With lockdown going on for 4+ months, I’ve made a few toy purchases that are proving to be worth every penny. We own every toy, game, and puzzle listed below, so this list is 100% kid approved. Here’s a list of 19 fun things to do inside with kids.
Toys for active kids
I say toys loosely. If you’re kids are anything like mine they can turn anything into a toy!
1. Basketball hoop
Indoor basketball has provided hours of fun for my kids! The 5in. basketball is the perfect soft, but bouncy ball. What I am trying to say is the basketball has hit our TV many times, but it’s not hard enough to do any damage. It has broken a small potted plant that used to sit in place of that rock you see in the picture below, ha!
2. Indoor racquet game
This can be done indoors or outdoors, but we have only used it inside. The birdies are light enough that they can’t break anything and it’s fun for kids and adults!
3. Balloons
I’ve blown up more balloons during this 4 month lock down than ever before. Turn up the music and play “don’t let the balloon touch the ground”. Tip: Let the kids use the paddles from the indoor racquet game above to keep it interesting.
4. Bunk bed with slide
In case you’re in the market for a big kid bed, this bunk bed with slide is perfect! It’s basically a kids indoor playground slash bed for two kids. Best part? It makes fort building really simple. Just slip a blanket on the top rail and the bottom bunk is an instant cave! My kids have literally spent hours playing on this bed.
5. Corn hole boards
Andy built us a corn hole set a few years ago, and I sewed the bean bags. My kids love playing corn hole and we often set the boards up in our living room! If I were to purchase a set today I would insist the boards were light weight since our handmade ones are pretty heavy. This corn hole set looks perfect for indoors. Best part? It comes with a case for storage!
6. Hand juicer
This isn’t exactly a toy and isn’t exactly active in a traditional form, but if you’ve ever seen a 6 year old juice oranges, you know it takes muscle! I can’t find our exact hand juicer because it was given to us by a neighbor a few months ago, but this one is very similar. My kids juice oranges at least once a week, and I love that they can do it all by themselves. Who knew juicing oranges was such a fun thing to do inside!
7. Bug A Salt
Andy insists I include this “toy” on the list. The bug a salt uses ordinary table salt to get rid of flies and mosquitoes. While guns are not my favorite toy, I will say my 6 year old really enjoys using this on our back porch. It has also provided an opportunity to teach him about gun safety.
Building toys for kids
8. Brain flakes
These interlocking plastic disks are probably my favorite pandemic purchase to date! The indoor basketball hoop is a close second, but I love that both of my kids (ages 4 & 6) love these. The colorful flakes make creating 3D objects fun and easy!
9. Magna Tiles
Nana bought these for the kids for Christmas and they have gotten so much use during quarantine! The kids love to build castles and hide things inside the 3D shapes they create.
10. LEGO
We had lots of LEGO pre pandemic, but this classic box of LEGO has been a really fun addition for building creatures and cars out of his imagination versus using a set. Personally, I love this LEGO book because the animals are simple, cute and easy to build. (Read: quick!)
11. Play-Doh
Both of my kids love Play-Doh! My son loves using my garlic press and my daughter loves this set to make her creations. If you don’t want the kids using your kitchen garlic press, this kitchen Play-Doh set is perfect!
Creative Toys for kids
We have a lot of craft supplies in our house, but here are a few creative toys for kids that let their imagination soar!
12. Watercolors
Painting with watercolors is hands down my daughters favorite activity. Mila has used this watercolor set daily for 6 months and it is still going strong. During lock down, I invested in this watercolor paper and it has made me enjoy painting with her a lot more!
13. Dress up clothes
This ninja costume and this princess dress and I swear the kids wear them everyday!
14. Piggy Paint
My 4 year old daughter loves her Piggy Paint because I let her paint her nails all by herself! Piggy Paint is a non toxic water based formula that even smells good! These particular ones smell like fruit. These cereal box manicures are genius too!
15. Water beads
Kids of all ages love water beads! I typically make mine play with these on the front porch because inevitably they will spill out and bounce everywhere. My kids raid the recycle bin and pour the beads from container to container. Sometimes they enjoy rescuing mini figurines in the beads too.
Games & puzzles for kids
We own all of these puzzles and games and have played with them precisely 873 times in the last 4 months. With homeschool likely happening, I’m happy to have a few fun science and geography related puzzles on hand.
16. Educational puzzles
- Human anatomy– We love that this is a 2 foot tall reversible puzzle! One side is the skeleton and the other side is organs!
- United States– This floor puzzle covers all 50 states and capitals.
- Soar system
- World
- Alphabet
17. Board games
The following 5 board games are my favorite games to play with my 6 year old. My 4 year old loves to play Red Light Green Light with us! Best part? Each game takes less than 15 minutes to play and all 5 games are less than $10 each.
Activity books for kids
My kids love books! My 6 year old son is really into the Magic Tree House series, but here is a list of books that provide fun, easy activities for kids at home.
18. Craft books for kids
- Creating Really Awesome Free Things – Shameless plug, but if you’re looking for a craft book that utilizes things you have in hand, this is it! It’s perfect for elementary age kids!
- Paint by Sticker– This is a great activity for kids to do
19. Educational books for kids
If you’re looking for more fun things to do inside, check out these posts:
Hi Jamey, Fun, fun, fun! This looks great. I did want to tell you that the link to the water color paper leads to the water color set, though 🙂
Thank you! Fixed!