benefits of indoor games benefits of indoor games

9 Amazing Benefits of Indoor Games

We often overlook the benefits of indoor games 1over outdoor games, but did you know that the benefits of indoor games are potent and innumerable? 

Indoor games are extremely beneficial for people of all age groups and are very effective in keeping your mind healthy and active.

Want to know about the benefits of indoor games? Then continue reading the article as we share with you all the benefits in great detail.

What are the Benefits of Indoor Games? 9 Benefits Listed!

1. Catching up on Lost time

First on the list of the benefits of indoor games is the opportunity to socialize among friends and families.2 With the busy schedule we live in, we often do not have time for our loved ones.

Playing indoor games with family members or friends will help you socialize and catch up on your lost time.

It has been reported that socializing among people and sharing a good laugh while playing good indoor games helped foster empathy, trust, compassion, and intimacy among the group. 

2. Stress Management

One of the biggest benefits of indoor games is stress management. Indoor games not only provide abundant physical health benefits but mental benefits as well.

Playing indoor games helps in triggering the release of endorphins which are the body’s feel-good chemicals.

These endorphins help in promoting an overall sense of well-being and wellness. It has also been reported that temporary relief from pain can also be observed due to the release of endorphins3 in the bloodstream.

Endorphins also help in the following:

  • Relaxing the tensed muscles,
  • Boosting blood circulation,
  • Reducing stress,
  • Regulating blood pressure
  • Enhancing the body’s immune system.

3. Improves the Functioning Capacity of the Brain

As mentioned earlier, the benefits of indoor games apply to people of all age groups.

Through several studies, it has been observed that playing chess, completing puzzles, or playing any other indoor games helps in challenging the brain and pushes it out of its comfort zone.

This also helps in preventing the risk of memory problems in the future and boosts cognitive functions.

4. Stimulate the Mind and Boost Creativity

The benefits of indoor games are abundant, especially for young children. Young children, due to their impressionable minds, always learn best when it involves something fun.

Indoor games provide the perfect opportunity to learn. It helps in stimulating imagination and enhances the ability to solve problems.

Kids also learn to be more expressive and creative. Also, an important aspect of the benefits of indoor games is that they help in increasing your well-being and productivity simultaneously.

Taking the time to replenish oneself encourages creativity and productiveness. You may be able to see a problem in a new light and produce new solutions for it. 

5. Keeps the Risk of Alzheimer’s or Dementia at Bay

We know that the rate of generating neurons decreases as one ages. Still, according to recent studies, it has been found that keeping your brain in constant activity and posing new challenges for them helped keep them active forever.

One of the potent benefits of indoor activities is that they help keep the minds engaged and active—this aids in exercising the brain and makes the brain stronger. Having a stronger brain reduces the risk of cognitive decline, thus keeping the risk of diseases like Dementia and Alzheimer’s at bay. 

6. Improves Physical Fitness

Surprised to see one of the benefits of indoor games is physical fitness? It has been found that regularly playing indoor games like ping pong or tennis ball races helps improve body fitness, especially for kids.

These indoor games incorporate a variety of body movements and help maintain the agility of the muscles. These games are great for adults, too, especially if you are looking for quick exercises when stuck in work from home.

Playing table tennis can also help in developing fast-twitch muscle developments, which help in boosting reflexes. 

7. Helps in Overcoming Failure

Physical activities help in building a sportsman’s spirit. Outdoor activities like cricket or football are often considered the best examples to build confidence and encourage you to be a good team player.

On the other hand, indoor games teach you to overcome failure. In every game, there is always the uncertainty of winning or losing, which is significant for your life.

Games help you to overcome the failures encountered during a game or in life in general. They allow you to face every phase of life with power, full effort, and dedication.

Want to have the best example of this? Play a round of snake-ladder to understand better. 

8. Comfortable and Safe Space

Outdoor sports are important to improve a child’s general well-being and are an important part of their development. However, we cannot ignore the risks that often come with playing outside. There is a high chance of you getting injured.

On the other hand, the benefits of indoor games include comfort and the provision of a safe place

9. Play Anytime, Anywhere! 

Another benefit of indoor games is the fact that you can play them anywhere at any time.

Summers are just around the corner, but that does not mean kids have to give up on their playtime. They can play indoor games and not miss out on the experiences; after all, who would not want to play indoor games with a group in a cool, comfortable environment? 

List of 8 Best Indoor Games

Now that we know the benefits of indoor games, let us now look at indoor games to play. There are some fun activities for kids too.

1. Card Games

One of the most classic indoor games of all time is board games. Card games like bridge, rummy, and pinochle are hits among people of all age groups.

The card games are easy to play and boost cognitive functions, management of stress, and also help in socialization. 

2. Tennis Ball Race

Well, not to be worried, you do not need to know tennis to play this game. This fun game required good hand-eye coordination and muscle strength and just needed tennis balls to pass along.

The goal of the game is to pass one ball as fast as one catches up with the other ball. This game is extremely popular among small children as it helps in interestingly building mobility and coordination. 

3. Board Games

Another classic indoor game is board games. You have a whole lot of board games to choose from. You can enjoy games like Scrabble, carrom, chess, monopoly, Ludo, bingo, and many more.

Some of these games help increase vocabulary skills, while others help boost the working capacity of your brain. Play a round of Chess, and you will understand what we are trying to say. 

4. Puzzles

puzzle pieces 1925425 1280
Image by congerdesign from Pixabay

Puzzles are always fun and one of the best ways to engage your brain in challenges for old and young alike. Puzzles help boost the brain’s problem-solving capacity and keep the agility of the brain intact for many years to come. 

5. Dartboard

dart board 933118 1280
Image by tookapic from Pixabay

Another favourite among indoor games is a dartboard. It is extremely popular among people of all age groups, especially adults.

It is an exciting game to play with friends and family and a great way to socialize and catch up with them

6. Balancing Beam

An extremely fun game, especially for kids, a balancing game helps improve the motor skills and balancing abilities of toddlers. This game is very easy to play.

For example, stick different coloured tapes on the floor, and each coloured tape will have a different rule to walk on. Now, like for red tape, the person has to walk on one leg while maintaining balance throughout the tape. If he fails to do so, he/she has to restart again.

A Balance beam is a great way to keep your kids engaged for a long time. 

7. Indoor Obstacle Course

This indoor game is especially for growing toddlers. Your little one will be a glowing ball of energy, and the best way to harness the energy is by playing the indoor obstacle course game.

This game will increase the mobility skills of toddlers and will enhance their problem-solving skills of the child.

You can use chairs, blankets, exercise balls, hula hoops, or anything else that can be useful and make an obstacle course out of it as your space permits. However, let your toddler decide how to overcome the obstacles. 

8. Pictionary

A classic indoor game is Pictionary. It is also a viral party game.

For this game, all the people involved must write at least seven phrases, objects, actions, people, or even movies in chits and put them in a bowl.

As the bowl passes, one has to make others understand what the paper contains by only drawing. Also, a timer is used. 

Key Takeaways

Now that you know about the benefits of indoor games, go play! Include these indoor games once in a while and enjoy yourselves.

Click here to read more.

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  1. Fraile, Luis. The feasibility and possible benefits of indoor exergames in primary school. MS thesis. 2017. ↩︎
  2. Larson, Reed W. “Adolescents’ daily experience with family and friends: Contrasting opportunity systems.” Journal of Marriage and the Family (1983): 739-750. ↩︎
  3. Harber, Victoria J., and John R. Sutton. “Endorphins and exercise.” Sports Medicine 1 (1984): 154-171. ↩︎

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Authors

Sharmistha
Apeksha soni

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