15 Indoor Activity Ideas for an Only Child

Many families with an only child, or an older child and an infant, wonder about ways they can help entertain their child indoors. During cold winter months or pandemic lockdown, here are 15 ways your child can pass the time.

  1. Hula hooping – builds coordination and balance
  2. Dancing – a great way for your child to express themselves and get some exercise
  3. Song and dance games – try songs that require corresponding actions, such as “Itsy Bitsy Spider” or “I’m a Little Teapot”
  4. Arts & crafts – create something together, or let your child investigate their own idea
  5. Play pretend – get creative with items from around the house
  6. Performance – whether it’s a play or a concert, encourage your child to create something entertaining they can perform
  7. Indoor obstacle course – look for challenging yet safe ways for your child to jump, balance, crawl, and climb
  8. Learning something new – there are many child-focused educational videos online to help your child develop a new skill or learn more about their favorite interest
  9. Watch movies – get cozy and spend a day watching your child’s favorite movies
  10. Sensory play – creating a sensory bin at home requires mediums such as sand, water, and dried pasta; and materials such as buttons, scoops, and sponges.
  11. Video chat – set up a virtual play date with your child’s best friend, or have a video call with their grandparents
  12. Playing puzzles or games – there are many different puzzles and board games for every interest and age level, for the whole family or for your child to enjoy on their own
  13. I Spy – this fun game is ideal for spontaneous yet engaging entertainment
  14. Playing “basketball” – use rolled-up socks as the ball, and move the basket farther away after each successful shot
  15. At-home science projects – for example, help your child learn about buoyancy, volume, and mass by placing small objects like toy cars and coins into a bowl of water and observing what happens