6 Indoor Activities to Do With Your Kids When It’s Too Hot Outside 🔥

Summertime is here in northern Minnesota. The forecast next Tuesday says we’ll see a high of 85°F/29°C. To many of you guys, I’m sure that doesn’t sound too bad. But we’re used to winters with temperatures and windchill around -40° (Fahrenheit or Celsius, it’s the same). This time of year, we’re trying our best to survive this heat. So what can you and your kids do? You can follow my lead by doing some of my favorite activities. Here are six of the easiest indoor kids activities you can do with your kids when the weather gets too hot.

First, this list goes beyond coloring, reading storybooks together, taking naps (oh how I miss naps), or playing Minecraft. My goal is always to give my kids something to look forward to, as you’ll see with some of these activities. So let’s jump in!

Paper Bag Puppet Show

My kids love crafts because they get to create something new. They also love telling elaborate stories. What better way to combine the two than with a puppet show? I let them create their own paper bag puppets, draw scenery for the show on inside-out cereal boxes, and put on a homemade show for their mom. Not only do the kids love designing and coloring their own characters, but they love showing off their creations. It’s a perfect way to spend a sweltering Saturday.

Make a Model Rocket 🚀

My kids aren’t quite old enough to build actual model rockets, but we find an equivalent. We save paper towel and toilet paper rolls for different crafts. What’s my favorite use for them? I let them build spaceships of their own design. It’s not usually anything intricate (or structurally sound), but it introduces my little ones to the idea of model rockets. I’m saving the real rockets for when they’re older, doing this is a primer.

Build a Pillow Fort

In our house, we gather all the pillows, cushions, and blankets to spare and call it a “pillow palace”. Sure there’s some cleanup, but it’s a whole lot of fun. The couch cushions become walls and towers, while the blankets become the palace floors. If it’s especially hot outside, we’ll make our pillow fort in the basement playroom. Anything soft or plush is a valid pillow palace building material. I draw the line when the kids want snacks like popcorn in their fort. Otherwise, we’d wake up the next morning with kernels embedded in our skin.

Have a Dance Party

We’ve got a Google Home and having it play music that the kids can dance makes their day. I’m not just talking about playing Baby Shark three billion times. I like to play some of my favorite upbeat music, just so I can do a silly dance for my kids. They like to follow suit and it often turns into a full-blown dance-off. It’s so worth the memories. It’s also probably one of the easiest indoor kids activities.

Make a Mural

This one requires some additional materials, but it’s worth the extra effort to find them. I’m always so impressed by what the kids come up with when I let them use their imaginations. The last time we did this, I cut a washing machine box into long pieces. They started using crayons and turned the cardboard into a skyscraper! We kept the makeshift city on display until my wife came home from work. It made her night.

Freeze Juice in Ice Cube Trays

This one takes time, but the payoff is worth it. Take an ice cube tray and have the kids drop a berry in each cube. Then, pour a juice of your choice to fill each cube. Apple or white grape works really well. Once they’re frozen, drop them in a glass of water (La Croix for me) and enjoy a nice frozen treat! Even while the juice is freezing, my kids never forget to ask if their treats are done yet.

Share Your Ideas!

These are are just my six go-to activities when the weather is too hot. I know for a fact there’s all kinds of fun things you can come up with. What indoor kids activities do you like to do with your kids? Let us know in the comments below!