61 simple and engaging indoor activities for toddlers and young kids — Life Inspiration File - Life’s experiments distilled into stories, lessons + advice

Christmas is over and 2021 has begun. Here, in the Northern hemisphere, we still have a long winter ahead of us.

We're so close to the prospect of kissing lockdowns and quarantines goodbye for good - with COVID-19 vaccines rapidly becoming a present-day reality in many parts of the world. However, as The New York Times has gloomily reminded us, "[t]here will be a long darkness before the dawn." While we wait for vaccines to bestow their positive effects, many people (either due to enforced lockdowns or of their own accord) are bunkering down at home again, after a brief reprieve over the summer.

As a parent I'm now contemplating what the rest of winter is going to look like being stuck inside with young kids. How are we going to get over this (hopefully, final) hurdle? For context, I have a 3.5 year old and a 10 month old. They, especially the 3.5 year old, are energetic, under-stimulated, and running amok.

This is making me feel equal parts tired, overwhelmed, and fed up: I am beginning to feel as if I’m trapped in some kind of Groundhog Day version of The Shining. I no longer have the same energy I did at the beginning of the pandemic. During the first lockdown in spring, I was saying things to myself like: "I know, I'll use this as an opportunity to teach the 3 year old how to read and write!" Now, it's 8:30 AM and I'm begging him to sit on the couch and watch some TV while I contemplate how I'm going to fill yet another day and prevent everyone from going crazy

But, I have some good news: I've re-visited my list of kids activity ideas and come up with some creative new approaches.

Here I'm offering you my list of 61 FREE (or close to it), EASY (for the parents), and FUN (for the kids) indoor home activities for toddlers and young children. These activities are by no means groundbreaking, but this is a comprehensive list (with a brief background and instructions for each activity) to reference anytime you're feeling unmotivated and uninspired. I use it myself, because I often forget the huge amount of activities that are available! Try one of these each day and spring will be here before you know it!

I've divided this giant list into 7 different categories:

Games
Physical Activities
Arts and Crafts
Brain / Skill-building Activities
Imaginative Play
Music and Acting
Last Resorts

Feel free to scroll through to the category or categories you are most interested in.

Games

1) Hide and seek

A classic game that only requires two people. I'm sure you all know it: one person counts backwards from whatever number you deem to be appropriate, while the other person hides. Once the "counter" reaches 0, they announce: "ready or not, here I come", and then proceed to search for the other person. You might have to alter this for younger toddlers who can't count, or can't be trusted not to get into mischief while you’re counting. You could change it so that you (the parent) are always the "counter", and that you (secretly) keep an eye on them while they're hiding. You could also limit the game to one safe area of the house.

2) Hide and seek with a toy

We live in a small apartment with very few hiding spots, so this take on hide and seek is a better option in this situation. It has a similar premise to hide and seek, but instead of the person hiding themselves, they hide a toy (could be a big plush toy for younger kids, or a very small toy for older kids).

3) I spy

Another classic game that's probably geared more towards older toddlers and kids who can talk and spell. One person is the "spy" who says: "I spy with my little eye, something beginning with ___". The other people/person has to guess what the spy was referring to. Whoever guesses correctly becomes the next "spy". This could be adapted to younger kids (who can't yet spell) by the spy suggesting things of a certain colour, or size, or weight.

4) Popsicle stick slotted container game

This is something that is simple to make and is a fun activity for even the youngest toddler. What you need: a container with a removable lid (that is thin enough to be cut into) and some popsicle sticks or pieces of thick cardboard. What to do: Cut some slots in the lid of the container, put the lid on, and serve to your child with the sticks. Allow them to while away the hours trying to slot all the sticks through the holes while you go and get yourself a cup of tea! Bonus points: if they're on the young end of the toddler spectrum, strap them into their high chair while they play and then you're free to get some stuff done in the meantime.

