Spark Courage
Whether you are stuck at home due to a lockdown in your area, extremely rainy weather or you are recovering from injury or illness that prevents you from leaving the house, here are 10 tried and tested ideas that can keep the family entertained for hours:
1. The Paper Challenge
Beware, this oldie but goldie is guaranteed to cause laughter and potentially a few bruises. This is not just the perfect challenge for balance, strength, and joint mobility, but also the perfect lockdown challenge.
The rules are simple. Fold an A4 Paper (or smaller if you dare) in half as shown in the photo and pick it up with your mouth. The important part: You are only allowed to touch the ground with one foot.
2. Board Game Competitions
With games available for all ages, why not get the family together for an evening of non-digital old-school boardgame fun. Get out the classics such as Enchanted Forest, Game of Life, Catan, Pandemic, or children’s games such as Snail’s Pace or First Orchard to keep the family entertained.
If you haven’t heard about Shadows in the Forest, a boardgame you play in the dark, give it a go – you can even DIY the game cardboard trees and a candle (DIY instructions here: http://readysteadyroll.co.uk/make-board-game-shadow-forest/)
If your kids are teenagers, why not learn how to play Poker together and use household chores as the stakes?
3. Play Minesweeper
If you’re looking for a fun and engaging solo challenge, Minesweeper is a great way to test your logic and problem-solving skills. This classic game requires careful thinking as you uncover squares and use number clues to avoid hidden mines. It’s a fantastic way to keep your mind active while also enjoying a bit of friendly competition—see who can clear the board the fastest!
You can play an updated version for free at 1000 Mines and challenge yourself with different difficulty levels.
4. Create an Adventure at Home: Obstacle Courses & Treasure Hunts
Turn your home or garden into a thrilling playground! Use furniture, baskets, and string to build a DIY obstacle course inspired by Ninja Warriors—think crawling under chairs, jumping over hurdles, and ducking under strings. Then, keep the excitement going with a treasure hunt. Whether indoors, outdoors, or on a local bushwalk, craft clever clues using rhymes, riddles, or photos, and hide a special treasure at the end. It’s all about creativity, movement, and endless fun!
5. Make Home Spa remedies together
It’s super simple to make bath salts at homes. You can find some simple, straightforward recipes for on my Instagram @sparkcourage, but there are also plenty of recipes on the world wide web.
If you have extra time and want to make something fancy (or don’t have a bathtub), try your hand on shower melts or fizzy bath bombs!
6. Learn something new together
Ever wanted to try something new but didn’t have the time, energy or motivation? See if you can find something everyone in your family is interested in learning. Want to learn how to play an instrument? A new language? Sewing? How to handstand? Whatever it is, make it fun and start learning. There is plenty of inspiration on YouTube and many online offers around. You may even turn the learning into a friendly competition to keep motivated and engaged!
7. Arts and Crafts at home
When is the last time you were doing arts and crafts at home? Whether you make a salt dough zoo and paint it, try your hands on scented candles, build a fairy garden outside in the yard, paint or sketch… even build a terrarium or traditional lanterns – there is plenty of inspiration about.
8. Themed Cooking Challenge
Host a family cook off or themed evening. Everyone can pitch in, whether it’s decorating the table, helping cook, dressing up or selecting the music. How about a Mexican night? Are fairy tale degustation menu or a 1001 Nights dress up event? A dinner around the world?
Alternatively, you can choose one ingredient, and everyone needs to cook one dish (starter, main, dessert) honouring that ingredient? Possibilities are eggs, bananas, bacon… you choose!
9. Turn Chores into Chips: Strategic Card Games for Teens That Build Skills and Bonding
If your kids are teenagers, why not learn how to play Poker together and use household chores as the stakes? You can also try exploring other strategic card games like FreeCell. It’s a great way to build focus and planning skills, and can be a fun solo challenge or something to take turns with during family game night.
10. Indoor Ping Pong
Table tennis is a great way to stay fit, and you do not need to join a club to play. To get some much-needed exercise, convert your dining table with a net. Kmart offers $12 Ping-Pong sets that include a net, bats, and balls.
Whether you play traditional one on one, doubles or run around the table – the possibilities are endless.
