Stuck indoors with nothing to do? Here are 6 easy, fun ways to keep kids active at home

We all know kids love being outside – playing, running, exploring – most of us parents get exhausted just looking at them.

But some days, the weather doesn’t allow it – so what do you do? How can you keep your little one active and entertained when the weather’s too bad to take them outside?

That’s easy – bring the fun inside, with a fun activity that all the family can enjoy.

How active should kids be to stay healthy?

The current guidance on keeping young kids active is healthy is to have 30 minutes of adult-led structured activity or at least 60 minutes of active free play.

The great thing is that it’s not just your kids that benefit – most of us adults could do with being more physically active, and getting in on the fun is a great way to sneak a bit more exercise into our day.

So, let’s get into it – here are our picks for six of the best, no-hassle fun ways to keep your little one active at home.

6 ways to keep your kids active indoors

1. Build an obstacle course

First up is to build an epic obstacle course. The great thing about this one is you can make an obstacle course out of pretty much anything.

Climb over a giant dinosaur plush or dino bean bag, go up and down a dinosaur slide, crawl through a play tunnel or dinosaur tent – be as creative as you like. Just remember to keep your course age-appropriate to avoid any trips or falls.

If you’ve got a couple of kids at home, you can make things even more fun by turning it into a race. Get a few treats as prizes, open the timer app on your smartphone, then grab yourself a whistle and blow.

2. Play hide and seek

For parents who aren’t feeling energetic enough to set up an obstacle course – or shudder at the thought of post-play cleanup – why not have a game of hide and seek?

If you haven’t played it for a while, the game is as simple as counting to 10 – which is also handy to help get your toddler to count – followed by the classic “ready or not, here I come”. This game is great, and one we all loved as kids – yours will love it all the same.

While they might take a few attempts to figure out the point of the game – this being especially true for younger children – once they’ve got the hang of it, they’ll love nothing more than a good old fashioned game of hide and seek.

3. Hold a toy parade

Another super easy activity – hold a parade! This one can involve the whole family – grab a load of dinosaur toys, a wagon – or anything else with wheels that you can get a few toys on – and if you’ve got understanding neighbors, go all-out and grab a few instruments.

You can use this activity to reward your little one. Maybe they’ve aced potty training, counting to 20, or whizzed through the alphabet in record time – whatever it is, why not mark it with a toy parade.

This one is especially great, as it’s also a good excuse for throwing on a dinosaur costume or dinosaur onesie and playing dress-up – something all kids love to do.

4. Have a scavenger hunt

Another great activity that requires minimum effort and investment – a scavenger hunt is a great way to keep your little ones entertained and active at home.

Simply pick up a laundry basket and raid their dinosaur toy box and load up on dino plush toys, dinosaur alarm clock, or pretty much anything else you can find, whip up and print out a couple of lists, then set your kids off on the hunt.

This one is even better with prizes, so be sure to have a few tasty treats on hand for the winners – better yet, you could even use a timer for an added element of fun. 

5. Have a dance-off

It’s no secret that kids love to dance – it’s also a fantastic way to keep physically active. There’s also the obvious benefit that no setup or planning is required, making it a great go-to impromptu indoor activity.

Clear some space, put on your child’s favorite playlist, and get your groove on! To make things even more fun, why not put on a costume? Kids love to dress up, almost as much as they love to dance, making this the perfect combo.

You might also want to video it, as kids enjoy watching themselves back, especially when they’re being silly, with all their funky dance moves.

6. Build a fort 

What kid doesn’t love building a fort? These are a great way to be creative at home, keeping your little one active in the process.

Grab a few dinosaur blankets, dino bedding sets – or whatever soft supplies you have to hand – and start building.

If you’ve got a couple of kids – and space – why not turn it into a competition? You could judge on the best built, quickest, most colorful – whatever you like really, dishing out prizes to the victor.

Final thoughts

While we’d all rather be outside, enjoying the sunshine, some days the weather just sucks. Whether it’s too cold, windy, or wet – lousy weather doesn’t have to spoil the fun.

The great news is that there’s plenty of fun activities you can do at home with the stuff you’ve already got, giving you and your family a way to make the most of rainy days, having a blast without forking out any money.

And it’s not just rainy, dinosaur umbrella days – these activities are the perfect way to keep your little ones active and healthy, sneaking exercise into their routine disguised as playtime.

So, what are you waiting for?! Close the laptop or put the smartphone down and go have some indoor family fun with one of the picks from our list.