Free indoor activities for kids – Healthier Families (2024)

We have loads of free indoor games and activities for children so they can still get the 60 minutes of daily physical activity they need – even when they cannot get outside!

Ideas for activities at home

Here are just a few ideas for ways to stay active at home and have fun doing it.

Just dance!

The brilliant thing about dancing is you don't need any special kit or even much space. There are loads of ways you can shake it to a beat:

  • find a live performance or music video of your favourite song and try to copy the dance routine – if it doesn't have a routine, create your own!
  • have a competition to see who can come up with the best new dance moves – can you make up a signature move for yourself?
  • if you have the space and enough people, a game of musical chairs is always a winner

Or get moving with your favourite Disney characters with one of our dancing Shake Up games:

  • Anna's Frozen Game
  • Maui's Shapeshifting Statues
  • Jungle Jig with Nala and Simba
  • Kingdom Dance
Free indoor activities for kids – Healthier Families (1)
Hide and seek

Try a different, Disney-inspired version of hide and seek to up the activity levels and get your blood pumping. Who knows what could be hiding around the house? Hop to it:

  • Find Forky
  • Darby Blew Up the Spacecraft!
  • Bo Peep's Herd and Seek
Free indoor activities for kids – Healthier Families (2)
Indoor sports

From cardboard-tube 10-pin bowling to bin-hoop basketball and frying-pan cricket, there are plenty of creative ways to play indoor versions of your favourite sports.

Grab a small foam ball and practise your own World Cup final penalty shoot-out using the sofa as a goal.

Or set up an indoor putting range using a small bouncy ball (or scrunched-up newspaper), a mug on its side for the hole and a broom handle as a golf club.

With a little imagination you can make up a weatherproof version of just about anything! Try these 10 Minute Shake Up games to help get those creative juices flowing:

  • Bounce the Rat with Bruno
  • Kristoff and Anna's Snowball Volleyball
  • Captain America's Shield Skills
  • Monster Tennis
Free indoor activities for kids – Healthier Families (3)
Create a competition

With a variety of sports and games, you could even create your own competition.

Think of a few different types of games to play and give out points based on how well everyone does. The winner gets to pick the next set of games – and it's star jumps for everyone else!

How about making today the first meeting of the Rainy Day Indoor Games? Or you could give our Toy Story Triathlon a go.

Toy Story Triathlon

  • Event 1: Who can find Forky the fastest?
  • Event 2: Prepare to flex, stretch and balance for as long as you can... Ready, Set, Bo!
  • Event 3: May the best shepherd win in Bo Peep's Herd and Seek
Free indoor activities for kids – Healthier Families (4)
Stretch and flex!

Did you know that strengthening exercises are just as important as something that gets your heart beating faster? It helps with stronger bones and muscles, as well as flexibility, balance and coordination.

So if it's something a little calmer you're after, these Disney and Pixar games have that covered too:

  • Train Tough Like Luisa
  • Yoga Yak
  • Ready, Set, Bo!
  • Timon and Pumbaa's Power Moves
  • Gazelle's Try Everything
  • Pua and the Coconut Harvest
  • Cinderella's Pumpkin Race
  • Mater's Tow Truck Trail
  • Sleeping Beauty Tag
Free indoor activities for kids – Healthier Families (5)

Free indoor activities for kids – Healthier Families (6)

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Skip the sofa! Over 8 weeks you'll receive easy tips and Disney themed games to help your family move more. Taking one small step after another can soon add up to make a big difference!


More indoor games

Here are more than 50 fun and free indoor-friendly games inspired by your favourite Disney, Pixar and Marvel characters – perfect for banishing the bad-weather blues and staying active.

Dancing games

Get ready to throw some super shapes and move to the jungle beat. Your top tunes and some simple props are all you need!

