5 indoor activities for kids that are easy, expert-backed

Keeping young children entertained, especially on cold or rainy days, can be challenging, but Wendy Collingwood, Purdue Extension childcare educator, has some tricks up her sleeve.  

Collingwood is one of several members of the Purdue Extension Childcare Team, which recently hosted a workshop for Indiana childcare providers about activities that are easy, inexpensive and good for brain development. Here are some of Collingwood’s favorites:

1. Shaving cream art 

Brain benefits: Fine motor skills, creativity, scientific exploration 

Place shaving cream on a table or tray to make a blank canvas for creative play. You can encourage children to trace shapes, letters or their name or draw pictures as this helps to build fine motor skills (which are needed for things like holding a pencil). 

You could also add blocks, cars and other toys, since shaving cream can be used as a “mortar” to build structures or create roads for cars. 

Children can also learn about science through adding colors. “You can do food coloring, but it stains. I would suggest adding watercolors or something else that's water soluble,” Collingwood says. If you want to take the science a step further, add shaving cream to a jar of water and drop in colors. Collingwood calls this a “rain cloud jar” and uses it to explain how rain works and show color mixing. 

2. sensory bags

Brain benefits: Sensory engagement, emotional regulation, fine motor skills 

This no-mess activity requires two, zipper-sealing sandwich bags, tape and something squishable. Collingwood recommends hair gel, shaving cream or water and oil. Small beads, food coloring or small toys can be added to provide additional texture. 

To make a sensory bag, add the medium and any add-ins to one zipper bag. Then, double bag and seal the bag tops with tape to prevent leaks. 

“It's a great sensory thing. Squeezing the bags develops fine motor skills and is calming,” Collingwood explains. 

3. Skyscraper snacks

Brain benefits:  Creativity, problem solving, critical thinking, fine motor skills 

Sometimes playing with your food can be a good thing. Toothpicks paired with finger foods — such as grapes, blueberries or cheese cubes — can be the building blocks for towers or other structures. 

To give an extra brain boost, Collingwood suggests printing out pictures of structure patterns, or provocations, and asking the child to replicate them. You can also ask your child to experiment with building a structure with a limited number of materials. Adding extra challenges can encourage problem solving and critical thinking. 

4. Rhythm stick rock session 

Brain benefits: Coordination, pattern recognition, impulse control 

A step up from banging on pots and pans, rhythm sticks help children learn coordination when they match a visual or auditory cue with a physical action. For this activity, all you need is music and two sticks of any kind. 

“For those that like to use technology, there's all kinds of different rhythm stick songs on YouTube,” Collingwood says. “For example, one video I’ve used before is about baking a pizza. On the beat, you have to cut the pepperoni, so the child cuts it with the sticks and keeps a beat. It’s not only music, but it's also patterns, following directions and impulse control.” 

5. Reading a book together

Brain benefits: Critical thinking, pattern recognition, emotional regulation 

Reading with a child might seem simple, but it’s a great way to teach them and have fun together. Asking open-ended questions with no right or wrong answer, like “Tell me about...” or “What do you think about...”, can improve critical thinking skills and help children recognize patterns. 

“It’s a good way to interact with children because they naturally point to and talk about things. Just follow their lead,” Collingwood says. “For example, a parent might say, ‘Oh look, there’s a cow. It says moo.’ It doesn't have to be anything crazy.  

“Reading also builds relationships, which are very important. Everything with brain development starts with relationships.” 

For more activity ideas, check out the Community Childcare playlist on Purdue Extension's YouTube account.

Learn more about early skill building in these Extension Publications 

Why Are Early Literacy Skills Important?  

Why Are Early Math Skills Important? 

About Purdue Extension Community Childcare 

The Purdue Extension Community Childcare Program is building an ecosystem of support that fosters childcare quality to improve the health of our children, families and communities. Our educators facilitate learning opportunities in the Wabash Heartland region that helps providers improve their practice and feel valued and connected. For example, in our mentoring program, providers learn business development skills to make their work profitable while building supportive relationships with other childcare professionals in their communities. With those skills, providers can run sustainable businesses and provide the high-quality care our children need. We also lead professional developments, summits and provide one-on-one visits. It is through these activities that Purdue Extension and our providers are building a stronger childcare ecosystem together.  

To learn about available resources for childcare providers, visit our website at extension.purdue.edu/childcare.