Not always can children spend their free time outdoors or engaged in sports or recreational activities. When, for various reasons, they are forced to stay indoors, it can be challenging for parents to contain their energy or, on the contrary, chase away boredom.

This may lead to quick solutions to distract them, such as letting them watch cartoons or play with a cellphone or tablet. However, these activities promote sedentary behavior and put them in a passive role, which does not stimulate their creativity.

In this article, we will suggest some ideas to help children stay mentally and physically active even when they cannot go out.

5 Ideas for Children's Games to Play at Home

Children have a great imagination, and with the right spirit and a bit of effort from parents, everything can be made fun for them, even organizing and keeping their room tidy.

However, if you want to involve them in real games to play at home, there are several factors to consider.

First and foremost, it is essential to consider the age of your children. Some highly stimulating activities, such as conducting small experiments or crafts, may not be suitable for younger children. Others, such as role-playing games where children pretend to do grown-up work, are often boring for older children.

It is also necessary to plan ahead for some artistic or creative pastimes. For example, if you plan to involve children in building houses or vehicles from cardboard, you will need to have boxes and packaging materials ready.

If you are unsure about which activities to propose to your children and have little time to organize, here are 5 games to play indoors suitable for various age groups and without the use of specific materials.

How to Play Hide and Seek Indoors

Playing hide and seek indoors or outdoors has always been one of children's favorite activities. Besides being a fun way to pass the time, it stimulates intuition, strategic skills, and problem-solving.

Another advantage is that it is one of the games for children to play at home that requires no equipment or materials.

Moreover, it is suitable for all age groups. By limiting the space to a single room or having children hide with one of the parents, it is a game suitable for children from 1 year old and up.

However, to prevent domestic accidents, it is essential to carefully monitor even the older children during the game. They may be tempted to climb on shelves and bookcases or lock themselves inside rooms or furniture from which they may then find it difficult to get out.

In general, to avoid risks to their safety and damage to things, it is crucial that the room's furniture is safe, and all household items are childproof.

Building a Shelter in the Room

Among the most creative indoor games for children is building shelters, dens, huts, and forts in the room.

It is an activity that stimulates the ability to express imagination, while favoring logical thinking. It also encourages spatial skills and helps children understand proportions and symmetries.

With some precautions, this game is suitable for children from 3 years old onwards. To adapt it to younger children, it is sufficient to simplify the type of structure to build and increase parental involvement in the actual construction phase.

As for the necessary equipment, what you have at home will suffice: blankets, sheets, pillows, chairs, and a few clothespins. Creativity and imagination will do the rest.

The Transferring Game

The transferring of small objects or other elements from one container to another is a game for children to play at home suitable for the age group between 1 and 3 years old.

To start playing, all you need are two containers and something the child can transfer from one to the other (short pasta, legumes, leaves, marbles, etc.). Initially, let them move the content using only their hands, and then introduce various tools, such as spoons or tongs.

To make the game even more stimulating, the size of the utensils should decrease as the child gains confidence in their movements.

In addition to being fun, this Montessori activity is educational because it trains hand-eye coordination and concentration.

Organizing Indoor Bowling

Indoor bowling is a good idea to keep children physically active and encourage the development of motor coordination and other skills. If there is more than one player, it becomes a way to learn patience and respect for turns. Moreover, counting the knocked-down and remaining pins strengthens arithmetic skills.

Like other games for children to play at home, this can be organized with what you have. You do not need actual bowling pins, but just some empty plastic bottles to knock down with any ball.

This activity is suitable for children from 1 year old upwards. In fact, it can also be done seated, and to adapt it for younger children, simply bring the pins closer and use a larger ball.

Playing as a Little Chef

One of the indoor games for children that will undoubtedly be appreciated is cooking together with parents. Miniature chefs will have fun working with their hands and stimulate all five senses. Also, they will develop sequential thinking and increase their sense of responsibility.

Children can start participating in meal preparation from the age of 3 years. Of course, younger children should be kept away from knives and stoves, but they can knead, rinse fruits and vegetables, or mix cold compounds.

Older children, on the other hand, can be more involved. It will be possible to let them independently perform more complex tasks, such as weighing ingredients, breaking eggs, or shaping meatballs.

From the age of 10-11 years onwards, always under guardian supervision, they can even take care of cooking the food, selecting and preparing a recipe themselves.

Ensuring a Safe Room for Playing

To allow children to play indoors without risks, the room must be functional and safe. Removing obstacles from the floor, covering electrical outlets, and controlling access to windows and balconies are precautions that must not be overlooked for any reason.

For their safety, it is also essential to avoid sharp edges, while tall furniture must be wall-mounted to prevent the risk of tipping over. Also, any shelves should be securely anchored, and it is advisable to remove the key from the door to prevent children from locking themselves in the room.

However, these common-sense rules are not enough to be at ease. The entire room's furniture should be chosen with the children's well-being in mind. It is essential to turn to companies with certified safety standards.