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20+ Things to do with your mini (when you’re stuck indoors)

20+ Things to do with your mini (when you’re stuck indoors)

Keeping a little one entertained is hard enough as it is, but if you are stuck indoors at the moment, the kids might be going a little bit stir crazy and you might be thinking, ‘what on earth am I going to do to keep these kids entertained?!’

Firstly, making a routine is super important, the same as if they were at school or nursery. When are they used to having breakfast? Snacks? Lunch? It’s useful to try and stick to their usual schedule. Next, try breaking the day up into small manageable chunks, kind of like school does with lessons. If they have schoolwork to do at home, do they work better in the morning or evening? Plan that in. If you decide to watch Frozen (for the millionth time…) what follows that?

Obviously, just because you plan that the kids will be happy baking cookies from 10-11 doesn’t mean they actually will be… but it might help when that inevitable moment of ‘what next?’ comes around.

Now that’s sorted, we’ve pulled together a list of fun activities to keep both you and your mini-me entertained and in high spirits for days.  

1. Treasure hunt- children LOVE finding hidden objects — especially if there’s a prize at the end! Try and do the set up during nap time (if they ever have one…) and hide clues around the house, ensuring the final one lead to the prize! Each clue could come with a mini prize (like 50p) meaning they’ll be even more motivated to keep hunting!

2. Magical Mummy- let’s make some magic! Simply place a coin under one of three cups and shuffle the cups around. Then ask your children to guess which cup holds the coin. If you’re sneaky (or magical…) place the cups near the edge of a table and secretly drop the coin. Watch your minis eyes light up when they learn the coin is completely gone! Want to expand the routine? YouTube has SO many tutorials it’ll definitely help waste a lot of your time… 

3. Make Bubbles: For this indoor version of playing with bubbles, you need a plate and straw each, some dish-washing soap and water. Simply put a 10 pence sized blob of dish soap in the centre of each plate, then add a little water, Gently the dish soap until some suds start to form. Have the kids place the straw in the suds and blow very gently. Watch as huge bubbles start to form! If you’re feeling adventurous, add in some water-based child safe paint, and once you’ve made the bubble place a piece of paper over the top to create some art too! 

4. Touch-and-feel box: create a sensory session with an old shoe box or any box that has a lid on it. Cut a hole in one of the sides of the box, large enough for a little hand to sneak in and if you want to get really creative (or add in an extra activity) get your mini to decorate the box first. When you’re ready to play, put an item inside the box and have your children guess what it is. They can ask questions about the item if they need to, or you can offer clues. Make it gooey with things like jam or washing up liquid or go for something simpler (and less messy) like a brush, a toy, a piece of fruit.

5. Indoor hopscotch- make this outdoor school yard tradition an indoor hit, too. Set up your hopscotch game on any floor surface using masking tape as not to damage any floors, then play

6. DIY balance beam (without the heights)- while you have your masking tape out, why not make your own balance beam? Pop some music on and get the kids to walk one-foot-over-the-other across the straight line of tape. Keep them entertained by making them do it backwards or whilst hopping etc. 

7. Indoor bowling- you don’t even need a pre-bought set for this, just use old water bottles. Line 6-10 of them up at the end of a hallway or living room, use that masking tape to make the starting line and start bowling! (A rolled-up ball of socks or small ball will work as the ball) For those with older children add some water to the bottles to make things a little more difficult.

8. Indoor basketball- Does anyone else hear plates smashing when you read this one? Don’t fret it doesn’t include an actual basketball… Grab a bucket (or large mixing bowl?!) and a rolled-up pair of socks. Each player takes a turn at throwing the sock-ball into the bucket. When a player scores a bucket, they step back and throw again until they miss. Then it’s the next persons go. The player who gets the ‘ball’ in the bucket from the farthest distance wins.

9. Box Road –Flatten out a large cardboard box and then grab some markers and draw out a long road down the middle. Grab some toy blocks, little cars and other fun toys then get the kids to build their own city.

10. Toy-Washing Bin –a sneaky one to get your kids to help you do some jobs… Let your kids wash their plastic toys. Add tear-free bubbles, sponges, towels, other supplies (and lots of splashing!) to make it a fun game. 

11. Make potions! Basically, mix together all your old or unused beauty products together and well… see what happens! (but maybe don’t let them put any on their faces…)

12. Create your own outdoor scenes- find fun and creative ways to re-create different outdoor scenes in different parts of the house. A princess party in the living room, use a blue bath bomb and say the ocean is in the bathtub, the possibilities are endless!

13. Pamper session- our personal favourite! Grab a Tiffy & Tallulah Pamper Hamper (& any of your other favourite pampering products) and settle down for a full afternoon of pampering. Make your own foot spa, do mummy and mini mani-pedis, matching braids, pop on a face mask and our cooling gel face mask, the entertainment is endless… 

14. Build something: You don’t need anything fancy for this, lollypop sticks, a pack of playing cards, big cardboard boxes, or pillow forts. Make it a competition, who can make the biggest fort or highest tower. 

15. Hot Potato- a game that always induces giggles. Get your kids to sit on the floor in a circle. Put some music on and have them pass the potato (a bean bag or soft ball) around the circle as fast as they can. When the music stops, whoever is holding the potato is out! 

16. Bath time fun- make bath time a moment to treasure. It’s exactly why we created our Bath Time Dreams Pamper Hamper, with twinning face masks, a strawberry bath soak and matching sleep masks to turn the whole thing into a luxurious pampering experience both mummy and mini will love.

17. Air-mattress trampoline -a simple one. Blow up an air mattress and let your little one’s jump on it- they’ll love it, we promise! 

18. Dance party-turn on some music and just dance about until they (or you!) tire. Turn it into a real party with a bubble machine and fun outfits.

19. Baking- it’s an oldie but a goody! Get your mini to choose their favourite sweet treat, get the ingredients in and bake them together. Not only a fun activity but you get something yummy at the end too! 

20. Snacks in shapes- another food related one! Turn lunchtime into playtime and use biscuit cutters to make things like star-shaped sandwiches or dinosaur shaped mini cakes- whatever takes your mini’s fancy! 

21. Movie marathon- exhausted all other options? Let’s have a movie marathon. The fun doesn’t have to be literally games, make the movie marathon into a special occasion with special treats and a blanket fort, you’ll all enjoy a moment to chill out.

So whether it’s watching movies, playing dress up, baking, dancing around the kitchen, or most importantly doing the really important stuff, spending time together- we hope we’ve given you some ideas, and share your own with us over on our social @tiffyandtallualh