then use a pencil to outline puzzle pieces directly on their drawing. Cut out the pieces with a good pair of scissors, mix them up and get solving. Indoor games and craft in one fun activity!

6. Freeze!

Choose some of your kids’ favorite tunes and turn up the volume. Ask them to dance until the music stops. When it does, they have to freeze in whatever position they find themselves in – even if they have one leg up. To make the game more challenging, ask the kids to freeze in specific poses: animals, shapes, letters or even yoga postures. Toddlers in particular love this game.

The winner gets her very own gold medal! Make your own ribbons with this easy craft:

7. Board and family games

For a comprehensive list of the best of family indoor games from Nursery Rhyme Games and Candy Land to Clue, check out our handy list of top 20 family games. Plus, there are board games for every level and stage.

8. Paper-bag skits

This indoor game is ideal for larger groups — a sleepover favorite. Divide the kids up into groups. Give each group a bag filled with props, such as a spoon, toy jewelry, a sock, ball or ribbon. Then give them 15 minutes to construct a skit around the props. This game is so much fun that it doesn’t have to be competitive.

If the kids want, though, they can all vote on a winning skit. This one tops the list of activities for kids that can be played together without much adult supervision.

9. Indoor hopscotch

This schoolyard favorite is sure to be an indoor hit, too. Set up your hopscotch game on any floor surface. Masking tape will do perfectly to form the nine connecting squares. Boxes 1-3 will be placed in a single line, one on top of the other. The next two boxes (4, 5) will be placed side-by-side, followed by a single box (6), two more boxes (7, 8) and the final half-circle “home” base (9). Next, choose a marker, such as a coin, stone or beanbag.

The first player will throw the marker into square 1 without letting it bounce or touch the lines. If successful, the player will then hop — one foot on single squares and two feet on side-by-side squares — avoiding square #1. The player may rest on “home” before hopping back. On the way back, he or she picks up the marker on square #1 and, if successful (lands within the lines, hops or jumps with proper footing, doesn’t fall), takes another turn and throws it into square #2.

When the player is unsuccessful, the next player takes a turn. Players resume their turns by throwing the marker on the last box played. The winner is the first player to throw the marker home (#9), and smoothly complete the whole course.

10. DIY balance beam

While you have your masking tape out, why not make your own balance beam? We all know how much kids love walking in straight lines every chance they get. Put on some music, and one at a time the kids can take their turn walking one-foot-over-the-other across the straight line of tape. Make the game more challenging by having the kids walk backwards or balance with one foot on the line. We also love this beam to continue balancing practice with! It's challenging enough to help develop their gross motor skills but safe in elevation as they learn to navigate the beam.

11. Hide and Seek

No list of indoor games would be complete without Hide and Seek, now would it? In this classic game, one person (“It”) covers his or her eyes and counts aloud while the other players hide. When “It” is finished counting, he or she begins looking for the hiders. The last hider to be found is the next “It.”

Warning: this game is often a source of giggle fits. Families with older children might want to take things up a notch and play Hide and Seek in the dark. Just to be safe, make sure there are no loose items on the floor. If you want, allow “It” to carry a flashlight or turn the lights on once “It” finishes counting.

12. Treasure hunt

Kids love finding hidden objects — especially when there’s a prize at the end. Simply write your clues on some slips of paper — get creative. Place the first clue somewhere easy to find, like inside your child’s snack or cereal bowl. Then leave as many clues as you like around the house, making a trail to the final clue.

Instead of a prize, the treasure hunt can lead to various coins around the house. This way the kids get to collect all the coins and put them in their piggy banks in the end. If you want to create the most amazing treasure hunt and other fun indoor activities, follow these 11 tips.

13. Indoor bowling

A great way to reuse water bottles (or you can purchase an indoor bowling set). Line six-10 water bottles up at the end of your hall or living room. Place a line of duct tape at the starting line. Use cardboard boxes as bumpers. Grab a medium-sized indoor ball and start bowling! If you want, keep score and give out trophies at the end.

Note: if you need to stabilize the water bottles or make the game more difficult, simply fill them up with some water. Don’t forget to screw the tops on tightly! You can also buy a cheap indoor kids' bowling kit to keep on hand for rainy days. This may be their new favorite play-at-home tradition.