5) Card memory game

I picked up a pack of memory cards for 1 Euro at a Flea Market (back when they were open). Basically, ours is a set of cards with animal pictures on one side. There are two of each type of card. You turn them all face down and then take turns flipping two cards over per turn and trying to match up the pairs of cards. Your kid could also play this game on their own. Make it easier by only using a subset of the cards (for example, four pairs), or harder by using the full set. What you need: a set of memory cards (these animal ones look really cute!). If you don't have these, you could make your own by printing out pairs pictures from online. Or, if you don't have a printer, you could draw some pictures. This does not need to be elaborate! You could draw shapes for instance. Colour them in if you're feeling energetic. Or, better still, get your kid to colour them in!

6) Dominoes

You can play all sorts of elaborate games with a set of Dominoes. I don't really know the ins and outs of them, but I do know that my 3.5 year old likes stacking his wooden dominoes upright in a row and then cackling gleefully as he knocks them over. What you need: a set of dominoes. We got ours on the cheap secondhand off of Ebay. On one side they have the traditional dots, and on the other side they have pictures of animals. Even as a young baby he liked looking at the animal pictures and picking up each domino.

7) Skittles or bowling

Another game for kids who get a thrill out of destruction. You set up some skittles and then roll a ball from a distance to see how many you can knock over. What you need: a Skittle set and a ball. Don't have these? No worries, you can easily make your own skittles with empty plastic bottles, or even milk cartons and the like. If your kid likes to kick like mine does, get them to kick the ball instead of rolling it.

8) Egg and spoon race (or similar traditional party games)

I remember having so much fun playing all these traditional children’s birthday games when I was a kid: egg and spoon race, pass the parcel, sack races, three-legged race, pin the tail on the donkey...the list goes on (see here for more examples). Many of these could be adapted to playing with only one child. For instance, instead of having an egg and spoon race, you could challenge your child to see how many laps of the lounge room they can do before dropping the egg (it doesn't have to be an egg by the way - a small ball would do, or a hard boiled egg to limit the mess potential).

9) Sorting games and the like

This could be good for older toddlers who have started counting or have good colour recognition. Pull out something that has lots of different pieces of different colours - Legos, for example. Ask them to do various things: collect 5 red bricks, 2 green + 2 yellow, sort all the bricks into different colour or size categories etc. Or, simply ask them to count all of the bricks and use it as an opportunity to teach them bigger numbers.

10) Roll and play game

ThinkFun sell this game but I think it would also be possible to devise your own versions. Basically, the game comes with a plush cube with a different colour for each face and a set of cards (each divided into the six categories: emotions, counting, body parts, colours, animal sounds and actions. Each card has a question that relates to its category - for example: "find something that's blue", "roar like a lion", "make a sad face", "point to your nose", "jump up and down 5 times"...I'm making these up. The point is, your child rolls the dice and then you pick a card from the corresponding colour category and they perform the action. A great way to get kids engaged. You could buy this, or you could come up with own categories and questions and simply make your own cube out of cardboard.

Some games my son likes to play: “My First Frut Orchard” and “Twister”

11) Board games

Along the same lines, there are many board games, either designed specifically for young kids, or that could be adapted to a younger audience.

We have the German version of Haba's "My First Fruit Orchard" game. It's great because it's a co-operative game, and your child can play alone as well. The premise is that there are cardboard fruit tree "discs" on which you place wooden fruits (apples, pears, plums). There is a fruit basket, a wooden bird, and cardboard path pieces that you line up in a row. The bird starts at the start of the path. You take it in turns rolling the die (with pictures of the various fruits, a picture of the bird, and a picture of the basket). If it lands on a fruit, you put one of that fruit into the basket; if it's the basket, you get to pick any fruit to put in the basket; if it lands on the bird, the bird moves a step forward. If the bird gets to the end of the path before all the fruit is in the basket then the bird "wins". If you (as a team) pick all the fruit first then you win. Bonus: the wooden fruits can also be used for imaginative play!

Another game that I like playing with my 3.5 year old is "Twister". It's great for teaching him left and right, and he finds it so fun. Again, it's something where he can do the "twisting" by himself, and all I have to do is operate the spinner.

See what board games you already have and think about how they could be adapted to a younger audience for hours of entertainment.

Search books for kids: Where’s Wally, Colossal Creature Count, Where’s the Wookie?

