Indoor Games to Play With Children

Memory Games

• When parents or caregivers want to combine fun with memory exercises, consider a twist on the conventional game of memory. Select a number of small objects, ranging from 10 to 20 items, that can be covered with a towel. Objects can include toys, kitchen utensils, books and other household odds and ends. Use an appropriate sized room for the number of players, such as a bedroom for two or three children, or a recreation room for a large group of children. Place the objects throughout the room and place a towel over each of them. Allow the children to enter the room and have them sit or stand together in the center of the room. Remove the towel from each object and then put it back over top of the item. Now, have the children work together in teams or independently to remember which objects were hidden where. The team or child who got the most right wins the game.

Card Games

• For those children with hand coordination, a game of cards in the hat may be the trick. All that is required to pull this off is a hat and a deck of cards. Separate the cards so that red cards go to one player and black go to the other. Place the hat a distance away from the children with the range determined by the level of appropriate difficulty. If the children have little difficulty getting the cards in the hat that is three feet away, then move the hat another foot or two. For example, for five year old children, try placing the hat approximately five feet away. Each player takes a turn throwing one card into the hat until all the cards are gone. The person with the most number of cards in the hat wins. If the children are not capable of such hand control, change the game to throwing soft balls in a cardboard box to keep the interest of the children.

Egg on a Spoon

• For a little exercise that is still appropriate for indoors, consider a game of egg on a spoon. Determine the number of players and boil two or three times that number of eggs. Create an obstacle course inside one or multiple rooms for the children to maneuver through. Give each child a spoon and a boiled egg and allow each one to complete the obstacle course without dropping the egg. The person who completes the course in the least amount of time wins. To make sure that everyone feels like a winner, finish the game with all children decorating the eggs.

Princess and Pirate Treasure Hunt

• The princess and pirate treasure hunt provides an activity that combines fun with thinking and observation. Each child chooses whether to be a princess or pirate for the game. Adults hide the clothes such as tiaras and gloves for the princess and a hat and eye patch for each pirate. The treasure can candy necklaces or bracelets for the princess and chocolate gold coins for the pirate. Smaller children may have difficulty finding objects, so ensure the object is in partial view while older children hunt through multiple rooms to find all their objects. Once the child has found the clothing, they must then collect a specific amount of bounty. The game ends with everyone eating the bounty as a beautiful princess or dashing pirate.