14. Hot Potato

This game will have everyone giggling. Ask the kids to sit on the floor in a circle. Turn on some tunes and have them pass the potato (a bean bag or soft ball) around the circle as fast as they can. When the music stops, the player holding the potato leaves the circle. Keep going until only one player is left and wins the game.

Older kids get a kick out of this one, and you can pair it a clever obstacle course to increase the difficulty level.

15. Picnic memory game

Former preschool director and grandmother of three, Marsha Colla, has some innovative games up her sleeve, including this fun and simple verbal memory game, which, Colla says, “challenges the children and makes them giggle.” To play, everyone sits in a circle.

The first player says, “In my basket for the picnic, I packed...,” and then says what item he or she packed. The next player then says, “In my basket for the picnic, I packed. ..,” and then recites what the first player packed and adds his or her own item to the basket, and so forth. Little kids love to play this one.

16. The listening game

One of Colla’s go-to indoor games for her preschoolers and grandchildren, this game is sure to both educate and delight little ones. Take out several miscellaneous items. Have the children look at all the items, and then take them away. Next, ask one child to hide his or her eyes and listen as you pick up an item and make sounds with it. Ask the child to guess which item made the sound.

Examples of items might be a comb (run your fingers along it), a glass (gently tap it), cymbals, shakers, sandpaper, blocks rubbed together, a pot and spoon. Be creative and have fun with these indoor games for kids!

17. Bubbles

You don’t have to go outside to enjoy bubbles. For this indoor game, you need a plate and straw for each player, some dishwashing soap and water. Place a dime-size drop of dish soap at the center of each plate. Pour a little water onto the plate and gently mix with the dish soap until some suds start to form. Have the kids place the straw in the suds and blow very gently. Watch as massive bubbles start to form. To make this competitive, see who blows the biggest, or longest-lasting, bubble.

18. Simon Says

This traditional favorite will never get old. To start, choose one player (probably a parent for the first round) to be Simon. The rest of the players will gather in a circle or line in front of Simon as he calls out actions starting with the phrase “Simon says”: “Simon says...touch your toes.”

Players then have to copy Simon’s action, touching their toes. If Simon calls out an action without uttering the phrase “Simon says,” the kids must not do the action. If a child touches his toes when Simon didn’t say..., he or she is out of the game. There are lots of great ways Simon can trick players into doing actions when Simon didn’t say: Simon can perform an action without uttering a command, for example, or he can perform an action that doesn’t correspond with the command. Fun! The last player left in the game wins and becomes the next Simon.

19. Touch-and-feel box

Most preschoolers flock to the classroom sensory table as soon as the teachers pull it out. So there is little doubt they will love this entertaining challenge. Find a shoe box or any box that has a lid on it. Cut a hole in one of the sides of the box —large enough for your child to fit her hand in. If you want, get creative and decorate the box with glitter and question marks. Younger kids love this one!

When you’re ready to play, put an item inside the box and have your children guess what it is. They can ask questions about the item if they need to, or you can offer clues. Get as ooey-gooey as you wish (fresh pumpkin seeds or slimy spaghetti are great choices for Halloween), or use such simple objects as a brush, a toy, a piece of fruit. To make it competitive, you can give a point to the first child to name the object.

20. Indoor basketball

You can’t be too little for this version of basketball. All you need is a bucket and a rolled-up sock (or a small, light ball). Each player takes a turn at throwing the sock-ball into the bucket. When a player scores a bucket, he or she takes a step back and throws again until missing. The player who shoots the ball in the bucket from the farthest distance wins.

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This article was originally published on Nov 12, 2019

Outdoor games for children aged 3-4 outdoors and at home

The importance of outdoor games for children of any age cannot be overestimated. At 3-4 years old, the child is still learning to control his body, so it is important to continue classes and offer games aimed at coordination, the ability to repeat different types of movements. It is important for children to be physically active outside, but if this is not possible, encourage children to play indoors as often as possible.

A feature of outdoor games for children of early preschool age is that they should not be competitive in nature and be quite simple. Children enjoy imitating adults or other children, and they also begin to enjoy games with verbal instructions.

We will offer you some simple games for children 3-4 years old, both for the street and those that can be played at home or in a children's group.

The slower you go, the further you will be. Stop

Children of this age love games in which you need to freeze in place, because they are just in the process of mastering this skill.

The leader stands with his back to the participants at some distance. Then he says: “You go quieter - you will continue. Stop". While the driver is talking, the children go to him, as soon as the driver says “stop”, everyone freezes in place. The driver turns around and examines the children: those who do not freeze are eliminated from the game. The rest continue the game until they reach the driver.