Jungle Jig with Nala and Simba Nala and Simba are reunited in the jungle. Can you move to your own jungle beat? Players: 1 or more
Maui's Moves The greatest demigod of all the Pacific Islands, Maui, performs his powerful Haka when he battles the ocean's fiercest monsters. Can you match his magnificent moves? Players: 3 or more
Anna's Clapping Dance Anna's so happy it's her birthday that she can't wait to start celebrating. Can you make up a clapping dance for her? Players: 2 or more
Hank's 7-Tentacle Challenge Hank is a special kind of octopus as he only has 7 tentacles. Each one has a mind of its own – can you remember what they're all doing? Players: 2 or more
Kingdom Dance Can you follow the moves from the Kingdom Dance? Get all your friends to join in too, just like in Tangled. Players: 3 or more
LeFou's Line-up LeFou is running around the village to gather as many people to hunt down the Beast. Will you join him? Players: 3 or more
Anna's Frozen Game Arendelle's frozen! So you have to keep moving to avoid turning into an ice statue. Players: 2 or more
Maui's Shapeshifting Statues With his magical hook, Maui the demigod has the power to shapeshift into different animals. How many different animals can you become? Players: 3 or more
Olaf's Summer Dance Just imagine how much cooler you'll be in summer! Da da da dooo a bubba buubba ba boo. Players: 1 or more

Ball games

Grab yourself a soft ball, some scrunched-up newspaper or a balloon and let's get going!

Bounce the Rat with Bruno Keep on your toes and get ready to bounce! Players: 2 or more
Captain America's Shield Skills You don't need luck with your aim when you practise like Captain America! Show off your skills by knocking over as many targets as you can. Players: 1 or more
Kristoff and Anna's Snowball Volleyball Can you keep the snowball balloon in the air? Players: 2 or more
Kakamora Attack Arrrrrgggghhh! Watch out, Moana, the Kakamora Sea Pirates are coming! Try not to get hit by their sleeping darts. Players: 2 or more
Monster Tennis Are you a better tennis player than Mike? Grab a friend and get rallying! Players: 2
Luigi and Guido Tyre Tumble In the pit stop, Luigi and Guido must work as a team as fast as they can to get Lightning McQueen back out on the track. Can your pit crew measure up? Players: 2 or more
Woody's Antique Shop Dash Can you escape the antique shop with Bo? Players: 1 or more
Captain Marvel Stops the Skrulls Help Captain Marvel beat the troublesome Skrulls once and for all! Players: 2 or more
Buzz Lightyear's Ball Challenge Stay alert and keep your eyes on the ball, Space Ranger! Players: 3 or more
Merida's Target Practice Is your aim as good as Merida's? Prove it by knocking over as many targets as you can in 10 minutes! Players: 2 or more
Olaf's Snowball Dodge Olaf is guarding Kristoff's sled but the Snowgies want to play. Do not let their snowballs hit you! Players: 3 or more

Race, chase and obstacle course games

With some pens, paper and a few toys, you can put your speed, accuracy and agility to the test.

Find Forky Forky does not believe he is a toy. Even though he is Bonnie's favourite, he keeps running away! Who can find Forky the fastest? Players: 2 or more
Pumbaa's Hippo Hops Can you show Pumbaa how to get through the mudhole without waking the sleeping hippos? Players: 1 or more
Helping Heihei After stowing away on Moana's boat, Heihei unintentionally keeps walking overboard. Can you help guide him to safety? Players: 2
Darby Blew Up the Spacecraft! How fast can you find all the engine parts?​ Players: 2
Moana vs Te Kā Tag After Maui steals the heart of Te Fiti, Moana helps him recover the stone and restore life to Moana's island. Can you capture the heart without getting caught? Players: 3 or more
Red's Fire Truck Frenzy When there's a crash on the track, Red the fire truck is there in a flash to help. Can you battle the flames and stop the fire spreading? Players: 2 or more
Bo Peep's Herd and Seek Bo Peep has lost her sheep. Can you race around and herd them back home? Players: 2 or more
Kristoff's Ice Harvest Kristoff needs to collect blocks of ice. Can you work as a team to gather all the ice before night-time? Players: 2 or more
Timon's Time Trial Who's the fastest runner in the kingdom? On your marks, get set, go! Players: 1 or more
Mike and Sulley's Scare Challenge Can you creep around the room as you scare like Mike and Sulley? Players: 2 or more
Chip's Tea Set Tidy-up Chip is always out of the cupboard and exploring the castle. Help put him back in the cupboard, ready for bed. Players: 1 or more
Olaf and the Troll Babies The troll babies are running wild. How quickly can you find them all? Players: 2 or more

Games to level up your skills

Balance, strength, stamina, ducking, diving, dodging and leaping – these games have it all.

