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100 Fun and Easy Activities to Do with Kids at Home

Nicole Sipe
Written By: Nicole Sipe
Last updated on:

Looking for fun activities for kids to keep them entertained at home? Whether it’s a rainy day, school break, or just an ordinary afternoon, we’ve got you covered with 100+ creative and engaging activities for all ages. From indoor games and crafts to DIY projects and educational experiments, this ultimate guide is packed with boredom-busting ideas that spark imagination and turn every day into an adventure.

Say goodbye to “I’m bored!” and hello to hours of family fun!

Is the weather nice? Check out our list of 100 outdoor activities for kids at home.

Have a fun idea to add? Email us at indyschild@indyschild.com, and we’ll add it to our list!

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100 Creative and Fun Activities for Kids at Home

These activities are perfect for keeping children engaged, learning, and having fun without leaving the house. Each activity is designed to be simple, affordable, and adaptable to different age groups.

    1. Play indoor hide and seek – a classic that never gets old!
    2. Conduct a science experiment. Here are 31 easy science experiments using common household items – perfect educational activities.
    3. Make a batch of DIY Gummy Bears – a sweet and fun kitchen activity.
    4. Have a laugh with Alexa. Here’s a list of funny and kid-friendly things you can ask Alexa and Siri.
    5. Have an extra Amazon box laying around? Here are 32 fun, creative, and educational things to do with a cardboard box.
      Cardboard box activities for kids - creative kids activities at home
      Photo by The OT Toolbox – Creative cardboard box kids activities
    6. Ride a virtual roller coaster – one of the most thrilling indoor activities! For even more fun, stream the video to your TV and sit inside laundry baskets for the full effect. Here are 30 of the best virtual rides.
    7. Try a new cookie or cake recipe. Bonus idea: Set up a camera or smartphone and film a cooking show!
    8. Make a play kit with items from around the house to enhance your child’s imaginative play. Here are some of our favorite play kit ideas.
    9. Make DIY fruit roll-ups – a healthy and delicious activity.
    10. Practice a new life skill with your kids. Here are 81 Essential Life Skills to Teach Kids at Every Age.
    11. Play with blocks. We recommend the competitive STEM game Blocks Rock!
    12. Make a mancala counting game with an egg carton. Instructions here – a great educational activity.
    13. Go camping in the living room – one of the most memorable family activities!
    14. Play board games – classics that build strategy and family bonding.
    15. Make DIY Strawberry Pop-Tarts.
      DIY homemade pop tarts - fun cooking activities for kids at home
      Make DIY pop tarts – a delicious cooking activity
    16. Design and go on an indoor treasure hunt – engaging and exciting!
    17. Plan a family garden together.
    18. Make ice cream in a bag. Recipe here.
    19. Make slime. Instructions here – always a hit with kids!
    20. Set up an in-home nail salon and try some nail art techniques. Ideas here.
    21. Dress up in your best clothes and have a fancy dinner at home.
    22. Make a piñata. Instructions here.
    23. Make friendship bracelets – a timeless craft activity.
    24. Make and blow bubbles. Instructions here.
    25. Teach your pet a new trick – combines fun with responsibility.
    26. Make rock candy. Instructions here.
      Homemade rock candy - science activities for kids at home
      Photo credit – jenniemasterson.com | Rock candy science experiment
    27. Have an indoor picnic – simple but memorable!
    28. Listen to an audiobook or podcast together.
    29. Host a DIY talent show and let each family member showcase their skills.
    30. Try Cosmic Kids Yoga – active and mindful exercise.
    31. Make paper fidget spinners. Instructions here.
    32. Create your own bingo cards and have a bingo tournament.
    33. Create a family tree together.
    34. Let your kids write and direct a stop-motion movie. Learn how it works here.
    35. Learn and play a new card game.
    36. Learn to make stop-motion videos with your toys. Learn how here.
    37. Teach yourself to juggle.
