Giant List of Indoor Activities for Kids

Here is a select, yet giant list of indoor activities for kids and projects that I have posted. (I will be adding to this list as I write new posts.) Although I have sorted them by category, categories are not mutually exclusive. An artsy activity can easily filed under Motor Skills, or a geometry activity under Science.

Nearly all are free or super-cheap, can be easily set-up (a few are more complicated) and many, depending on the age of your child, do not necessarily require intense parental involvement (Hurrah!). Of course, engaging in the activity with your child is never discouraged.

Have fun and to let me know which ones are your favorites!

Arts and Crafts Indoor Activities for Kids

I've separated these indoor art activities by general age range, but there is a lot of cross-over, of course! Start out by exploring our Art Supply List.

Best for toddlers:

DIY Toddler Dot to Dot
Tandem drawing (good for any age)
Sticky Paper Collage
Drawing on Big Paper (drawing from a new perspective)
Toddler Collage
Decorate Your Own Stickers
Easy Faux Stained Glass Art Project (no sticky paper or tissue paper!)
Free Play Art - a no-prep way to help kids explore their creative side
Color Mixing in a Bag
Homemade Colored Glasses
Painting Toy Cars

Best for preschoolers:

Make a giant hug
Hand tracing
Tape art journal page
Window Painting
Homemade Button Stampers
Cellophane Faux Stained Glass Window (direct technique)
Salt, Watercolors and Sticky Paper Art
Giant Dot to Dot
DIY shapes book
Plant markers for an indoor garden
Mondrian "Stained Glass" Window Art
Collage Books
Autumn Wreath
Homemade Pumpkin Stampers
Apple stamp art
Leaf Art
Start a Pre-Schooler's Journal
Glitter Glue Snowflake Window Clings
Snowflake Wreath
Sticker Resistance Painting
Salad Spinner Art
Painting with Marbles
Container Painting
String Art
Heart stamp index card valentines
Snowflake "stained glass" window
Art from recyclables
Shiny art theme
Puffy paint (we tested two recipes)
Giant coffee filter watercolor art

Ages 5 and up:

List of indoor science activities for kids

Zentangles with a 5 year old
Transforming origami ninja star
Thaumatrope, an old fashioned science and art toy
Melting crayon project (also good for older preschoolers)
Clone Trooper paper dolls
Cityscape Sponge Art
Handmade Journals from Recycled Art
Mermaid Paper Dolls
Postage Stamp Bookmark
Make a Rainbow Prism
Mini Beaded Bookmarks
Single color art exploration
Shaving Cream Marbled Paper
Painting with Magnets
Drawing Seashells
Homemade Bookmarks
Homemade Wrapping Paper
Shrink Plastic Shell Garland
Hobby Book
Homemade Puppet Theater
Handmade Bookmarks Kids Won't Lose
Amate Art Project (guest post from Artchoo!)
Fabric Pen Tee-shirts
Family harmony and kindness tokens
Spirolaterals math art

Science Indoor Activities for Kids

Most of these ideas are easily adapted for preschool aged children on up, and a few are even suitable for toddlers. Older children can extend scientific exploration by recording and comparing observed results. Younger children's natural curiosity will benefit from simple free play.

Balloon Rocket Races
Simple Preschool Science Lab
Easy circuit experiment to learn about electricity
Superhero science activities - test your powers
On-the-go float and sink discovery bottle
Water refraction magic (with video)
Spinning noise maker to explore sound science (with video)
Cabbage juice science experiment to explore acid and bases (take two!)
Zoom ball to learn about inertia and reaction
Explore engineering by fashioning a paper boomerang
Simple Machine Play with a Pulley
STEM playdate
Ice cube on a string; or how failure teaches kids to think like scientists
Homemade compass
Solar oven
Seashell Exploration Ideas
Homemade Bottle Thermometer (guest post)
Homemade Rubber Ball (guest post)
Baking Soda and Vinegar
Homemade Catapult
Salt Volcano
Grow Crystals on a Pipe Cleaner
Acid/Base Science Experiment
Blowing up Balloons with Soda and Vinegar
Magic Jumping Coin
Magnet Container Play
Moon Activities
Apple Taste Test
Fog in a Bottle
Pear Ripening Experiment
Tracking the Weather
Magnetic Building Blocks

Gardening Indoor Activities for Kids

Teach science through gardening! Yes, you can garden indoors.

Beansprouts
Planting Paperwhites (full tutorial)
Indoor Root Vegetable Garden
Plant Misting
Regrowing vegetable scraps
Indoor plant race with pantry items (seed sprouting comparison)

Literacy activities for kids to prepare them for reading

Literacy Indoor Activities for Kids

The best activity you can do to encourage literacy learning is to read aloud to your kids. You'll find more than 100 themed book lists in our book lists index - books for every interest! Use these simple literacy play ideas to have fun learning with your kids.

Easy Phonics Teaching Ideas
"Sift-N-Spell"
Spine Poetry
Superhero secret code scavenger hunt (also incorporates math!)
I Spy Spelling Game
Teaching Phonics with a Puzzle
Simple Rhyming Games
Alphabet tracers
Little Blue and Little Yellow Book Activity
Learning How to Form Letters with craft sticks
Hanging the Alphabet - fine motor activity
Frozen Letter Scramble - great for bath time!
Preschool Journal with a variety of materials

Posts with multiple ideas:

Free play is so important! Allow plenty of time everyday for kids to explore their world on their own terms. These simple pretend play, games and free play ideas act as prompts to get kids busy playing -- the real "work" of childhood.