Train Tough Like Luisa Hurry! Only the very best can beat Luisa's challenge.​ Players: 1 or more
Yoga Yak Welcome to The Mystic Spring Oasis, where you can discover your inner yogi with Yak. Ommmmmmmmmmm... Players: 2 or more
Timon and Pumbaa's Power Moves Timon and Pumbaa make a great team. Test your strength with a partner. Players: 2, 4 or 6
Train Like Black Panther Only a true warrior can become like Black Panther. Can you follow his moves? Players: 2 or more
Ready, Set, Bo! Get ready to stretch, bend, twist and reach – you need all your balancing skills to keep up with Bo! Players: 3 or more
Rocket vs Groot Vine Grab Groot and Rocket train to keep their abilities sharp. Time to test your dodging, speed and reactions! Players: 2 or more
Gazelle's Try Everything Pop sensation Gazelle wants the city to come together to be the Zootropolis she knows and loves. Can you try everything to work together? Players: 2 or more
Pua and the Coconut Harvest The coconuts are the lifeblood of the villagers on Motunui, and Pua's favourite snack. Now it's time to harvest coconuts for the winter ahead. How many can you collect? Players: 3 or more
Cinderella's Pumpkin Race Can you help Cinderella get to the ball without her coach getting turned back into a pumpkin? Players: 1 or more
Cruz's Training Station It's Cruz Ramirez's job to help train Lightning McQueen for his next race using the new high-tech track simulator. Will you be able to keep up? Players: 2 or more
Judy Hopps' Training Test At the Zootropolis Police Academy, Judy has to prove she's got what it takes. Have you got the skills to pass this training test? Players: 1 or more
Hank's Hopscotch Can you jump, swing, and slide your way across the Marine Life Institute, moving in and out of camouflage like Hank? Players: 1 or more
Bellwether's Book Bundle Bellwether always has a lot to do when helping run the Mayor's office. Can you get your books in order like Bellwether? Players: 1 or more
Crush and Squirt's Turtle Travel Whoa dude! It's time to catch a wave like Crush and Squirt, can you make it onto the right current? Players: 1 or more
Mater's Tow Truck Trail Mater is Lightning McQueen's reliable best friend who's always there for him and others by towing them out of tricky situations. Can you tow your friends as well as Mater tows his? Players: 1 or more
Be Lumiere's Guest When Lumiere shows Belle all the culinary delights of the castle, he puts on a fantastic show. Now it's your turn to prepare for another great party! Players: 1 or more
Sleeping Beauty Tag Shhh! Sleeping Beauty needs her beauty sleep! Can you creep across the castle without waking her up? Players: 3 or more
Kristoff's Warm-up It's time for Kristoff to go harvest some ice. It's cold and he needs to get warm. Can you keep up? Players: 1 or more

How much exercise do kids need?

It's recommended kids are physically active for at least 60 minutes a day, with 30 minutes of this outside of school.

That includes 3 sessions a week of exercise that strengthens their bones and muscles, so variety is key!

Free indoor activities for kids – Healthier Families (58)

Accessible activities

It is equally important that children with disabilities are active, for their health and development – and more importantly – to have fun. See more ideas for disabled children and young people.

Free indoor activities for kids – Healthier Families (2024)

FAQs

How to drain a kids' energy? ›

To help kids get out that energy, here are eight ideas for indoor games to get the wiggles out!
  1. 1 Turn on music and dance. ...
  2. 2 Set up obstacle courses. ...
  3. 3 Create a scavenger hunt. ...
  4. 4 Play stuffed animal hide and seek. ...
  5. 5 Toss a sock ball. ...
  6. 6 Scramble and sort the laundry. ...
  7. 7 Walk a tightrope. ...
  8. 8 Engage in active storytimes.
Jan 19, 2024

What is 10 indoor games? ›

Popular Indoor Games
ChessA strategic board game for two players.
JengaA tower-stacking game with wooden blocks.
PictionaryA drawing and guessing game.
TwisterA game involving balancing on colored circles.
Snakes and LaddersA dice game on a board with snakes and ladders.
5 more rows
Mar 18, 2024

What is the this or that game for kids? ›

How to Play This or That Game for Kids? The rules for “this or that” questions are simple: one person asks a question with two options, and the other has to choose which option they prefer. The options include food, activities, clothing, people, places, etc.