    38. Play indoor basketball using a laundry basket and small, soft balls.
    39. Practice origami, the art of paper folding. Ideas here.
    40. Play with magnets on a cookie sheet.
    41. Make a maze on the floor with painter’s tape.
    42. Play with sidewalk chalk (even indoors on large paper!).
  1. Play indoor volleyball or soccer with balloons – safe and active!
  2. Have a pizza party. DIY Pizza Bagels recipe here.
    DIY Pizza Bagels - easy cooking activities for kids
    DIY Pizza Bagels – kids love making their own food!
  3. Make paper airplanes and see whose plane flies the farthest.
  4. Play dress up with mom and dad’s clothes.
  5. Create your own memory game with family photos.
  6. Create a DIY aquarium with paper fish. Instructions here.
  7. Make your own popsicles. Here’s one popsicle recipe we enjoy.
  8. Go in your backyard and look for four-leaf clovers.
  9. Write a secret message in invisible ink. Recipe for lemon juice invisible ink here.
  10. Play “I Spy” inside or out the window.
  11. Sing karaoke with your favorite songs. Use hairbrushes for the microphone!
  12. Clean out your closets – turn chores into fun!
  13. FaceTime or Skype with family or friends. Here are some tips on making FaceTime meaningful.
  14. Have breakfast in bed.
  15. Set up stations for a DIY “Minute to Win It” game. Here are some easy ideas.
    Minute to Win It games - fun party activities for kids at home
    Photo credit: happymomhacks.com | Minute to Win It game ideas
  16. Write a family song or rap together.
  17. Have a tea party – a classic activity for kids.
  18. Learn magic tricks online and have a magic show.
  19. Make a water sensory bag. Instructions here.
  20. Make some DIY play-dough – always a crowd favorite!
  21. Create a nature scavenger hunt in your backyard.
  22. Play “The Floor is Lava” – an exciting imagination game.
  23. Snuggle on the couch and read your favorite books.
  24. Rearrange or redecorate your room together.
  25. Play in a bubble bath with toys and cups.
  26. Have a pillow fight – supervised and safe!
  27. Write a short story or comic book together.
  28. Try a new type of dance with YouTube tutorials – ballet, hip hop, or salsa.
  29. Have a family movie night. Here are 10 of our all-time favorites.
  30. Make an indoor obstacle course – active and challenging!
  31. Have a family music night with instruments or singing.
  32. Learn to code without a computer. Here are 12 unplugged coding games.
  33. Make shadow puppets and create stories with them on a wall.
    Shadow puppets - creative activities for kids at home
    Shadow Puppets – imaginative kids activities
  34. Have an alphabet scavenger hunt, finding items beginning with each letter from around the house.
  35. Build a giant fort out of blankets, chairs, and pillows.
  36. Paint with Kool-Aid. Instructions here.
  37. Put on a puppet show using socks or paper bags.
  38. Set up a funny photo booth using household items as props.
  39. Create a family cookbook with your favorite recipes.
  40. Make a family vision board for goals and dreams.
  41. Make homemade lava lamps using oil, water, and food coloring. Instructions here.
  42. Make a scrapbook of memories.
  43. Play marbles on the floor – a retro activity kids still love.
  44. Do a puzzle together – great for problem-solving skills.
  45. Have a home economics day; learn to sew on a button, iron a shirt, or make a simple meal.
  46. Learn sign language together. Here’s a great basic sign language video.
  47. Fold clothes together – make chores fun!
  48. Create a new dessert recipe as a family.
  49. Put on your bathrobes and play spa day.
    Family spa day at home - relaxing activities for kids
    Family Spa Day at home – pampering activities
  50. Play 20 Questions – educational and entertaining.
  51. Host a lip sync battle with your favorite songs.
  52. Create creatures out of pipe cleaners. Ideas here.
  53. Make a treasure bottle. Instructions here.
  54. Decorate a T-shirt with fabric markers or iron-on designs.
  55. Write letters to family and friends – a meaningful activity.
  56. Build a bridge or building with toothpicks or Q-tips.
  57. Play hangman or tic-tac-toe – simple but engaging games.
  58. Make a time capsule! One day your kids can use it to tell their kids all about this special time.