12) Where’s Wally or other activity and search books

This is the kind of thing that (if my son is in the right mood) can keep him quiet and occupied for at least half an hour. Provide a magnifying glass to make it more user-friendly for younger toddlers and to amp up the fun level. We have also recently found other similar books that are even more friendly for younger kids: we love the "Colossal Creature Count" book, which offers various animal scenes from around the world (older kids can count the number of various animals), or, similarly, this beautiful “Counting Creatures” book. For Star Wars fans, we've also discovered the "Where's the Woo kie?" book, which is a really fun take on this theme. While this activity requires you to buy something, I think the cost is well worth the hours of entertainment they provide, both now and as your child grows. You can also, as we did, easily find some of these secondhand.

Physical activities

13) Dancing or star jumps or "Dance Freeze" game

Simply put on some energetic music and dance or do star jumps. To turn it into a game, you could play "Dance Freeze", where you stop the music at random intervals and, in the absence of music, everyone must remain statue still. You could enforce punishments for not staying still (eg do 10 star jumps), or just laugh and start playing the music again. A great way to get all that pent up energy out!

14) YouTube exercise videos for kids

Pop Sugar do one that my 3.5 year old enjoys, but there are countless options depending on your kid’s interests. Bonus points: do it along with them so that you sneak in some exercise at the same time.

15) Let them have a luxuriously long bath

I think I got this idea from a podcast (either: What Fresh Hell or The Mom Hour - two parenting podcasts that I highly recommend, by the way. I can't exactly remember on which podcast I heard it, but I knew straight away that I wanted to add this to my arsenal of activities). Basically, you give your kid a bath, but let them have a loooonnng bath. Fill up with toys and let them stay in there for as long as they want. Depending on the age of your kids, this will require more or less attention from you, but you could set yourself up in the bathroom with a book, or a coffee, or even your laptop (just beware of splashes!)

16) Make an indoor obstacle course

This could be as simple or as complex as you want. For instance, you could line up a row of pillows and instruct your kids to use the pillows like stepping stones. You could make them go around things, crawl over and under things, send them on a quest to get a ball in a basket...the possibilities are endless. Bonus points: add this to another game (eg they have to find toys along the journey of the obstacle course).

17) Pillow fort

It's simple: pull together whatever you have lying around (pillows, blankets, stuffed toys, dining table and chairs) and instruct your child to build a fort or cubby house. They will have so much fun planning and executing their design. If they're on the younger side, you could help with construction or even build it for them and then set it up as a cosy place for some quiet time or free play.

18) Indoor basketball

The Christmas before last I spent 10 Euros on a little free-standing indoor basketball hoop. It was one of the best investments ever: my boy loves this thing, and it's great for building his throwing skills and hand-eye co-ordination. Don't have your own hoop? A free alternative would be to use a basket or box as the "hoop."

19) Play with balloons

My 3.5 year old is obsessed with playing with balloons each time a birthday rolls around. He has literally spent hours bouncing, throwing, and chasing balloons. This is great for indoors (as opposed to playing with balls) because I know he won't break anything he hits with the balloon. Add a few more balloons and you could make your own "balloon pit".

20) Vehicles

Designate some vehicles that are clean enough to be used inside - think bikes, trikes, scooters, bobby cars. You know, the ones that don't normally get touched over winter. Let your kid ride around the house to their heart's content, and burn up some of that pent-up energy.

21) Enlist their help with housework

I know, this might sound a bit boring (and it's probably best not to overuse this one; I've made that mistake!) but letting your kids help you out can provide them with a fun activity. For instance, my 3.5 year old loves putting clothing (one piece at a time) into the washing machine. Extend upon this by letting them get into the washing basket afterwards and push them around the house. Other ides are: getting them to pass pegs to you (bonus points: ask for a specific colour peg) if you air-dry your washing, give them a cloth and get them to "wipe" surfaces, let them carefully help you to fill the dishwasher, and get them to help you carry the rubbish out.

Arts and crafts

22) Drawing

Supply them with some paper (bonus points for using recycled paper) and a drawing medium (crayons, pencils, markers, pens) and let them unleash their creativity.