What is indoor activities for kids? ›

Top 10 Rec Ideas
  • Musical chairs.
  • Arts and Crafts.
  • Balloon volleyball.
  • Puzzles.
  • Board games.
  • Dress-up.
  • Movement games.
  • Cooking and baking.

How do I get rid of my child's negativity? ›

Confront Your Child's Negativity

Confront irrational statements or point out the positive aspects of a situation. If they don't come around, a simple "That's enough. I understand that you feel that way, but..." is enough. Move along with your activities and let your child know that the subject is closed.

How do you get rid of negativity in children? ›

  1. Step One: Empathize. Resist the urge to just “fix” or “downplay” your child's distress. ...
  2. Step Two: Get Specific! Negative thinking supersizes small problems and makes them seem monumental, permanent and unchangeable. ...
  3. Step Three: Switch Perspectives. ...
  4. Step Four: Mobilize! ...
  5. Step Five: Normalize! ...
  6. Step Six: Free Yourself Too!

What is a popular indoor game? ›

Five popular indoor games are chess, table tennis, Scrabble, charades, and Monopoly. These games are great for entertainment and can be played inside the house.

What is indoor games answer? ›

Indoor Games are played within a closed environment and a number of them are played by sitting at one place. They include chess, card games, games played with gamesmen, dice, and carrom.

What is in the box game for kids? ›

Make a hole in the box or boxes, big enough to fit your child's forearm. Fill each box with different materials and let your child guess what it is each time. Switch up the materials to keep it interesting.

Is Roblox safe for kid? ›

But is Roblox safe for kids? The unfortunate truth is: not always. Roblox allows players to create their own experiences — which means that secreted within the popular gaming platform is also inappropriate adult content, cyberbullies, scammers, hackers, and online predators.

What are better questions for kids? ›

101 questions for kids
  • What do you want to be when you grow up?
  • If you could be a superhero, what would your magic power be?
  • What is something that scares you?
  • Do you have a favorite joke?
  • What is something you wish you knew how to do?
  • If you had a time machine, where would you go?
  • What makes you laugh the most?
Sep 15, 2022

What are the best indoor games for kids? ›

The top 5 best indoor games for kids
  1. Treasure hunt: Exploring and problem-solving. ...
  2. Simon says: Listening and following instructions. ...
  3. Story building: Unleashing the imagination. ...
  4. Puzzle race: Cognitive development and fine motor skills. ...
  5. Freeze dance: Physical activity and emotional expression.
Apr 18, 2024

How do you keep kids entertained indoors? ›

Critical Thinking Activities
  1. Create a scavenger hunt. Give the kids the first clue, which will lead them to the next clue and so on. ...
  2. Play a board game.
  3. Complete a puzzle. ...
  4. Ask your kids riddles. ...
  5. Build a fort. ...
  6. Hide and seek is a classic for a reason! ...
  7. Build together. ...
  8. Play cards.
Oct 13, 2023

How do you engage kids indoors? ›

Help your child burn off some energy with these indoor games that promote physical activity.
  1. Dance contest. Materials: music (try this kid-friendly playlist); space to dance. ...
  2. Indoor obstacle course. Materials: tables; chairs; soft toys; painter's tape; and your imagination. ...
  3. Balance beam. ...
  4. Hopscotch. ...
  5. Balloon tennis. ...
  6. Yoga.
Nov 13, 2020

Why my kid has so much energy? ›

A number of factors can cause a child to have too much energy, such as when their basic needs aren't met (hunger, lack of sleep, etc.), when there's been a major change in their life, or when they're experiencing stress.

Why is my child full of energy? ›

Medical conditions: Certain medical conditions can also affect energy levels, including hyperthyroidism and nervous system disorders. 5. Lack of activity: Insufficient physical activity can also lead to feelings of restlessness and high energy. Stress: Kids may also experience hyperactivity as a response to stress.

Why does my child never run out of energy? ›

Children have a faster metabolism than adults, which means their bodies process food and convert it into energy more quickly. This leads to a higher energy level and greater endurance.

How do you drain your energy? ›

If you find yourself constantly tired, it might be time to look at your habits and see if any of these are draining your energy.
  1. Not getting enough sleep. ...
  2. Eating unhealthy foods. ...
  3. Not exercising. ...
  4. Being dehydrated. ...
  5. Living in a cluttered space. ...
  6. Surrounding yourself with negative people. ...
  7. Not taking breaks.
Jan 1, 2023

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