Jump those who…

This outdoor game for children can be played both indoors and outdoors.
Toddlers usually like to listen to such simple instructions-tasks that are directly related to them.

The host says: "Sit down, all those who ate porridge today" or "Jump, those who love ice cream." Usually the game is accompanied by funny discussions about who likes what or what they ate. This is not scary, since the game thus stimulates the development of speech. In the same way, you can learn and repeat the names of colors: "Jump on your left foot, those who put on green."

Depict how...

We all know the game when a child thinks of a word, and others need to guess what he has depicted. But such small children can only think of the simplest things, for example, animals, because it will not be easy to guess what is hidden.

However, to diversify the game, you can invite the child to imitate daily activities: for example, how he brushes his teeth or plays in the sandbox, how you drive a car. Guessing in this case is not necessary. If there are several children, they can all represent the given action in their own way. Such a simple game is usually liked by children and develops not only physical abilities, but also imagination.

Train

This is a very fun outdoor game for children, in which there is absolutely no competitive nature.
Children pretend to be a train by lining up and holding onto each other. The task of the game is to repeat the movements behind the helmsman. The helmsman can walk smoothly, turn, stop, back up, sing songs. The steering should be changed periodically.

Monkeys

Another game aimed at repeating movements. Tell the children that monkeys love to make faces and imitate others. Invite one child to repeat the movements and facial expressions for you or another baby. You can either choose a leader or invite the children to work in pairs.

Color signals

The game will help children learn to concentrate and memorize simple instructions. Make some simple signals out of colored cardboard, for example, circles of different colors. Tell the children that you need to run on the green signal, freeze on the red signal, and when you show the yellow signal, jump. Start with 2-3 signals, and when the child remembers the movements, introduce new ones.

Who is faster

All children stand in a circle (it can be drawn with chalk on the pavement). The host thinks of an object to which everyone (including the host) needs to run as quickly as possible, touch it and return to their place in the circle. The one who returns last becomes the leader. With the help of this game, you can repeat the names of colors, suggesting that you run and touch one (or 2-3 if there are few children playing) objects of a certain color.

Simple

dodgeball

We are all familiar with the game of dodgeball. One child stands in the center, and the other two try to hit him with the ball. However, these young children will enjoy simply running away from the ball. The tagged one (the one who was hit by the ball) should not be out of the game. Just invite the children to change places from time to time and take turns throwing the ball. And, of course, pay attention to the fact that the ball is soft enough.

Hot-cold

This game is loved by children aged 3-4.

Hide an object or toy and have the child find it using your instructions: you will say "hot" when the child is close and "cold" when the child is moving away from the object.

Collecting toys

Pick up a few specific items. While the children are counting to 10, arrange the items around the room. Children need to collect all the items in the basket as soon as possible. When the children learn the rules of the game, complicate the task: offer to collect objects by jumping, clapping, walking on toes, crawling.

Ball games

Children at this age can learn different types of ball games: offer to throw the ball with your hands or feet, shoot the ball into the "gate" or put it in the basket, as in a basketball game.

Sports equipment

Remember that children at 3-4 years old can already master scooters, rollerblades, balance bikes and bicycles with extra wheels on the sides. In winter, skiing and skating.

The child must have different balls, jump rope, and you can also buy badminton and tennis rackets for children.

Outdoor games for children of other ages:

From 1 to 2 years old

From 2 to 3 years old

From 5 to 6 years old

From 6 to 10 years old

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Games for preschoolers 4-5 years old

Preschoolers 4-5 years old will enjoy playing not only outdoor games, but also those where you need to think. Emphasis in games is recommended to be done on the development of observation, memorization, logic, imagination and speech skills, and in outdoor games - on improving coordination, speed, dexterity and attentiveness.

