Your little one is never more serious than when they play, right? So now that’s a fun fact you must help your child build upon into developing strength, stamina, & fitness. Indoor and outdoor games play an integral part in molding a child’s overall personality for physical & brain fitness. Children of this age are most likely to spend most of their time on electronic gadgets. They do not have an intrinsic subconscious build to go and play outdoors.

As parents, you must keep looking for ways to engage your child in energy-busting indoor & outdoor activities. The list of the most fun & incredible activities is never-ending & will act as a boredom buster for your child. These game ideas have been specially picked up to nurture different skills that promote active development. And we at Tickle Right make them more interesting, thereby compelling your little munchkin to keenly indulge in new games.

Top 6 Indoor Games For Kids 

Playing indoor games doesn’t have to be dull & boring. Even if cold or rainy weather approaches, your little one can still stay indoors & enjoy themselves. It will be as interesting & fun playing outdoor games. Moreover, to help your child get started from the bliss of your house, fully engage them with the following indoor games –

 

1. I Spy 

I Spy is a fun indoor game mostly enjoyed by young children. It can be played both indoors & outdoors thereby developing some great social skills. It is basically a turn-taking game that allows them to speak one by one. A minimum of 2 players is required to play the game. A person picks a subject from the surrounding area & acknowledges it in their mind. Then, they say – I spy with my little eyes, something … and end the sentence by giving a hint. It must be something that describes the object by stating the color, material, first letter, etc. The other people present take a guess at the object, & the spy confirms it with a yes or no.

 

2. Pass The Message 

Pass The Message game or Broken Telephone game is another interesting game that involves whispering. It is as fun as it sounds and focuses on enhancing a child’s listening skills. It is usually played indoors in a group sitting in a circle. The first player whispers a sentence into the ear of the second player sitting on their left. The second player then passes the same message to the next player. This same practice is repeated until the last player in the group receives the message. The most fun part is to see how much the message or phrase has changed via the telephone line.

 

3. Indoor Bowling

Indoor Bowling is a simple yet interesting game that will engage your child in the comfort of your house. This game promotes hand-eye coordination in the most fascinating way. All you require is a free floor, empty soda cans, a plastic ball, tape, marker, & spray paint. Next, create a bowling lane using the tapes. Spray the empty cans after peeling off their wrappers. After they dry, arrange these bottles at the end of the track. Now your little one will strike the ball aiming for the cans or bottles. This will make your child joyous! You can also go for market-ready bowling sets in case you find the setup a bit difficult.

 

4. Pitching Pennies 

Who doesn’t love a cool game like Pitching Pennies? It’s every child’s favorite & is for the entire family to play with. The objective of this amazing game is to power a child’s hand-eye coordination ability. All you have to do is place a large size cup on a chair/table at a distance. Ask your child to stand at a range from the cup. Next, give everyone a set of five coins. The person has to toss the coin aiming at the cup. The one that succeeds at putting the most coins in the cup on their turn wins. In case adults are playing too, they can move a few steps further than the child’s point.

 

5. Balance Beam

Balance Beam game is easy to set up indoor activity that involves vibrant sticky tapes. The game is one of the balancing exercises that focuses on improving a child’s concentration level, balance, & fine motor skills. All you need to do is fetch some colorful tapes & find a space to set up. Make a taped line on the floor (straight or curved) to walk over. Your little one has to walk on these beams. If colorful tapes are used, you can draw your own unique rules to make the game more interesting. The main challenge is to walk on those lines without stepping on the surrounding floor.

 

6. Red Light, Green Light

Last on the list is Red Light, Green Light game. It’s a fun game that can be played both indoors and outdoors. The game sparks the physical, gross motor, & listening skills of a child. The players have to choose a traffic cop among them. Next, the traffic cop stands in the front face away followed by the rest on the other side distant by at least 5 m. Now when the cop yells, Green Light, kids should run toward the cop. After a few seconds, when the cop has to say Red Light to which the others will freeze & not move. If any child moves thereafter, they will have to start from the beginning.

 

6 Fun Outdoor Games For Kids

Outdoor games are a means to promote fitness & strength in children. It must be a part of their lifestyle from the beginning. As modern-age kids are in a habit to spend at least 7 hours a day on electronic gadgets. Such as television, laptops, phones, etc. The benefits of outdoor play will broaden their minds to think beyond and develop an energetic attitude.

 

1. Hopscotch 

Do you remember playing Hopscotch in your childhood? Well, that must be a heavy flashback of memories. The game teaches children balancing skills & physical, fine & gross motor skills. You must grab a chalk piece & draw the hopscotch grid (1-9) on the floor. Find a flat stone for the kids to toss. Ask them to throw the rock on square 1 & hop over square 1 & complete the full grid. While coming back, they have to pick up the stone from square 1 & come back. In their next turn, they will repeat the same pattern by tossing the stone on square 2 and so on. In case, you miss the right square you get three chances to get it right.

