Playing games indoors is good for children, as it encourages bonding between siblings, reduces excess energy, builds confidence and cures boredom. It's something everyone can do as a family to while away the hours… and to stop the squabbling!
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What is indoor play?
If you think indoor play means sitting down staring at a computer screen or gaming console, you're wrong. While playing indoors can involve video gaming, it can also mean board games, arts and crafts, puzzles and quizzes. Even video gaming can be energetic if you choose the right games.
Research shows indoor play encourages critical thinking and creativity in children. Taking part in craft activities, or organising a story-time, encourages them to be creative. Board games test their problem-solving skills and video games, such as Just Dance and Wii Fit, promote physical activity.
When you're looking for fun ideas for all the family, you'll have plenty of choice. Read on for details of the ultimate indoor activities...
Treasure hunt
This game takes a little preparation, but it will keep the kids entertained for a couple of hours at least. Hide things around the house for your children to find. You can hide anything they will like, such as edible treats and small toys. Give them clues in envelopes, choose hiding places with varying degrees of difficulty, and can give the child who finds everything a grand prize.
Indoor camping
Bring the great outdoors inside with a little indoor camping. Build a fort from pillows and blankets and invite your kids to enjoy fun activities inside. They can have an indoor picnic, complete a jigsaw, watch films, read, or do any number of other activities inside their own little fortress.
Dig for treasure
Let your kids be archaeologists for the day by filling up a sturdy tub with dry rice, before burying some interesting items for them to dig up. Think dinosaur toys, marbles, or anything else that might be fun to find. They can use their fingers, spoons, or small plastic spades to dig deep.
Food ideas
Condensed milk and edible food dye can make interesting toast! Mix different coloured dyes for the kids and provide them with a plate of toast or crumpets and a few paint brushes. They can paint to their heart's content and then eat the fruits of their labour. Give your cooking a Halloween theme and then store it away safely, ready for a night of tasty treats rather than tricks!
Wii Fit
This is a game all the family can play on the Nintendo gaming console. It contains more than 40 fun activities designed to help you get fit. With 22.67 million copies sold, it became the third best-selling console game in 2012. Helping with fitness and strength; it makes working out fun, even for the biggest couch potato.
Arts and crafts
The scope for arts and crafts activities is endless. A simple one: get the kids to make a picture of the weather, using art supplies such as grey paper to represent the sky and cotton wool balls as clouds. With Halloween approaching on 31st October, put a spooky spin on things by making some scary masks: cut out eye holes on stiff card, colour in ghoulish faces and attach elastic to fasten them around the ears.
Board games
Board games like Scrabble, Monopoly, Cluedo, Pictionary and Mouse Trap might have been around for years, but they still manage to delight every generation. Some are mentally taxing, others encourage physical dexterity. You can play for hours and keep everyone happy.
Cardboard marble run
If you have any spare cardboard, including empty toilet rolls or kitchen rolls, plus some sticky tape or craft glue, help the children to make a marble run. The construction part can take up plenty of time, depending on how elaborate it becomes, such as going round corners or down a staircase. Then, playing with it and sending marbles whizzing down the tubes can keep the kids entertained for hours.
Be prepared!
Just because it's raining and the children say they're bored, that doesn't mean a dull day is inevitable. It's a perfect opportunity to enjoy fun activities together as a family. Rather than just watching TV, you can get the kids to burn off that pent-up energy. Indoor playtime also provides a great bonding opportunity.