Here are some suitable games:

Cat and mouse

Active play. Develops dexterity, speed, attentiveness. It can successfully pass among a company of different ages. Suitable for home and street.
There are two versions of this game.
First. All but three players join hands and stand in an open circle. A "mouse" and two "cats" run inside. "Cats" must catch up with the mouse, but it's not so easy, because. she can safely run between the players in a circle, but they cannot. After that, all three of them stand in a circle and new cats and mice are selected.
The second option. In one corner, the house of the cat is indicated, in the other - the mink of mice, in the third - the pantry, where there are small objects depicting supplies. The cat falls asleep in the house, and the mice run from the hole to the pantry. At the clap of the leader (or after the words of the rhyme), the cat wakes up and begins to catch mice that are trying to run to the mink. At first, the cat is played by one of the adults, who pretends to catch, but lets the mice run away. Verbal accompaniment can be added to the game:
Cat guards mice,
Pretend to be asleep.
Here he hears - the mice came out,
Slowly, closer, closer,
Creeping from all the cracks.
Tsap - scratch! Catch it soon!

Carousels

Calm and active dance game. Develops coordination and synchronism of movements, dexterity, attentiveness. The ability to control the power of the voice. Suitable for home and street.
The facilitator stands in a circle with the children and everyone begins to slowly and quietly pronounce the text:
Barely, barely
The carousels are spinning.
(The players begin to slowly move in a circle)
And then, then, then
Everyone run, run, run.
(The tempo and strength of the voice increases, the speed of movement increases at the same time. The players start running) The next part is pronounced with a decrease in the tempo and strength of the voice:
Hush, hush! Do not hurry!
Stop the carousel!
(With these words, everyone stops).

Kangaroo

Active play. Develops dexterity, speed in movements. It can successfully pass among a company of different ages. Suitable for home and street.
Two teams compete. Holding a matchbox (or similar object) with your feet, you need to jump like a kangaroo to the opposite wall (or chair), stop and say loudly: "I am a kangaroo!" (This statement is also evaluated by the presenter). Then you need to jump back and pass the box to a teammate. The winning team gets prizes.

Extra word

Quiet play. Develops attention, logic, the ability to combine objects into groups and select generalizing words. Suitable for home and street.
Before the start of the game, the facilitator explains that there are words in Russian that have similar meanings. The facilitator lists 4 words to the children, and they name what is superfluous, and explain why they think so. You can play not only with nouns, but also with verbs and adjectives.

Sweets

Quiet play. Teaches communication, the ability to formulate questions and answers. Suitable for home and street.
A good game to start the holiday and let the kids loosen up. You will need any sweets or dragees. Each child is offered to take as many sweets as he wants. Then the plate with refreshments is passed around. Then the host announces the rules of the game: each guest must answer the number of questions from the others, equal to the number of candies he took.

Hot ball

Quiet play. Develops agility, speed and attention. Suitable for home and street.
Gambling: everyone stands in a circle and passes the ball to each other to the music. When the music stops, the player who did not have time to pass the ball and remained with him in his hands is eliminated (you can put him in honorary spectators, you can take forfeits). The last player left without a ball wins.

Missing numbers

Quiet play. Develops attention and counting skills. Suitable for home and street.
The facilitator counts up to 10, deliberately skipping some numbers (or making mistakes). Players should clap their hands when they hear an error and name the missing number.

Fluffy

Quiet play. Develops discipline. Suitable for home.
Old Russian game. The teams stand against each other, between them is a line that cannot be crossed (for example, a ribbon). The host tosses a feather (you can use a fluffy cotton swab) over the heads of the participants. Task: to blow it to the side of the enemy. Attention, the team that steps up the ribbon or touches the feather with their hands is counted as a defeat.

Chamomile

Quiet play. Lets loosen up. Suitable for home.
Suitable for the beginning of the party, if the guests feel constrained. For the game, a camomile is prepared in advance from paper. The number of petals should be equal to the number of guests. On the back of each, easy funny tasks are written, for example, crow, jump like a frog or on one leg, repeat a tongue twister, crawl on all fours, etc. Children tear off a petal and complete the task. If the children do not yet know how to read, the task can be depicted in the form of a picture or read to the facilitator.

Hedgehogs

Active play. Develops speed and fine motor skills. Suitable for street and home.
Team game. She needs a rope of 1.5 m and 30 multi-colored clothespins attached to it. Adults act as hedgehogs. The players run up to the stretched rope one at a time, as in a relay race, take off one clothespin, run to the “hedgehogs” sitting on chairs and attach it to any place of clothing or hairstyle. It’s good if the distance from the rope to the hedgehogs is 10 meters. The team whose hedgehog bristles better wins, i.e. which will have more clothespins - needles. The second team can be given a prize for the most original / cute / funny hedgehog (according to circumstances).