 

2. Tag 

Tag is another agile outdoor activity that kids love. It is a great game to play in a group which in turn promotes social & physical skills. It is a way to make new friends. Amongst the group, one person is “it”. They run & find the other person to tag. Then the person becomes the “it” & chases the other child. Another similar game is Freeze Tag – where the person once tagged becomes frozen in one place. This continues until a team member arrives to unfreeze them. At last, the person who is “it” loses as there is no particular way to end the game.

 

3. Hide-And-Seek 

Hide-and-seek is an age-old popular multiplayer game. The benefits of peek-a-boo & hide-and-seek extend to developing strength, stamina, coordination, & gross motor skills. It is a form of exercise that when played, must ensure kids’ safety & security. An area within a safe parameter must be chosen in advance for both indoors & outdoors. You must clearly mention the off-limits areas. Next, choose a seeker amongst the group by fun ways & begin the chase! The seeker now has to close their eyes & count to 50 or 100 without peaking. While the rest start hiding, the seeker completes the count and looks for them to tag.

 

4. Jump Rope

Jump rope is another outdoor activity that can be enjoyed in a group. Children usually have a lot of fun by the means of various tricks in the game. This helps develop strength, balance, & promotes coordination. All you have to do is find a rope longer than the usual size. The two kids will stand on the sides & swing the rope. They’ll be holding the rope on either end. Another kid stands in the middle where the siders will toss the rope over the kid’s head. Once it reaches the surface level after a quick round, the kid has to jump. This continues as a pattern & you all can sing a rhyme & count each other’s jumps.

 

5. Treasure Hunt

Treasure Hunt or Scavenger Hunt for kids is an exciting game that encourages them to explore & stay active. It enhances their sensory development along with patience, imagination, & creativity. You will have to set up a small treasure hunt box. You can also ask your children to decorate it. Next, fill up the box with treasures like beaded jewelry, candies, & toys. You can hide the box in a specific part of your house and draw some instructions & clues that will help your child get to the treasure box. They should be simple & fun enough so that kids can understand & follow along.

 

6. Hula Hooping 

Again last on the list is an amazing fitness game – Hula Hoop. Exploring these games with other kids is quite beneficial for kids. It promotes coordination, introduces obstacle courses, & develops balance. Get some different colored hula hoops & place them on open ground. Next up, encourage kids to grip the hoop firmly with the two hands & start spinning. In case you’re child’s a righty, spin the hoop in an anti-clockwise direction & vice versa. You can also make the game more interesting by giving fun commands – Make a group of 3 children & hop into a hoop & start twisting. The hoop one that touches the ground at last wins.

 

Difference Between Indoor & Outdoor Games 

Indoor games are the games played by children at home in a closed environment. It is often entertained by sitting in one position or moving around the house. There’s less possibility of any interference caused by poor weather conditions outside. Such games usually cater to overall skill development & potential maximization. Examples of indoor games are – Board Games, Card Games, etc.

Whereas, outdoor games are the games enjoyed by children of all ages on open ground or wide-open environments. It typically involves a large play area but can be hampered by mild or severe weather conditions. Such games have a direct impact on fine motor skills & gross motor skills. It is best for children to stay agile & full of energy. Examples of outdoor games are – Cycling, Badminton, Kho-Kho, etc.

 

List Of Physical Activities For Kids Of All Ages

The secret to harnessing your child’s healthy future relies on brain development food & active physical movement throughout the day. Children in the age group of 3 to 12 years need to stay active for extraordinary mental & physical health. Soon your child will be self-willing to energize their day with fun physical activities & get some exercise. So, dive right in to look for fun physical activities that aren’t too complicated & easily incorporated.

• Jumpin Jacks
• Go on a walk
• Dancing
• Swimming
• Bicycle Riding
• Garden Games
• Hopscotch
• Ball Games
• Bubble Play
• Hide-And-Seek
• Aerobics
• Leaf Games

 

FAQs

 

1. What games can you play indoors with your child? 

You can play the following games with your child inside the doors of your house –

• Hide-And-Seek
• Treasure Hunt
• Card & Board Games
• Balance Beam
• Yoga
• Musical Chairs
• Headstands
• Bowling

 

2. What games do children outdoors? 

Children generally like to play the following outdoor games with their parents & peers –

• Cycling
• Kick The Can
• Freeze Tag
• Hula Hopping
• Badminton
• Swimming
• Hopscotch
• Jump Rope

 

3. Why is it important to play outdoor games for kids? 

Engaging children in outdoor games is a way to foster advanced motor skills & flexibility. As per the National Wildlife Federation Study of 2010, teachers suggested that 78% of students who play outside perform academically better. Therefore, let’s get into how playing outside has several advantages over playing indoors –

• Promotes brain health & development
• Builds strength & immunity
• Boosts a child’s energy levels
• Strengthens muscles & bones
• Stimulates creative thinking

 

Takeaway

The best indoor & outdoor games for kids encourages wholesome development. This also helps lay the foundation for physical strengthening & great energy. As parents, you must invite your little ones to go outside & explore beyond the usage of electronic gadgets. This will help them see the world from a different perspective which is highly beneficial for them.