Whether your kids are staying indoors because there’s a school break or it’s just a rainy day, the time they spend indoors doesn’t have to be boring. While outdoor activities are also important, many indoor activities have a lot of benefits for the development of your child. Here are some indoor activities for kids that you should try out.
Mom’s Survival Kit During Breaks
Thinking of ideas to keep your kids busy and entertained can be challenging, but don’t worry. These indoor or rainy day activities promote fun learning!
For Babies:
1. Make a sensory bin or a sensory board
Some of the best things small babies can play with are sensory boards and sensory bins. These are tools with items that let your kids explore their senses. There are multiple child development benefits from introducing sensory play to your kids at home.
For one, it lets your kids learn about their senses and how to use them. Another is it also helps develop practical and social skills through playing with other people.
2. Play with mega blocks
Another thing you can let your babies play with indoors are mega blocks. They’re wonderful and well-established toys that promote learning through engagement. You can use these mega blocks to connect with your kids through play.
Cardboard mega blocks are especially great for babies since they’re light enough for them to play with safely. Because of this, they’re easy to assemble. And since they’re made of biodegradable materials, they’re good for the environment as well.
For Toddlers:
3. Color and doodle with silicone coloring mats
Toddlers are more curious and proactive, so activities such as coloring, drawing, and writing will definitely keep them interested. This activity promotes the development of creativity, concentration, and motor skills in your kids.
While traditional coloring pads are usually the go-to by many stay-at-home moms, there’s a better, environment-friendly alternative to them. Instead of paper coloring books, invest in silicone coloring mats. They’re reusable, easy to clean up, and safe for your kids.
You can check out our silicone coloring mats that comes with 12 markers already. Keep the children entertained while they learn the alphabet and how to color before, during, and even after meals — anywhere and anytime!
4. Read books
When your kids reach toddlerhood, they become more curious about the world around them. They love hearing stories, and their attention will definitely stay on you if you tell them fantastic tales.
However, to help develop their learning skills, including their speech and reading skills, and their imagination, a good rainy day activity is to read books. This activity is a good attention-grabber, and it helps lessen their gadget screen time, too! Your kids will even learn a thing or two from the books they read. If you want, you can let them read books that talk about virtues like patience.
5. Paint a bathtub using DIY edible paint
Painting, similar to coloring, is a wonderful activity you can do with your kids indoors. A good idea to introduce painting to your kids is by painting in your own bathtub with edible paint!
Edible paint is easy to make, and it’s tasty, too! You just need some whipped cream and different food coloring. Place some heavy whipping cream in a dispenser to make your own whipped cream. Place a dollop of whipped cream in a container and add a few drops of some gel-based food coloring. The best part about painting in your bathtub is the easy cleanup!
6. Make your own non-toxic clay dough
Playing with clay is another of the many interesting indoor activities for kids. Apart from helping hone your child’s creativity through play, clay dough is also a tactile object that helps your kids understand their senses even more. Making your own version at home is easy to do, as well!
All you need are flour, salt, cream of tartar, vegetable oil, some lukewarm water, and food coloring. Make sure to keep your DIY clay dough in sealed containers to prevent them from drying out.
For Children 5 years old and Above:
7. Bake and decorate
As your kids get older, they have more skills they can already use. A good rainy day activity you can do with older kids is to bake and decorate. It teaches them to follow specific instructions, and it also hones their creativity through decorating. They can even enjoy the baked goods they helped make after!
8. Do a scavenger hunt
Scavenger hunts are not exclusive to do outdoors. Indoor ones can be just as fun! If you have older kids, try to organize a scavenger hunt indoors. It helps them exercise their motor skills and practice critical thinking skills.
If you have multiple older kids taking part, this activity also helps them practice teamwork. Their social interaction doesn’t have to stop, just because it’s time for the school break.
9. Build a fort
A fun indoor activity for kids is building a fort. Not only is this fun, but it also has many benefits in terms of child development. Building a fort helps your kids exercise their motor and problem-solving skills while they try to create the fort out of household items. It also hones their imagination as they can play pretend with the fort you helped them make.
10. Learn how to play an instrument
One thing you can encourage your kids to do while they’re stuck indoors is learning how to play an instrument. This activity has many benefits in terms of child development. Some of these benefits include developing patience, practicing hand-eye coordination, improving reading skills, and developing self-expression.
11. Build an escape room
Escape rooms are fun and challenging, especially for kids who are curious and who want to pretend. This activity helps them develop critical thinking skills as well as their imagination. Plan out your escape room at home by first, making an interesting story. Make sure your story is in line with a theme your kids love. Then, think of fun puzzles and games. After that, make some believable props that add to the experience and set them up.
12. Give each other makeovers
If you want to do something fun indoors, why not join your kids in playing and give each other makeovers? Let your children pretend you’re all in a salon and let them “style” your hair or put makeup on you. Make it more believable with a cute makeover playset.
This activity is a good way to practice your kids’ social and language skills through conversation. It’s also a good way to develop their imagination by playing different scenarios.
Staying at home can open up opportunities for fun and learning. If your children are getting antsy staying inside the house all day, try introducing them to these fun indoor activities for kids. Your kids don’t have to miss out on being active just because they can’t go outside. These activities are safe and fun for both you and your kids.