42 Fun Indoor Activities for Kids at Home (No Screens)

42 fun indoor activities for kids at home instead of screen time.

There are many things that keep kids stuck at home. It could be school vacation, the weather or other unexpected events.

Here in northern Minnesota it starts snowing in October and our last snowstorm is usually in April, sometimes even May. That means a good 6 months or more of winter.

When it’s 45 below zero (this is not an exaggeration) it is a lot of work to pack the kids up to go do something away from the house, that has given me a lot of experience keeping them busy at home inside.

Even when spring Spring can be rainy and even summer has its rainy days, so it is a little easier to go out and about, but being a small town the options are limited. It really helps everyone’s mood to have some fun activities to do at home.

There are many dangers to too much screen time. Too much screen time limits creativity and is a detriment to developing social skills and imagination.

Instead of turning on the television or letting the kids play computer games try some of these creative, fun activities.

Fun activities at home will cut down on whining and bickering. Pin this post here, so if you are at a loss for ideas to bust the kids’ boredom you have a go-to resource.

Stay at Home Activities for Kids on Rainy or Cold Days

Besides long winters not all summer days are nice to be outside. We do have days where it is cold and overcast or even days where we get a hard downpour.

1. 1. 1. 1. 1. Bake cookies
            2. Read a book
            3. Play a board game
            4. Make a tent with blankets and camp inside
            5. Put a puzzle together
            6. Make a fort with blankets and a table
            7. Make a suncatcher to add cheer on a gloomy day
            8. Play volleyball with a balloon
            9. Kiwi Crate (Fun STEM projects)
            10. Play dress up
            11. Build a robot
            12. Let them paint the walls with water brushes and paint rollers
            13. Do a scavenger hunt
            14. Make something new with Legos you already have
            15. Build a house with empty boxes
            16. Put on a play by acting out a favorite story
            17. Make hand shadows
            18. Make homemade pizza
            19. Cover a plastic table cloth with shaving cream and make roads for matchbox cars
            20. Use an app to learn a language
            21. Make a coffee table photo book of a family trip, beloved pet, extended family or special event.
            22. Put a 3D puzzle together find options for younger kids and teenagers
         

Crafts for Kids to Do at Home Indoors

These activities can be done inside when it is cold or rainy and outside when the weather is nice. I actually prefer painting projects be done outside on the patio when the kids were younger. The mess was much easier to deal with.

1. Make play dough that smells awesome
2. Paint a picture
3. Color a picture
4. Knit or crochet a dishcloth
5. Build a birdhouse
6. Finger paint
7. Paint rocks
8. Origami
9. Make a fairy garden
10. Thumbprint art
11. Hand & footprint art
12. Tie-Dye a T-shirt
13. Make a photo book of a special trip, special pet or grandparents

More  easy crafts to make for gifts or to sell here.

Ways to Stay Active Inside the House

It can be a challenge to stay active when you are stuck inside. Everyone gets a little cabin fever when they are stuck inside and that can make for a really crabby house. Staying active helps keep everyone less stressed and less irritable. Try some of these activities to keep active when the kids are stuck inside on a rainy summer day. Even wors are the stretches of over a week when the temperature here in the north country is below zero for over a week at a time.

1. 1. Yoga
   2. Indoor Trampoline
   3. Musical Chairs
   4. Dance Party try this playlist
   5. Indoor freeze tag
   6. Hula Hoop
   7. Animal Walk Races
   8. Ultimate Twister

Related: Boredom Busters for Families (Awesome Ideas for Single Parents)