Parenting

Creative and Fun Indoor Kids' Games

Stuck inside? Try these fun indoor kids' games and indoor activities

By Katherine Lee, About.com Guide

The next time it’s raining or freezing cold outside and your kids are complaining about having nothing to do, consider these creative and fun indoor kids' games and indoor activities. The best part: Playing indoor kids' games means your family can have fun together and create something they can be proud of instead of watching TV or playing videogames for hours on end. Everyone will have such a good time that your kids will look forward to their next rainy or wintry day! Some great ideas for fun indoor kids' games:

1. Put on Finger-Puppet Plays

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A great indoor kids games idea is to put on a show. Have your child invite some friends over and put on a production with finger puppets as actors. Help the kids write a play and then put on a show with dialogue, and maybe even a few songs. If you don’t have finger puppets, you can use stuffed animals or make your own characters using construction paper cut-outs and Popsicle sticks or straws. You can even videotape the show to watch later and remember the fun all over again!

2. Have a Silly Songwriting Contest

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Who can write the silliest song with the most nonsensical lyrics? Explore different genres of music (this is a great way to have your child explore the differences among jazz, rock, and blues, for example). Gather up all your shakers, harmonicas, and anything that can be turned into a musical instrument and put on a performance.

3. Write Letters

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That’s right -- actual written words on actual paper. No email. No texting. Not only is this an excellent way to get your grade-schooler to practice handwriting and forming sentences, but it shows them an alternative to the fast-paced world of electronic communication. They won’t believe that there was once a time in which people actually had to sit down and write letters to put into the mailbox to communicate with each other. They can even draw a picture for grandma or grandpa to include in their letter.

4. Have a Publishing Party

Grade-schoolers are getting into reading on their own, and many are growing familiar with different types of books (fiction, non-fiction, graphic novels, series, and so on). Have your child make up his own character or use his favorite ones from a favorite book or movie and write a story. It can be a short story or a comic -- whatever he chooses. Then, when everyone is done, you can "publish" it (staple it together or put it in a binder) and have a reading where each author can share his work. You can even videotape an interview with the author, asking your child questions about how she came up with the characters or the ideas for her story.

5. Hold a Reading

An important skill for grade-schoolers to develop is reading out loud. You can help your child become comfortable reading out loud by taking turns reading to each other. All you need is a favorite book and a comfy sofa to snuggle on together. If you want to pretend you're participating in a Selected Shorts type of reading in front of an audience, you can set up a "stage" and have family members take turns being a celebrity reader. (This can give your child extra incentive to "perform" the dialogue and add some dramatic intonations to the stories.)