5 Fun Indoor Activities for Kids Who Love the Outdoors

Whether staying safer at home or seeking shelter during rainy spring weather, there are indoor activities for kids that can continue to nurture an appreciation of the outdoors. Check out this list of fun activities for kids at home, which includes fishing games for kids, fish art and craft projects, and the new Angler Academy for Kids.

1. Make your own fish identification flash cards. If you're wondering how to keep kids busy while teaching them about different fish species, just make flash cards by printing fish pictures from a fish identification guide or the species explorer pages. Cut out the fish pictures, glue each picture onto an index card, write the name of the species on the back of the index cards, and then have kids quiz each other. You can also look for online fish identification flash card games online using resources like Quizlet. This is just one of the free indoor activities for kids that can make species identification in local waters easier the next time you take a family fishing trip.
2. Angler Academy. Bring the fun of fishing indoors by visiting the new online Angler Academy for Kids. Meet Bassador, learn about fish anatomy while making your own unique paper fish, discover fishing games for kids like Scavenger Hunt Bingo, and print off coloring pages that you can use to create amazing works of fishing art.
3. Magnetic Fishing Game. Another one of the fun things for kids to do at home is make a magnetic fishing game. Cut fish shapes out of felt or construction paper, attach a paper clip to each fish (you can also glue a washer between two felt or paper fish shapes), and then use a dowel rod or unsharpened pencil to create a "fishing rod" by attaching a piece of string or yarn with a magnet tied onto the end. Kids can set a timer and see how many fish they can "catch" within a certain time limit.
4. Prepare Future Fishing Trips. Teach kids how to prepare while spending time indoors for future fishing trips by helping them create their own tackle and gear checklists. Ask them to write down everything they might need for a safe and successful day of fishing. Give them a set time limit to complete the checklist, and then go through the list as a family to make sure all of the fishing necessities have been included (PFDs, snacks, water, fishing rods, hooks, bobbers, etc). When thinking about activities to do with kids at home, consider those that will help build organizational skills and good planning practices.
5. Baking Family Time. Bake up a batch of sugar cookies and decorate them together as a family using fish or ocean themes. Yep, activities for kids at home can include coming up with creative fish cookie designs. We think eating them afterward is pretty awesome too!

Each of these indoor activities for kids and families will remind us to appreciate the outdoors while also having some fun at home.