Bonus: 20 Fun Activities for Toddlers at Home

Looking for activities specifically designed for toddlers? These are perfect for little ones aged 1-3 years old and focus on sensory play, motor skill development, and safe indoor fun.

  1. Playing “I Spy” around the house with simple objects.
  2. Build a blanket fort using chairs, cushions, and blankets.
  3. Set up a pretend grocery store with empty food containers and a shopping bag.
  4. Stack plastic cups or building blocks to create towers.
  5. Hide small toys around the house for an indoor treasure hunt.
  6. Dress up in costumes or old clothing for a fun fashion show.
  7. Create a “sensory walk” using different textured materials on the floor.
  8. Sort and match colored objects, such as toys or socks – great for learning colors.
  9. Freeze colored water in ice cube trays for ice cube painting.
  10. Set up a DIY bowling alley using empty water bottles and a soft ball.
  11. Tell stories and act them out using stuffed animals or toys.
  12. Turn a cardboard box into a car, train, or spaceship with markers and imagination.
  13. Practice yoga or simple stretching exercises designed for kids.
  14. Create a DIY obstacle course using pillows, cushions, and other household items.
  15. Use pipe cleaners to make fun animal shapes or bracelets.
  16. Play a game of “Simon Says” or “Follow the Leader.”
  17. Use masking tape to create a racetrack on the floor for toy cars.
  18. Play “Hot Potato” with a soft ball or stuffed toy.
  19. Make shadow puppets on the wall using a flashlight.
  20. Play “animal charades” by acting out different animal movements – moo like a cow, hop like a bunny!

Keep the Fun Going!

With these 100+ activities, you’ll never run out of creative ways to keep your kids entertained at home. From educational science experiments to imaginative play, arts and crafts to active games, these ideas are designed to keep children engaged, learning, and having fun without spending a fortune or leaving the house.

Remember, the best activities are the ones that match your child’s interests and energy level. Mix and match from this list, adapt activities to your child’s age, and most importantly – have fun together!

About the Author:

Nicole Sipe
Nicole Sipe
Nicole Sipe is the editor of Indy's Child and Southwest Ohio Parent magazines. She has a BA in Journalism from California State University Northridge, and has been involved in the print and digital publishing world for most of her life. Born and raised in Southern California, Nicole traded the city and sun for corn and creeks, and now lives in central Indiana with her husband, two sons and Collie. Her latest book for children, “All About Me! Art Journal” was published in 2022 by Walter Foster Jr. In her spare time, she likes traveling with her family, enjoying good food and drink, volunteering at her children’s schools and around her community, and practicing yoga.

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Comments

  13. Such an amazing website!! Me and my kids will love doing these ideas!! I had an idea of doing one activity a day and then keep doing it for 70 days. My kids will love doing all these!! Thanks so much!!

  23. […] Parents! Your toddler needs plenty of things to bring to their schools and as a parent, it is important to keep a checklist of what you are going to buy for your kids. If your toddler is going to school for the first time, there will be an obvious fear for the parents to buy all the essential needs for their kids. Your kid may have anxiety about going to a new place and need to communicate with new people at the school. In those times, being fully prepared with their essential things will help you to ease out the situation. You can use this article as a checklist for your toddler’s things! […]

  27. […] I screamed at my kids today over homework. Yes, even though they are being homeschooled for obvious reasons, they still give them homework? Isn’t all school work homework now? And yes, I let myself get so worn down and stressed out that something that was clearly just busywork for my kids turned into a meltdown. Not all kids and not all parents learn the same way. Trying to educate by doing a few printouts… come on … this is silly. Don’t let a packet of busywork come between you and your loves. […]

  40. […] The best activities for kids are the ones that encourage self-expression and natural curiosity, and gardening is a good example of an exercise of this kind. Whether you are taking care of your existing plants or planting new seeds in a flower pot, gardening will seem interesting for kids. With the help of gardening, children can learn essential responsibilities, including patience, responsibility, and healthy eating. Not to mention that gardening can also be a great family bonding. […]

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