23) Painting

I know, painting is messy! I often steer clear of this activity because I just can't be bothered dealing with the hurricane of mess it induces. But, if you're not scared off from that, this can be a very fulfilling activity for your young artist, and it has the potential to take up a whole morning or afternoon if you want it to. Some other mess free alternatives are: Water Wow bo oks or Aqua Doodle, both of which only require water, but "feel" like painting.

24) Handprints and footprints

If you're willing to get out the paint and clean up the mess, then make some hand and footprints of your little ones. It's fun to have a memento of their hand and foot sizes at each age. You can extend upon this by getting them to further decorate them - my 3.5 year old was always coming home from childcare (back when he was allowed to go) with various hand and footprints that have been used as the basis for other artworks. Hint: these also make great little gifts to send to the grandparents or other family members. Get your child to help you write a letter and seal up the envelope.

25) Colouring in

If they are a bit younger (and not yet able to, or are simply not yet into drawing their own pictures), then give them something to colour in. This could be in the form of a colouring book (if you have one lying around) but, for a free alternative, you could draw a picture for them to colour in. We do this all the time for our 3.5 year old - I think he gets a sort of pleasure from bossing us around and telling us what to draw.

26) Paper or cardboard stick puppets

Expanding upon the drawing and colouring in activities, you could cut out their coloured in pictures (get them to do this themselves if they're old enough) and attach these to some sort of stick or length of firm cardboard to make little puppets. This works best if the drawing is done on cardboard or attached to cardboard.

27) Make a puppet theatre

So that they can then perform a show for you! Use any cardboard boxes you have lying around - see here for a simple example. You could also allow them to use markers (or paint?!) to decorate the theatre themselves.

28) Finger or hand sock puppets

Use any spare material you have lying around, or some old socks, stick or sew on some pieces of material or buttons for eyes, nose and mouth and, presto, you have some puppets. Let their imagination run wild.

29) Cardboard cubby house

Another way to use up all those Amazon boxes that seem to multiply by the day, is to construct a cardboard cubby house. This can be as simple or as elaborate as you like (see Pinterest for some great examples). We simply used one big sturdy DM box (if you're in Germany, you'll know what DM is) and cut out some windows and a door. Turn this into a multi-day activity, with construction, decorating, and interior design.

30) Make an art wall

With all the artwork they've been creating, convert displaying it into an activity in itself. This could be as simple as taping some pictures to a wall that you've deemed to be their art wall or attaching them to the fridge with magnets. But you could also get slightly more elaborate and use some command hooks, string, and pegs to make a string of their artwork. Get them to choose their favourite pictures to display and rotate this daily or weekly. Let them do the sticking or pegging themselves if they’re old enough.

31) Cardboard animals

My 3.5 year old loved (with my help) making a zebra, lion, deer, and giraffe recently. We got some inspiration from Pinterest but, since we don't have a printer to print the designs, I free drew them. They didn't turn out perfectly, but they were super fun. My son loves having them to play with afterwards. He also likes taking them apart and then slotting them back together. Bonus points: extend upon this activity by getting your little human to paint the already constructed animals, or they could colour them while the animals are still in pieces. You could also make some environments or scenes or homes for the animals.

Cardboard Zebra and Elephant that we created (plus my son’s foot!)

32) Cardboard vehicles

The ideas are many - make a car, a train, an airplane, a submarine, a boat. Use the cardboard from boxes that I'm sure you have lying around. This is another activity that lends itself well to expansion with decorating - attach pieces of paper, use foil, paint, draw.

33) Salt dough cut-outs or figures

I got this idea from Shannon Torrens on Youtube (a channel I recommend for how to live more minimally, especially if you're a parent; see her blog post instructions here). We tried these out this past Christmas to make some more ornaments for the tree. They were so simple and my son loved making the cut outs and then painting them after we'd baked them dry. But this could be easily extended beyond Christmas: cut out any shapes you'd like, using cookie cutters or a knife. You could even make some small figures. Bonus: you can paint them after baking (we just used some normal Crayola kids paint). This could easily become a whole-day activity.

