I personally love the change of seasons but one downside is that once the weather takes a turn, you spend a lot less time outdoors and a lot more time inside your house! When it comes to our kids playing with each other and our kids having playdates with friends, that can be challenging! It’s tough coming up with fun and engaging indoor recreational activities to keep your little ones entertained and having fun. You feel me on this? That’s why, I’ve put together a list of 10 exciting and unique indoor playdate ideas that will have your kids laughing, learning, and having the time of their lives with their friends – or simply with each other! From creative crafts to action-packed games, there’s something for everyone. With that said, it’s time to embrace the cooler temps and indoor vibes. Let’s dive into the indoor playdate activities and ideas.
1. For the Artists
Get out the crayons, markers, (or even paint if you’re feeling like a cool mom) and colored paper. Let the kids unleash their creativity with indoor recreational activities like arts and crafts. Set up a mini art station with crayons, markers, paint stix, stickers, and any other arty materials that you have on hand, and encourage your littles to draw, color, and use their imaginations. You can even join in and create your own masterpiece, too!
2. Pillow Fort Party
Transform your living room into a magical pillow fort! Have your kids gather all the cushions, blankets, and pillows they can find in the house, then let them build their own cozy fort. Afterwards, they can spend time reading stories, playing games, or just snuggling inside. It’s a fantastic way to create magical memories and one of my favorite indoor recreational activities.
3. Scavenger Hunt
Kids love a good scavenger hunt! Create a list of things for them to find around the house. It could be a favorite toy, a specific book, or something red in color. Make it exciting by giving them hints and clues. The first to find everything on the list wins a small prize (think stickers, temporary tattoos, little bouncy balls, pencils, etc).
4. Bake With Them
It’s always fun to get busy in the kitchen! Bake yummy cookies, cupcakes, or even simple brownies with your kids. They can help mix, pour, and decorate. Then, everyone gets a delicious treat at the end. This is one my kids’ favorite indoor recreational activities! Suggestion: Make these yummy cookie sandwiches using regular whipped cream, my famous banana bread that is literally the best in the world, or these chocolate banana marshmallow popsicles which are so delish!
5. Dance Party
Turn up the music and have a dance-off with your kids. Let them pick their favorite tunes, and you can all dance around the living room together. In my opinion, this is the best way to burn off energy and have fun with friends! If you want to go one step further, do freeze dance! If you search on YouTube, there are a ton of fun freeze dances to choose from!
6. Movie Marathon
Create your very own movie theater at home. Pick a few of your kids’ favorite movies, make some popcorn, and cuddle up for a movie marathon. This would be a fun way for your kids to spend an under-nighter with their friends! If you’re wondering, an under-nighter is when your kids have some friends come over in their pajamas and they stay late at night but then they do go home before bedtime. So fun and cute, right?!
7. Science Experiments Day
Turn your home into a mini science lab. Gather simple ingredients from your kitchen and try out kid-friendly experiments – it’s one of the most fun indoor recreational activities you can find that’ll for sure give you “mom of the year” accolades! Some ideas that I’ve done with my kids in the past would be to create a volcano with baking soda and vinegar or you can make slime. Pro tip: pinterest “kid friendly science experiments at home” to find a TON of experiments that use everyday household items and aren’t too difficult. Your kids will be pumped!
8. Storytelling Circle
This idea might be geared for the younger kids but it’s one that I used to do with my students when I taught elementary school and it was always a hit. Gather in a circle with your kids and their friends and take turns telling stories. You can start with a sentence or two, and each person adds a sentence or two to the story. It’s such a fun way to spark creativity and imagination and one of the most unique indoor recreational activities. I guarantee you end up with some hilarious or magical tales!
9. Indoor Camping Adventure
Set up an indoor camping site in an area of your house with room. Pitch a tent, or use blankets and pillows to create a cozy “campsite” for the kids. Make s’mores in the kitchen, then bring them to the campsite and share campfire stories, sing camp songs, and maybe even stargaze by placing glow-in-the-dark stars on the ceiling. Cute, right?!
10. Puzzling Pajama Party
Get everyone into their coziest pajamas (feel free to have your child’s friend come over already in his or her pjs!) and gather around the table for a puzzle party!!!! Choose age and theme appropriate puzzles for your kids and let them work together to solve them. Not only is this fun – and time-consuming ;) – but it’s a great way to promote teamwork and critical thinking.
I know in the warmer months, you can just tell your kids to go outside and they will find things on their own to play with or do. You definitely have to work a little harder during the cooler months to make sure your kids are occupied and having fun. Hopefully these indoor recreational activities are helpful in thinking about how to prepare when your kids have playdates inside. I will tell you, that these indoor ideas definitely offer more opportunities to bond with your kids. And that, to me, is everything! Prepare for laughter, learning, and quality time together when you implement these activities and know that you earned the title of ! HA! But for real!
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