Here are some more ways to entertain kids inside when the weather might be a problem for outside play. 

​If you have any ideas we can pass on to other grandparents use our CONTACT US form to share it with us and we'll share it with our readers.

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BUBBLE SNAKE MAKER

Ok – technically not an indoor activity, but under the shade of the verandah or patio, anything with water and bubbles will keep kids happy for hours!

What you need

• 1 x 500ml plastic water bottle
• 1 x old wash cloth
• 1 x rubber band
• scissors
• water
• a few drops of dishwashing liquid

What to do

• Cut off the bottom of the water bottle with scissors or a Stanley knife
• Place the bottle onto the wash cloth and trace out a circle that is about 2.5cm bigger than the base of the bottle.

• Cut that circle out of the wash cloth, place it over the open end of the bottle and secure it with the rubber band.
• Put some water and a few drops of dishwashing liquid into a small dish or bowl. Dip the wash cloth end of the bubble blower into the soapy water.
• Blow into the other end and keep blowing…you'll soon see a long snake of bubbles coming out the other end!

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You can turn it into a competition – who can blow the longest snake with just one dip?

INDOOR OBSTACLE COURSE

What you need

•  Furniture
•  Pillows
•  Towels
•  Balloons
•  Household items and your own creativity!

​What to do
It’s simple; just build an obstacle course out of your own furniture and household items.  You can do it inside on those nasty hot days, or set up outside if you have a big backyard! Here are just a few suggestions – use your imagination or let the kids invent some of their own obstacles and challenges.

•  Line up the dining room chairs to make a tunnel to crawl through. You could also throw a blanket over the top to make it really dark.
•  Crawl under a coffee table.
•  Tie a cord between two chairs for the kids to slide beneath, commando-style on their tummies.
•  If you want to do this outside, you can set up a leap frog section with towels spaced apart - kids then have to leap from towel to towel.
•  Tie some balloons under the table and crawl through them without moving any.
•  Roll up some towels and make a long 'balance beam'.
• Use packing tape to mark hopping spots
• Jump into and out of a Hula-Hoop five times. 
• Walk on a balance board. 
• Throw a beanbag into a laundry basket. 
• Run while balancing a beanbag on your head. 
• Do a ring toss. 
• Somersault from one point to another. 
• Do a handstand. 
• Skip in place while reciting a rhyme. 
• Do ten jumping jacks.

As you design your obstacle course, keep in mind the ages, abilities, and number of children involved as well as the space you have. Make the course simple at first and change the stations as they're mastered. If you like, time the kids to see who can complete the course fastest. 

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GIANT DICE

What you need:

• Cardboard box or boxes
• Thick markers
• Lots of imagination

Once again, this indoor activity’s level of fun is only limited by your creativity. It’s simple in concept, but as you can see, easily adapted to suit a broad range of ages and levels of acting ability.

What to do:
The pictures really tell the story! 

HALLWAY BOWLING ALLEY

You’ll need:

• 12 recycled plastic bottles
• marker pens
• washing basket
• a ball or balls, age appropriate
• an empty hallway or suitable area 

​What to do:
Using markers, number the bottles from 1 - 12. This will be the point scored for each bottle when it is knocked down.
Set up the bowling alley in the hallway: place the bottles at the end. If you are concerned about marking your door or wall, put a pillow there to protect it.
Get children to take turns bowling the ball, knocking over the bottles, then collecting them again in the washing basket and re-setting them for another go. You can score points or not. Depending on the age of your participants, it’s a great opportunity to practice recognising numbers, adding up, etc.