Here are some active ball games for kids that are perfect for playing indoors!  Save these ideas for the next bad weather day!

This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

Back in the fall, I bought a package of 100 ball pit balls on a whim on Walmart.  They ended up being an excellent purchase. There are so many things to do with them, besides just make a mess! (Although we’ve done that too…)

Indoor Ball Play! 10 Active Games for KidsGame #1:  Fly Swatter Hockey

This one is my personal favorite.

10 Indoor Ball Games for Kids

Put a cardboard box on each side of the “playing field” for goals.  To play, use a fly swatter as a hockey stick to swat the ball into your goal.

10 Indoor Ball Games for Kids

Game #2:  Get Rid of the Balls!

For this game, create a line between the two sides of the playing field by stretching a large sheet across two chairs.  The object of the game is to get all the balls over the sheet and into the other player’s side.  Meanwhile, your opponent is trying to dump all the balls back onto your side.  There is not really ever a winner, but we sure had fun with this!

10 Indoor Ball Games for Kids

The boys cracked up the entire time.  My 12 year old and I even played a hilarious round against each other.  Make it even more silly by giving each player a laundry basket.  They they can load up a whole bunch of balls at one time and dump them over the sheet!

10 Indoor Ball Games for Kids

Game #3:  Milk Jug Catch

Cut the bottom off of a plastic milk jug to make a simple ball catcher.  If the edges are sharp, cover them in duct tape.

10 Indoor Ball Games for Kids

This is perfect for preschoolers, and older kids will enjoy playing too.

10 Indoor Ball Games for Kids

Game #4:  Pour the Balls!  (Toddlers will love this!)

Janie (22 months) was too young to master the ball catch game.  She wanted to load up the ball catchers with balls and then dump them out, but you can’t set them down on the floor without them tipping over.  I used another milk jug to make her a “pitcher” for pouring the balls.  She loves it!

10 Indoor Ball Games for Kids

Fill and pour… Fill and pour…

10 Indoor Ball Games for Kids

Game #5:  Laundry Basket Skee Ball

Laundry Basket Skee Ball

Turn a cardboard box and some laundry baskets into this simple skee ball game!  See the details here:  Laundry Basket Skee Ball

Game #6:  Cardboard Box Basketball

We upcycled a diaper box into a basketball game that rolls the ball back to you.  It’s super simple to make:

  1. Cut the flaps off the top of the box.
  2. Cut a hole near the bottom of the box.
  3. Use the cardboard flaps to build a little ramp inside the box for the balls to roll down.  Easy!

10 Indoor Ball Games for Kids

Jonathan and Janie have been having a blast with this game!

10 Indoor Ball Games for Kids

Game #7:  Toddler Ball Tube

Toddlers and preschoolers will love playing with this simple ball tube.  This is a piece of 3 inch PVC pipe and a 90 degree joint. Drop in the balls and watch them pop out the end!

10 Indoor Ball Games for Kids

Janie tried using her ball pitcher to pour balls into the tube, but it didn’t work too well.  So adorable watching her learn and explore!

10 Indoor Ball Games for Kids

Game #8:  Color Toss

Here’s another simple idea for preschoolers.  Label laundry baskets with construction paper to match the colors of your balls.  Then toss the balls into the matching basket!

10 Indoor Ball Games for Kids

More Ball Games!

Need Balls?

Here are 100 crush-proof ball pit balls on Amazon.  Note that 100 won’t be enough to fill a ball pit or a kiddie pool.  We have 100, and it’s plenty for the games in this post.  If you want different colors, there are TONS of options on Amazon!

10 Indoor Ball Games for Kids

13 Comments

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  1. Pien Maltz-Klaar Feb 27, 2016

    These ball games look great fun.
    I like the game with the sheet in the middle best. It will certainly fit in the games I generally play. those are games without winning or losing. Games just for the fun of playing together or cooperate together. These games create a very different atmosphere. When I play with groups (of any age) and when after the first two games people start to realize they just playing for fun all of a sudden a sense of relief and well being enters the group and slowly trust and lots of laughter take over. Rules are added or changed. It always amazes me what happens when the competitive element has been eliminated.

    Reply
    1. Linda Mar 17, 2020

      If you don’t have a lot of those colored balls rolled up socks work well too!

      Reply
  2. Malinda Strueby Nov 2, 2016

    awesome games looks like you guys had lots of fun.

    Reply
  3. Pamela Kim Feb 14, 2017

    I love how your posts have lots of pictures. Great for a Visual person like myself! Thanks for always doing such a great job!!

    Reply
  4. Edna Jun 22, 2018

    I can't wait to play these games with kids!
    We are going to read the book; Can I Play Too? by Mo Willems.
    I've been searching for the ideas for the ball play.
    Even school kids would love them.
    Thank you so much for sharing.

    Reply
  5. Patricia Butler Jul 14, 2018

    Awesome games looks like you guys had lots of fun.I can’t wait to play these games with kids. Thank you so much for sharing.

    Reply
  6. Cathy Chant Dec 3, 2018

    Hi Sarah
    I love your activities, curriculum, and all the cool, fun stuff I find on your website to use in my classroom I teach SPED, and these are great for hands-on learning. Thank you for all of this.

    I'd like to add a really fun, simple activity you might consider for your list. I've literally been doing this with kids for over 45 years...
    Indoor Volleyball using a balloon (or balloons).
    Have kids on two sides of the "net) (use a rope or anything you like for a dividing rope).
    Kids are either seated (good luck, they'll jump up too much) or on their knees.
    You, as the referee, holding one end of the rope (other attached to anything you like) can control the game
    in any way; raise the rope, lower the rope, etc. Make any rules you like. For example, if you're in a relatively open and/or small room with walls, make it "Wallyball" and kids can play off the wall. Require 3 hits (passes) before hitting to other side (or not), you see the idea?
    Anyway, as the referee, you can start the game tossing the balloon to one side or the other. I recommend a good quality, fairly large balloon. You might be able to make it round-ish, but that doesn't really matter.
    Keep score like volleyball (or not)
    Have fun with it. It's a very active game. Always quit before kids get bored. Have them begging for more... LOL

    Reply
  7. Yullissa Jan 30, 2020

    I love your ideas!! I will implement them for my classroom. We are doing doing the Ball Study creative curriculum.

    Reply
  8. Harjinder Kaur Attalia Dec 4, 2020

    Very nice i will try with my son special need. He is 4 years old

    Reply
  9. Leslie Jan 30, 2021

    Wonderful ball game ideas! I have a bag full of these balls just sitting in the closet. I'm gonna try all of the games with my 3 1/2 yr old grandaughter. Thank you for sharing.

    Reply
  10. Zuzu MacDonald Jul 11, 2021

    Thanks for the ideas, I am volunteering with refugee children in Turkey and have fun, easy prep games to keep them busy while their mums are taking workshops is very important.

    Reply
  11. Sherry Apr 1, 2022

    I’m so excited to use some of these ideas to help students achieve their learning objectives! Makes learning fun!

    Reply
  12. Donna Jan 11, 2023

    Sarah, these games are SO creative and resourceful, I just LOVE them. I am a BIG fan of "making your own" with ordinary items and all this is right up my alley. I can't wait to do some of this stuff with my granddaughters! :D Thanks!

    Reply
  13. Marcia flores Feb 15, 2023

    I absolutely love your pictures and all your ideas! As a preschool Teacher Assistant you sure help me gather ideas quickly!

    Reply

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