Sometimes it is too hot or too cold to play outside. Additionally, most activities that take place away from home require spending money. Games played at home provide an alternative source of entertainment. Our list of fun games to play at home includes suggestions for every age and level of capability. Most require simple materials easily found around your home. We also provide easy to follow directions for each game.
good games to play at home
The great thing about pencil and paper games is their simplicity. They can be played anywhere and at any time. When kids get bored at home, simply give them a piece of paper and pencils or pens, and they can entertain themselves for at least an hour. Our selection of pencil and paper games includes several old favorites
The object of this game is to draw a completed cootie bug before the other players. Provide each player with a piece of paper and a pencil. Players roll a die to complete their bug. Every time, the number of dots on the die represents a different body part:
Have each player roll the die and the player with the highest roll goes first. A player must start by throwing a one for the body and then a two for the head. If a player cannot roll the required numbers, they lose their turn and must try again on their next turn. After a player gets the body and head, cootie parts can be added in any order a player desires. However, if a player rolls a number of a cootie body part they already have, their turn is over. When a player successfully rolls a needed number, they get a free roll to attempt to get another body part. The winner of the game is the first to finish their cootie.
Tic-Tac-Toe is one of the first pencil and paper games a child learns. To begin playing, draw a grid of two horizontal lines dissecting two vertical lines. Players take turns choosing a box and placing either the letter 0 or the letter X to mark their box. The goal of the game is to fill in three marks in a row or block your opponent from doing so.
Have fun building castles, homes, construction sites, and forts with anything available. Provide the kids with building blocks, empty cardboard or plastic containers, toilet tissue and paper towel cardboard tubes. Alternatively, build a fort with boxes, blankets, and pillows.
Kids love finding hidden objects and although this fun game to play at home does take a bit of preparation, the fun it provides is worth it. Begin by writing clues on small folded slips of paper. Each clue leads kids to the next place with an additional note. When the kids reach the end, they find a prize. Alternatively, leave coins in each spot, beginning with pennies and working up to the end and a larger amount of money.
Gather several items that produce some sort of sound. Blindfold players and have them guess the item from the sound it makes. You can show the items to younger children at the beginning of the game. For older children, make them guess without seeing the items. Some items to include are:
Choose the oldest or youngest to start this drawing game and then have players draw in order of their birth date. Find a fairly large piece of paper and get out colored pencils, crayons, or markers. The first player begins by drawing a line, circle, or other piece of a picture. Each player adds to it. Keep having players add to the picture until everyone has a turn, if you have many players, or until the players have had a predetermined number of turns. See what type of interesting drawing results.
You may need to help your youngest children begin this game, but older children can play it without assistance. To begin, choose between five and ten categories and write them across the top of a piece of paper. Some suggestions are:
The first player chooses any random letter of the alphabet. All the players have one minute to come up with something for each category listed that begins with that letter. At the end of each round scores are totalled. However, you only get a point if no one else came up with the same thing or name. The more obscure the words chosen for each category usually earn the most points.
A dictionary game for older children, word whiz can be played indefinitely. Provide each player with a piece of paper and a pen or pencil. Pass around a dictionary and each player in turn chooses a word the meaning of which they believe the other players do not know. Players read words aloud and spell them if necessary. The players who have not chosen the word write down what they believe the word means. All the definitions are read and the players vote for which one they think is correct. The player with the word gets one point for each vote and then reveals the real definition. The player with the most points at the end of a set number of rounds wins the game.
Whether you have a family of all ages or just one child, our selection of fun games to play at home has a game perfect for you. When you want to play games at home, you want something with quick and easy directions and set up. Very few of the games in this article require any outlay of funds or extra equipment. Additionally, many can be modified for different ages and group sizes. Fun games to play at home can be quick, such as a few games of tic-tac-toe, or take a great amount of time, like a 1000 word puzzle. For rainy or hot summer days, our games provide enjoyment and many, such as the puzzles and word games, are also educational and build thinking skills. Choose a game and have fun!
Thank you so much icebreakerideas.com for providing great game ideas for sitting down and not much movement, as well as games to play while standing or just to move around! I loved all of these so much!
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.
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. 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!
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.
We typically think of bubbles as an outdoor activity; this version can be played indoors. Get a plate and straw for each child and put a coin-sized drop of dish soap on it. Mix a little water in until suds form. Each child then puts the end of the straw straight up and down into the suds so that a layer of soap forms over the end of the straw. Blowing very slowly, a single bubble will start to grow! Can you blow a giant bubble? How long can you hold it for?
Angles: Try taping down further lines at different angles. Spirals and zig-zags are always fun. This is one of those physical games for kindergarten readiness that is easy to practice.
This indoor game can get a little giggly, so be warned! It is great though, because it is one of those games to play with kindergarten kids up through older grades. Grab any soft ball or rolled up socks and underhand-toss it to a child. Instruct them to toss it to someone else as quickly as possible. Each child repeats this. When does this game end? Who knows? Just get rid of it!
Hot potato variations: If you have enough children for this indoor activity, play short segments of music while they toss the object, stop the music, and the last child to touch it when the music stops is out of the game. Repeat until there is only 1 child.
Depending on the skill level of the stations you create, obstacle courses can be fun indoor games to play with kindergarten-aged children through adults. Here are some ideas for your course that you could put in any order:
This has to be one of the oldest games on planet Earth. It ranks among my favorite indoor games for family get-togethers. Anyone from tot to grandma can play along. (This is a good way to modify hide and seek for smaller kids).
This indoor game usually gets all ages in our family involved. The younger ones often request their older siblings to design a treasure hunt that will lead them around the house in search of some token prize (usually fruit snacks). The challenging part is writing the clever clues that will lead the seekers from point to point until the treasure is located. Adults can be involved and make this as simple as necessary for younger kids to play if they cannot yet read. For instance, using picture clues instead of written clues.
More: Gianna shares her: Top 3 Games to Play with Preschoolers and Our Friends at Grand Rapids Kids have even more suggestions: 25+ Best Family Board Games for Kids. They cover toddlers through teen/adult board games.
When collecting marbles for this game, make sure to get 1 bigger marble for each kid that is going to play. First, make a circle 3 feet wide out of masking tape or string. Place 3-5 marbles near the center of the circle for each player. Each child takes a turn, with their hands outside the circle, flicking their big marble out of their fist with their thumb towards the marbles in the center. If they knock any marbles out of the ring then they get to keep them and play again. If they miss, then they leave their big marble there until it is their turn again. The winner is the kid with the most marbles when all marbles are knocked out of the ring.
A set of 10 dice can fit in your purse and you instantly have mini games to play at home or wherever you land. These are four of our favorite family indoor games you can play with just a set of dice, paper and pen. The links will take you to instructions on how to play. 2ff7e9595c
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