34) Writing on a whiteboard

I don't know about your kids, but my son loves drawing on a whiteboard. I think it's something about the allure of a new medium or that it feels like drawing on a wall or something. If you don't have a whiteboard you can use whiteboard markers on the glass inside a picture frame. Just rub it off afterwards.

35) Write your own book

My son has been coming up with all sorts of "stories". lately I think he's trying to mimic how we read stories to him. They don't make a whole lot of sense, but they're pretty hilarious. I thought (although we've yet to try this) that it would be a really fun idea for him to make his own book. I was imagining something simple: staple some small pieces of paper together, I could write down one of his stories over the pages, and then he could draw pictures and colour them in. Bonus: it's a fun way to preserve the memory of all of his 3-year-old "stories."

36) PlayDoh

For Christmas 2019 we got our son a PlayDoh advent calendar. It came with some little pots of PlayDoh, and then each day there was a new tool (eg scissors, rolling pin, cutters etc). He loved this so much and played with it all of that Christmas season and many many more times afterwards. It's just such a simple, classic, open-ended activity. If you don't have PlayDoh, it's simple to make your own (see here for an easy example). You can also just use tools you already have in your kitchen: eg rolling pin, plastic knife etc.

37) Baking

We didn't end up getting around to baking and decorating cookies this past Christmas, but I think it's definitely an activity I'm going to whip out in the new year. Cookie baking and decorating doesn't have to be restricted to the Christmas period - it can be a fun activity all year round. If you don't want to encourage the consumption of sugar, you could instead try baking pizza - get the kids to design their own pizzas for added fun.

38) Make a kite

I don't mean anything extravagant - just simply to draw a kite on some paper, get your child to colour it in, and then cut it out. Optional extras: attach a piece of string. Bonus points: if they're old enough, get them to cut it out themselves. We've made many-a-kite with our 3.5 year old (he got a bit obsessed with this after we read him a story about a kite) and he loves the process, and pretending to "fly" it around the lounge-room afterwards.

39) Paper airplanes

Along these same lines, make some paper airplanes. You could even turn it into a competition to see which one flies the furthest. See Pinterest for some simple and elaborate designs and instructions.

40) Stickers

Kids love stickers, don't they? Plus they’re great for building those fine motor skills. I like using the re-usable stickers for longevity - they don't last forever but they last for many many uses. Plus, some of the re-usable ones come with little scenes to populate with the stickers, further promoting the imaginative play aspects of this activity.

41) Make a costume

Last year I used an old box, cut out holes for the eyes and mouth, covered it in foil, and presented it to my son as his very own robot helmet. He loved making it (ok, mainly watching me make it) and playing with it afterwards. We've since also made him a superman cape and mask with some cut up pieces of clothing that I was planning to donate. Use your imagination and tailor it to your child's current interests. The costumes we made required minimal skill and effort, but they've provide much fun.

42) Draw or paint on stones

I accidentally came up with this idea when my son started collecting rocks on the way home from daycare. I was pregnant with my second son at the time, and wanted some peace one afternoon, so I took out some markers and got him to draw on the stones. He absolutely loved it! He also had to concentrate a lot because some were quite small, so a bonus for building good fine motor skills.

Brain or skill building activities (AKA Montessori inspired activities)

43) Puzzles

My 3.5 year old is a puzzle fanatic (and has been for about the past year). We started him with extremely simple two-piece puzzles, but he rapidly grew out of these, and can now handle 48 piece ones on his own. This is a great activity that is educational, and extremely engaging. It is also satisfying for them whenever they click together the correct pieces. You can choose to be more or less involved: sometimes I prompt my son to explain what he's doing at each step, "where do you think that piece goes?" "what part of the dinosaur is that?". We like the Haba brand puzzles. If you don't have any puzzles of your own, a free alternative is to make your own by cutting out a picture (from a magazine, for instance) into as many pieces as you want (could be just straight lines for younger kids). Alternatively, you could draw a picture, or get your child to draw a picture of their own and then cut that up. It's probably a good idea to stick the picture to some cardboard before cutting it up, so you have stronger pieces.

