5 Indoor Recess Games to Save Your Sanity

Do the words "Indoor Recess" make you cringe? Whenever I used to hear those words, I would panic. Now I look at it as an opportunity.

When it's pouring rain or the temperature just won't cooperate, indoor recess is a must! Keep the fun of outdoor play alive inside with these 20 exciting games that will keep kids engaged and entertained. From traditional favorites to new twists on old classics, there's sure to be something for everyone!

Indoor recess doesn't have to be chaotic and loud. It can be relaxing and quite rewarding. I have turned my indoor recess time into engaging activities. I also am able to take advantage of this opportunity to get a little prep work done and engage with my students.

5 Indoor Recess Activities That You Will Love

Playdough Time: My students love working with playdoh. Playdoh allows students to not only work on fine motor skills but also allows students to engage their imagination. I enjoy listening in on the conversations my students are having while they are creating with their play-doh.

Paper: My students love to draw and write during indoor recess. Our school has an abundance of newsprint paper. I keep this in a basket for easy access during indoor recess. Often my students will draw pictures together or teach each other how to draw something. Giving students the opportunity to draw and write during indoor recess often lets students show off their creative side.  

GoNoodle: I'm sure you've heard of GoNoodle, if not you need to check it out. GoNoodle is always updating and creating new videos. My favorite is the indoor recess videos. You can select one and know that you have at least 10 minutes where the kids are moving and grooving during indoor recess time. At the end, I like to add  a calming video to get the class ready to learn once indoor recess is over.

Four Corners: Four Corners is a classic game that gets everyone involved! To set up, designate four corners of the room with different colors or numbers. When a student shouts "four corners", players must quickly move to their selected corner and stand at attention. The person who noticed which corner they are in first is the winner. This is a great game for improving observation skills and getting kids used to thinking quickly on their feet.

Group Pencil Drawing Game:

In this game, all of the kids form a circle, and one student is chosen to start with a pencil. They draw an image until their time is up at which point they hand the drawing off to the next player in the circle. The new artist takes over and tries to add something to the picture without looking at it for more than a few seconds. Players go around and each build on the original drawing using only a pencil. After everyone has had their turn, the completed artwork is revealed!

Playtime doesn't have to end just because you’re stuck inside! These creative indoor recess activities will keep your kids entertained and engaged in no time. 

With some imagination and creativity, you can keep your kids' bouncing off the walls with these fun indoor recess activities.

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