Is it rainy and you can’t send your kids outside? Did school get canceled and your kids are running wild? These amazing games don’t need a TV or video game console. When you and your kids are at home, you can have a lot of fun by using activities that can be used with kids of any age, though this depends on the game.

#1 JUST A PENCIL AND PEN

Your kids may be surprised how fun simple pencil and pen games are. They may have heard of Pictionary but have they played it with small scraps of paper, a sharp pencil, and their sheer imagination? No, probably not. To make it more fun, you can challenge each other to draw a futuristic device that doesn’t exist and then judge who drew the best possible gadget.

#2 BUILDING SOMETHING FROM NOTHING

With games becoming what they are your child may not know the magnificent world that comes from their imaginations. No need to pull out the connector sets or toolkit, just grab some Popsicle sticks, cards, or blocks. Not only will your child see their sheer amazingness when they build these cool structures, especially the ones made of cards, but this will help them remember to keep trying. Just a gentle wind will knock over those cards and you can then encourage your child to try again.

Not to mention, of course, forts. A couple of chairs, covers, boxes, pillows, whatever you have on hand is awesome for making an indoor fortress. If competition is you and your child’s middle name, then make these games into a competition. Challenge your kid to see who can make the highest tower or the most elaborate fort. There’s nothing that spells fun like beating your dad at building.

#3 MAGIC

Kids love magic. You can be Houdini, well, the safe one. Leave the locks, chains, and water tanks for real, professional magicians. Here’s a simple game. Grab three cups and put a coin under one of them. Shuffle these cups around then ask your kid where the coin is. This will provide a great deal of fun for your child, especially if you keep your close to the edge and then pretend the coin disappeared. No amount of explaining will be able to describe your child’s excitement when he/she finds the coin has disappeared. What happened to it? How can you get it back? This is a very fun game that requires no magical skills on your part, whatsoever.

#4 CARDS

No worry about breaking the bank, you can find a deck of cards at your local dollar store. The amazing thing about cards is that you can make a game as complex or not as possible. It’s all about the rules. For your child this can challenge their mind and help them learn their colors and numbers. The number of card games is infinite.

#5 PUZZLES

Who doesn’t like a puzzle? Even if you’re an adult, puzzles just grab the mind and never stop. Not only are they very fun, but they build creativity, problem-solving, and cognitive skills. For your pleasurable day indoors you can use store-bought or homemade, either way, these will be great. If you do use homemade, it’s recommended to have your child make it as he/she will get a lot of benefit from creating the characters, rules, and board, if all these are present. For example, after you’ve scrounged up a piece of sturdy cardboard or something similar, have your child draw a picture of their choosing. After that use a pencil or pen to creates puzzle pieces on the drawing. With a pair of scissors that cut well, cut out the puzzle pieces, shuffle them around, and solve!

Even you won’t be able to solve the puzzle immediately, most likely. So, you and your child will be giving your brain a much-needed workout. This will boost brain health as you and your child age, and lead to higher functioning and better memory. Why not start giving our child these benefits, now?

#6 FREEZE, SUCKER!

No, don’t freeze a sucker, though that could be a great activity, too. You can put these in your child’s drink. This game involves freezing their entire body. Put on your child’s favorite music and let them dance. Dance with them! Kids love when you play with them, not just watch. When the music stop, your child should freeze, immediately, even if they are upside down. Though, how they got that way is anyone’s guess. You and your child will have tons of fun with this game.

For a more challenging game, specify a pose like an animal, shape, or yoga pose, before the music begins. This will really boost the fun and your child’s creative skills. Toddlers really love this game.

If you have multiple children or you’re just in the mood, hand out ribbons. Making them is very easy.

#7 BOARD GAMES FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY

Most likely you have had the pleasure of playing Monopoly, Shoots and Ladders, or Clue. These games may have stuck in your head as fun family times, though maybe not Monopoly if you tended to lose all of your money and properties.

The great thing about boards games is that, at least for younger children, they’re easy to setup and the rules are simple. Move a piece, call out a guilty party with a candlestick, or just climb up the ladders. These can be used for hours of fun and help with critical thinking skills, dexterity, and the skill of being a good loser and a good winner. Yes, both of these skills must be practiced.

Being indoors doesn’t have to be the death of fun. With some imagination, curiosity, and laughter, being indoors can be a festival of fun!