44) Reading

Either they can look at pictures on their own, or you could have an impromptu story time with them. Kids love books (well, at least mine do). There's nothing better than curling up under a blanket with a good book on a dark winter afternoon. Please come back for a future post in which I will discuss my kids' favourite books (I may even catalogue their whole collection if there's enough interest). Of course, if you don't have many books, you could get some from the library (if they're open at the moment in your area). Or else Ebay is a great place to find secondhand children's books for a pittance. Remember too: kids don't get bored as easily as us - I know my 3.5 year old could hear the same story 50 times...in a row. Another idea is to make up your own stories. Failing all of this, and if I don't feel like reading the story myself, I put on a video of someone reading the story on Youtube. There's tons of content on there - all sorts of stories, sometimes someone sitting there reading the book and showing the pictures, other times with small amounts of animation.

My son’s collection of various building things: blocks and magnetic tiles

45) Building

Once again, another classic, open-ended activity. What you use is unimportant: legos, wooden blocks - my son even likes making stacks of random collections of toys (see picture). Connect this to other activities: make a home for a salt dough animal, make a box to act as a basketball hoop. Have competitions on who can build the tallest tower and get them to count how many blocks the tallest one contains...I'm sure you can come up with even more ideas. If you don't have any blocks, use small cardboard boxes (or make some out of bigger boxes).

46) Pouring water

Get a shallow bucket or tray (to contain the water spillages that are bound to occur). Supply your kids with various receptacles: cups, jugs, bowls etc. Fill one of these receptacles with water and let them enjoying pouring the water from one thing to another. Challenge them to do it without spilling any water.

47) Look through old photos

My 3.5 year old loves looking over photos. Especially since we are far away from his family in Australia, he gets a real kick out of recognising different members of the family. This is a great activity at the moment when we are not seeing friends and family as much in person. Use this to remind them of all the wonderful people in their life. I make a photo book every year and my son loves looking through the physical book, but it doesn't matter if you don't have physical photos. An alternative is to display your photos on the TV screen: it'll feel fun for the kids because it's like watching TV, but it's a nice activity that you could use to spark many different conversations. It might also be fun to show them photos of you as a kid, and use as a prompt to discuss what you were like when you were their age.

48) Threading

We have a specific threading game that I got second hand. It includes some different shaped wooden beads with holes and a shoelace string. It's extremely simple: thread the beads onto the string, but it's great for building fine motor skills. It's also great because it teaches colour and shape recognition, and my son also likes making towers out of the beads. If you don't have this type of game, you could use any pasta that has a hole (think: rigatoni, macaroni) and a piece of string. You can tailor this to different ages by using smaller or larger types of pasta. Challenge your child to see how many pieces of pasta or beads they can thread onto the string. For younger toddlers, you could use pipecleaners instead of the string.

My son’s tweezer tool set with multi-coloured pompoms

49) Tweezer game

We bought our son a tweezer tool set for his third birthday along with a pack of multi-coloured pompoms. This is another great, open-ended activity that enhances fine motor skills. It's probably aimed more for the older toddlers. I like challenging him to pick up and move all of a certain colour pompom from one container to another. You could also do timed challenges. You don't actually need the whole set of tools, you could instead buy a pair of children's tweezers alone (very cheaply).

50) Writing the alphabet

My 3.5 year old has been just starting to comprehend the concept of letters and words for about the last 6 months. He is getting really good at letter recognition. We recently bought him this alphabet book that allows him to trace letters with a whiteboard marker and then rub out his writing when he's done. This has been great to teach him how to write the letters. A free option would be to draw out the letters on paper in a pencil and get them to trace them with something heavier like a marker.

51) Cutting pieces of paper

Literally take some scrape paper and give them some child-friendly scissors. Instruct them to cut. It's a fun activity for kids who are learning how to cut, and could occupy your kid quietly for a long time.

Imaginative play

52) Playing doctor

Encourage them to use the toys that they have to play a role, such as: doctor, nurse, vet, waiter, chef, teacher, scientist, bus driver...you get the point. Tailor this to your child's interests and knowledge. You could also use this to expand their current knowledge of the different jobs people do, by asking them: what does a teacher do all day? What does it look like? This is probably best suited to the older toddler phase.

