15 Fun Indoor Activities for Kids and Adults
Is it raining outside? Are you trying to save money? Or are you just feeling lazy?
Whatever the case, here are 15 amazing indoor activities you can enjoy without ever stepping outside.
1. Have an Indoor Picnic
When the weather isn’t cooperating, you can always dine in the great indoors. Pack a basket filled with your favorite picnic food, like sandwiches, potato salad, fresh fruit, and lemonade.
Spread out a blanket on your living room or sunroom floor and enjoy.
2. Have a Spa Night
You can find facial recipes online that use ingredients you probably have in your kitchen, like avocado, eggs, fruit, and milk. These are natural and much more affordable than a trip to your local esthetician.
Call up a friend, and you can give each other a mani-pedi. Turn down the lights and turn on some ambient music for stress-reducing benefits.
3. Try a New Recipe
Flip through your favorite cookbook or browse the internet to find a new recipe. If you want a challenge, find a recipe outside your comfort zone.
Whether it’s an intricate, from-scratch meal or a culinary technique you never tried before, you never know what you’re capable of until you try.
4. Screen an Old Hollywood Classic
Whether it’s an Academy Award winner, a personal favorite, or a film you always wanted to see, make a big batch of popcorn and settle in for a black-and-white movie from the past.
If you’re not a movie buff, go online or check out Casablanca, The Wizard of Oz, or Gone with the Wind.
5. Play a Board Game
There’s no better way to get the whole family involved than having a board game afternoon or evening.
Monopoly, Twister, Scrabble, Yahtzee, and Risk are some popular board games that have provided fun family home entertainment for decades.
If you have young family members, make sure to include them with an age-appropriate game.
6. Hold a Bake-Off
The bake-off rules can be as formal or relaxed as you like. All you need is at least two bakers or teams and one judge.
Have the kids bake their own favorite cookie, and soon your home will be filled with the aroma and anticipation of chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, or peanut butter treats.
Make sure to have plenty of milk on in the fridge.
7. Write a Letter
In the age of texting and email, letter writing may seem outdated. But taking the time to put pen to paper and handwrite a letter to a friend or family member you haven’t corresponded with in a while can be a great way to stay in touch.
Writing longhand can actually be very therapeutic, and imagine how delighted the recipient will be to receive your letter in the mail.
8. Host a Wine or Beer Tasting Evening
Hosting your own wine or beer-tasting event is a great way to imbibe without paying the high prices at bars.
Choose a theme and ask everyone to bring a bottle of wine or a six-pack of beer. Pour samples of the wine or beer without telling everyone what they are tasting.
Give everyone some paper to write their comments, ratings, and answers for which wine or beer they’re tasting, and reveal the winner at the end of the evening.
9. Play Cards
Playing cards is a fun activity for both kids and adults. There are so many different card games suitable for any number of people.
Plus, when you’re sitting around a table, it encourages communicating on a relaxed level. Studies even show that playing card games with kids can promote memory and problem-solving skills, as well as efficient social interaction.
10. Have a Family Movie Night
A fun family movie night can be just as enjoyable as a trip to the local theatre and it’s definitely more cost-effective.
First, find a movie everyone can agree on. If it becomes a regular event, you can take turns picking what to watch. Make sure there are refreshing drinks and plenty of popcorn on hand.
11. Go on a Treasure Hunt
Who doesn’t want to look for hidden treasure? Kids love this.
Find a treasure or treat to hide around the house or in the yard. Then come up with some clues to help find the item.
The answer to the first clue should lead to the next one, and so on. If you’re feeling really creative, you can even try making the clues rhyme.
12. Build an Obstacle Course
Here’s another great idea if you have young children. Build an obstacle course in your home or backyard with handy household items.
Think fabric tunnels, pillow tosses, book mazes, and masking tape balance beams.
Time your kids as they make their way from start to finish and then see if they can beat their own time.
13. Throw a Costume Event
Getting dressed up doesn’t only have to be reserved for Halloween. You can choose a theme, like a time era, characters from your favorite movie, or just about anything you like.
A costume event works great for a kid’s or an adult’s party.
14. Plant a Herb Garden
Even if you live in an apartment or small space, you can plant a herb garden. A kitchen window is a perfect spot to plant basil, oregano, thyme, or other herbs, as long as you get about six hours of sun a day.
All you need are small pots, a good quality potting mix, and seeds of annual herbs. They add flavor to any dish, and their aroma will fill your kitchen.
15. Play Charades
Charades are another idea that works for both kids and adults. One player comes up with a word, phrase, movie, or song title and then acts it out in front of the other players without speaking.
Sometimes, a word can be broken down syllable by syllable or acted out all at once. You can have competing teams and time limits for added fun.
Conclusion
You don’t have to be outdoors to have fun with your family and friends. Try any one of these activities and have an enjoyable time bonding with the people closest to you.