Five Ways to Survive the Great Indoors - Contributor Post

Here are some amazingly creative games to keep everyone happy and having fun when you're all stuck inside, courtesy of:

Hi, my name is Alex and I'm the mom of two little (and active!) boys ages 4 and 7. You can follow our adventures on my blog, Alex Nguyen Portraits. Like me, you have probably been trapped indoors, either through weather, or through sickness, and found yourself wondering what to do to keep your kids entertained, and to keep your sanity in check. Here are some simple indoor games and activities that have been tested by my kids and given four hearty thumbs up. Bonus points is that some of them require very little parent oversight, and most of them involve things you already have around the house!

What You'll Need:

kleenex, or cotton ball, or toilet paper

masking tape

**optional** post it notes 

GAME 1: Kleenex Blowing Down The Hall

Take a kleenex. lay it on the ground, lay down on your stomach, and start blowing on it. Don't say anything to your kid(s). Pretty soon, your kids will wander over, and start doing it as well. you don't even need a whole piece of kleenex. Sometimes with mine, I will do a cotton ball, or tear a tissue in half or quarters and have them blow their pieces in opposite directions. It's also a great calming game if your kids are fighting.

 


GAME 2: Musical Letters


Using masking tape, tape pieces to the floor and draw letters (or numbers, or shapes - whatever your child can identify) onto the pieces. Play a song, and both of you dance. When the music stops, call out a letter, and have the child find the piece of tape with the letter on it.

ALTERNATE VERSION: no music, just call out letters and have the child find it. If you have carpet, do it with pieces of paper, and tape the paper to chairs and have the child touch the chair.

 

BONUS: if your child is like mine, they will also enjoy taking the masking tape off the floors. This is at least another ten minute activity of fun.

  

GAME 3: Alphabet Zoo

This will require a bit of set up by the parent beforehand. Research animals that start with every letter of the alphabet. Then, pick a spot, and have your child walk, run, jump, hop like the animal. Some ideas are: walk like an anteater, honk like a goose, waddle like a quail. I usually have my boys walk up and down a hallway, alternating animals. They LOVE this game!

 

GAME 4: Find Your Body Parts

This game involves masking tape, or if you have them, post it notes. Give your child a piece of tape, or a post it note. If you have an older child, you can write the body part on it, and give it to them to read. For a younger child, just tell them the body part, and have them stick the post it note on the corresponding body part. Both my kids love this game, and it is also a big hit with the preschooler set.

  

GAME 5: Alphabet Scavenger Hunt

Make a list together from A - Z. Have your child go around the house finding you something that starts with the first letter in the alphabet. BONUS: if you have a camera and a trust worthy child, go ahead and give them the camera to take pictures. You can also give them a checklist. You get some pretty hilarious pictures! My son's alphabet scavenger hunt photo (S was for Snowman): 

 

So there you have it. Five different and interesting indoor games that will keep you and your kids from 

indoor Armageddon. :)