53) Set up an imaginative activity

A similar idea is to set up an imaginative scene for them that they step into. I got this idea from the What Fresh Hell podcast. They suggest setting out your kid's soft toy animals and saying something like: "This is an animal hospital. All these animals are sick. It's your job to make them all better again." With you providing a little bit of inspiration, they will probably run with this idea, potentially opening up hours of free time for you!

54) Act like you are at a cafe

In Germany, restaurants and cafes are currently closed for sit-in dining. But you can create your own cafe at home! Whip up some babyccinos and serve them in special little cups, perhaps even with a small cookie or treat on the side.

Music and acting

55) Singing songs

Put on some good music (yours or theirs), look up the lyrics online, and start singing. For added fun, turn this into a performance where you all take turns singing into a hairbrush.

My son’s (quite elaborate) music set-up: keyboard, drums, maracas, guitar, violin. There are plenty of free or DIY alternatives.

56) Play instruments

On the same note as the above (pun intended!) play some instruments with them. We have quite the instrument collection for our 3.5 year old (my husband being very musical), but you don't need this. If you don't have any instruments, make one: shakers are so easy to make with rice and an empty container or bottle, an empty box could be used as a drum. If you have an iPad - you can play a keyboard on there. Look at Pinterest for instructions on how to make a guitar with cardboard and rubber bands. Bonus: if you make the instrument, get your little one involved and the construction can become an activity in itself.

57) Record them

Make a music video where they have to get into costume, sing a song, dance, and help edit the video. This project could span a whole day. Get them to act out a favourite scene from one of their story books. Or, better yet, get them to make up a scene that they act out and then you record. Your child will love seeing what they've created, and it will be a great memento to hold onto and look back at when they're older.

Last resorts (that aren't so bad)

58) Dead fish (AKA the more kid-friendly, Sleepy bunny)

Basically, the parent calls out either "hop" (kids must hop around like a bunny) or "sleep" (kids have to pretend to be sleeping bunnies). If anyone moves during "sleeping" time, then they get penalised (I'll leave that one up to you) or, if they don't move, they win or get a reward (also up to you). This game is better with more people, but it would still work with one kid. Bonus points: you could duck out for a toilet break, food, or drink while your bunnies are "sleeping".

59) Screen time

I am not averse to some screen time (sometimes you're just too tired to constantly engage and want a moment of relaxation), but I like to be in control of it. I also think that some specially selected screen time can even be a good educational opportunity. Why not put on a National Geographic documentary or similar? Of course, if that fails, let them watch what they want for a defined period of time.

60) Go outside

I know this is not an indoor activity, but sometimes the only solution is to actually get outside (where possible). I think kids need fresh air and space or else they start to go a little crazy. If my kids haven't been outside, then they'll start acting up by mid-afternoon. Even if it's just a brief step outside - into the backyard, onto the balcony, out onto the street in front of your house - this moment could save a whole afternoon and reinvigorate them to be more engaged with other indoor activities.

My son’s toilet roll tower. He invented the idea all by himself

61) Finally, let them be creative

You don't have to plan out their every minute. In fact, I would advise against this. I generally stick to a very simple structure of one morning and one afternoon activity maximum (or maybe I'm just lazy). But, do let them play on their own - you'd be surprised what they come up with.

Final thoughts

I applaud those of you who have read through and gotten this far! Thank you for your time. I really hope that this means that you've taken even just a handful of new ideas from this mammoth list. At the very least, I hope you've been reminded of some activities that you had forgotten about. I know this is (and has been) a very difficult time for parents around the world. My hope is that articles like this can give you a glimmer of hope that you can get through these difficult times, and even flourish.

Please use this contact form to request my quick reference guide pdf file of this list of activities (just the list, without the explanations). Simply type “activity list” into the message field.

Now, over to you: what activities are you planning to do with your kids over this winter? Have you tried any of the above? Do you have any to add? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!

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61 simple and engaging indoor activities for toddlers and young kids (that are easy, fun, and mostly free!)