Don’t let rainy days and extreme cold temperatures ruin recess for your students. Recess can still be a fun break despite being stuck in the classroom. Check out these indoor recess ideas that will become student favorites!

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Arts & Crafts Ideas

Get creative juices flowing during indoor recess. Provide a structured arts & crafts session or pass out paper and drawing utensils for students to create on their own. Check out these easy arts & crafts ideas.

• Scrap Paper Collages – Recycle scrap pieces of paper with this creative activity. Students create collages using the scrap paper. Give students an idea to create or let them choose.
• Directed Drawings – Directed drawings are an easy, structured way to create drawing masterpieces. Simply provide paper to students and model the steps needed to create the desired drawing. Check out Simply Kinder’s Directed Drawing set HERE.
• Clay or Play-Doh Sculptures – Students build sculptures with Play-Doh or clay.
• Craft & Activity Books – Craft & Activity books are low-prep and great to have on hand for indoor recess. Choose from seasonal options that will work all year long. Students create a craft cover and complete various activity pages in the book. Garb your set of Craft & Activity Books from Simply Kinder HERE.

Movement & Game Ideas

We know recess helps release energy and gets students moving. Check out these indoor recess ideas that encourage safe movement in a smaller space.

• Balloon Ping Pong – Make ping pong paddles using paper plates and popsicle sticks. Students hit a balloon back and forth with a partner using their paddles. This game can also be played as a whole group by forming a circle.
• Pencil Top Eraser Bowling – Use pencil top erasers, painters tape, and a marble to create a mini bowling lane. Bowl down the erasers with the marble.
• Yoga or Exercise Videos – YouTube offers a variety of yoga & exercise videos. Cosmic Kids Yoga and Danny GO! are student favorites.
• Memory Movement – This is a memory game similar to “telephone”, but with a movement twist. Students add a movement to a building chain of movements. Example: Student 1 will hop. Student 2 will hop and stomp their feet. Student 3 will hop, stomp their feet, and add a new movement. Continue the game until a mistake is made.
• Musical Chairs – A classic game! Students move around chairs while music plays. Once the music stops, students must sit in a chair. The student left standing without a chair is eliminated. Remove a chair each time a round is finished. Continue the game until one student remains.
• Mini Eraser Tic-Tac-Toe – Create tic-tac-toe boards on tables or the classroom rug with painters tape. Play tic-tac-toe using mini eraser or other small items. Movement Tip: Complete 10-20 jumping jacks between each game.

Building & Engineering Ideas

Pull out the blocks & building materials and put engineering skills to work with these indoor recess ideas.

• STEM Bins – Most classroom have tubs of Legos, blocks, magnetic tiles, etc. Students choose a bin and work with a partner to create structures.
• Popsicle Stick Building – Students use Play-Doh and popsicle sticks to create buildings or towers. Tip: Add a challenge to this activity by seeing which group of students can create the tallest tower or building.
• Stacking Cups – Use plastic cups to create shapes or structures. Tip: Assign shapes or structures for students to build with their cups. Add a time challenge and see if students can beat the timer.
• Snap Block Pictures – Provide students templates from Simply Kinder’s Snap Block Center Bundle found HERE. Students create words, numbers, and other seasonal designs with snap cubes.

With so many ideas to choose from, recess can still be exciting despite being stuck indoors. Rotate through these ideas or give students choice between several options. What are your favorite indoor recess ideas? Please tag us on Instagram here or share inside the Simply Kinder Teacher Facebook Group here.