I'm coming, I'm coming

Active play. Develops speed and attention. Suitable for home and street.
A fun, emotional game that gives young children a lot of fun. Children line up behind the leading chain. He goes and pronounces the following words: "I'm walking, walking, walking, I'm leading the children (an arbitrary number of times), and as soon as I turn around, I'll catch everyone at once." catches them (it's better for kids to pretend to let them run away). The game is well suited for the home, when the host leads from room to room, repeating the first lines. When the cherished “I will catch” is uttered, the children with a screech rush through the entire apartment to the saving place.

Spider and flies

Flickering game. Teaches children to run in different directions without colliding, and freeze on a signal. Develops coordination and attention. Suitable for home and street.
In one corner of the room (platform) a web is indicated, in which a "spider" sits. The rest of the children depict flies: they run, circle around the room, buzz. At the leader's signal: "Spider!" flies freeze in the place where they were caught by the signal. The spider emerges from the web and carefully watches who moves. The one who moved - takes him into his web.

Who am I?

Quiet play. Develops logic, broadens horizons. Suitable for home.
Suitable for the beginning of the holiday. At the entrance, each child receives a new name - a bear, a fox, a wolf, etc. A picture with a new name is attached to his back, he does not know about it, until, with the help of leading questions, he finds out everything about himself from those around him. Alternatively, you can describe this animal only with adjectives (for example: cunning, red, fluffy ... - fox). The goal is to find out as quickly as possible who is involved.

Seasons?

Quiet play. Develops attention, logic, broadens horizons. Suitable for home and street.
The facilitator chooses any season and calls it to the players. Then he begins to list the phenomena and objects associated with this season. From time to time he says the wrong words. When they hear a word that is not related to this time of year, the children should clap their hands.

Edible - inedible?

Quiet play. Develops attention and logic. Suitable for home and street.
The leader throws the ball to one of the players and says a word. The player must catch the ball if the word denotes an edible item, or discard it if the item is inedible. The most attentive wins. From those who made a mistake, you can take forfeits, according to which funny tasks are then blindly assigned.

Obedient shadow or Mirror

Quiet play. Develops attention. Suitable for home and street.
Two players are selected (for example, using a counter), one is the shadow of the other. "Shadow" should repeat the actions of another player, if possible synchronously. If within a minute the player does not make a single mistake, he becomes the main player and chooses his shadow from among the other players.

Treasure hunt

Quiet play. Develops the ability to navigate in space, logic, attention, the ability to compare parts, to assemble a mosaic. Suitable for home and street.
A map of the place where treasures are hidden (apartments or streets) is drawn up in advance, cut into pieces, each of which is obtained by players in the form of a reward for correctly guessing a riddle or completing a task. Having made a map like a puzzle, all invitees are looking for treasure and discover something tasty or interesting. Before this game, it is better to practice and draw up a similar plan with the children, pronouncing how and what is indicated. It is important to draw the children's attention to the fact that the plan is, as it were, a view from above. In case of difficulty in finding the treasure, the leader prompts, directing the children in the right direction.

Hot-cold

Quiet play. Develops logic. Suitable for home.
Suitable for the beginning of the holiday, if you hide various souvenirs-trinkets in the room in advance. The incoming guest begins to look for the hidden prize, and the rest tell him if he is walking right. If he approaches a hidden object, they shout "Heat", if it is very close - "Hot", if it moves away "Cool" or completely "Cold".

Missing numbers

Quiet play. Develops attention and counting skills. Suitable for home and street.
The facilitator counts, deliberately making mistakes or missing numbers. Players should clap their hands when they spot an error and correct it.

Hurry up

Quiet play. Develops attention, fine motor skills. Suitable for home.
Cubes (or skittles, etc. ) are laid out on the floor according to the number of players minus one. Players walk around to the music, and as soon as it subsides, they must grab the cube. Whoever did not get the cube - drops out (or gives a phantom).

Where we were, we won't tell you what we did - we'll show you

Quiet play. Develops motor skills, imagination, attention, broadens horizons. Suitable for home and street.
The host quietly tells the player the profession, so that the others cannot hear. The player says "Where we were, we won't tell you what we did - we'll show you" and tries to show without words what people of this profession do. The rest guess. Guessed player - shows next.

In the old closet

Quiet play. Develops speech and the ability to distinguish parts of objects, broadens horizons. Suitable for home and street.
The facilitator, together with the players, says:
In the old closet, at Anna's grandmother,
Where I climbed -
Many miracles .