Indoor Games and Activities for Kids at Home in India

By the Lil Amigos Nest Team

The best toys and games for kids in India are simple, age-appropriate and safe: stacking cubes and sensory blocks for babies and toddlers, sensory kits from age 2, and board games from age 4. Look for the ISI mark, supervise play, and rotate activities to keep children engaged.

Key takeaways

• Many of the best indoor games for toddlers at home cost nothing and use things you already own.
• Toys sold in India must meet BIS safety standards (IS 9873), so look for the ISI mark on the pack.
• For children under 3, avoid small parts and always supervise sensory play.
• WHO advises no screen time for infants under 1 and no more than 1 hour a day for ages 2 to 4, so hands-on play fills the gap.
• Lil Amigos Nest delivers free across India, to more than 25,000 PIN codes, with Cash on Delivery available.

Our picks: best for, age and price in ₹

Safety first: what to check before you buy

Look for the ISI mark and BIS licence number on the packaging. Under the Toys (Quality Control) Order, toys sold in India need to meet BIS safety standards, including IS 9873, which covers mechanical and physical safety such as small parts, sharp edges and age grading. Read the age label, and for children under 3 avoid anything small enough to fit inside a toilet-roll tube. For screen time, see the WHO guidelines for children under 5.

Games for babies and toddlers (0 to 3 years)

1. Play house or fort

Drape bedsheets over chairs to make a fort. Climb in with your child and read their favourite bedtime stories. It costs nothing and works in any size of home, from a Mumbai flat to a Jaipur courtyard house.

2. Dress up

Try different costumes in front of a mirror and watch your child's reaction. Dress-up encourages imagination and self-awareness.

3. Fetching objects

Ask your child to fetch things around the house. It builds crawling and walking skills, helps them understand directions and makes them feel grown up.

4. Tub of sand, water or balls

Fill a tub with clean sand for digging, pouring and scooping, or swap in shallow water or soft balls. Always supervise.

5. Cardboard tunnels

Reuse delivery boxes: cut the flaps and tape the boxes together to make an entrance and exit for crawling.

6. Sensory board

Stick safe textures like foil, plastic wrap, sandpaper and fur onto a poster board. Keep pieces large and fixed firmly so nothing ends up in your baby's mouth. For a ready-made option, try the Montessori Sensory Block, a soft cotton cube with taggies, a wooden teething ring and beads, which is easy to take along in a stroller or on a trip.

7. Stacking cubes

Plastic cups from a party can be stacked, knocked down and rebuilt endlessly. To add counting and animals to the game, the Stacking & Nesting Cube set has 10 cubes with numbers, animals, shapes and colours, made from FSC-certified paperboard with non-toxic ink.

8. Animal play

Hold animal photos in front of your face and make each animal's sound. It's a fun way for babies to learn to recognise animals.

9. Vegetable peels

While you cook, let your baby touch and smell clean leftover peels such as carrot or cucumber. Supervise closely and take away anything that could be a choking hazard.

10. Edible slime

Use baby-safe, edible slime or make your own from food-safe ingredients. It's a great squishy sensory activity.

11. Sock puppets

Put a sock on your hand and put on a puppet show. Older toddlers can make their own, which builds storytelling skills.

12. Sensory bottles

Fill an empty bottle with rice, beads or glitter and seal the lid with strong tape or glue. Babies love the sound and the colours.

Games for older kids (2 years and above)

13. Canvas art

Roll out a large canvas or chart paper on the floor and let your child paint freely with non-toxic colours. This builds creativity and fine motor control.

14. Sensory kits

Sensory kits give children a hands-on, screen-free activity. The Peppa Sensory Kit lets children decorate Peppa and George using coloured rice, chickpeas and taste-safe DIY mud, and includes worksheets and a wooden scoop. It is made for children aged 24 months and above. It contains small parts, so adult supervision is needed at all times.

15. Board games

Board games are a good way to turn a rainy weekend into family game night. Browse our board games for kids and pick by age.

Frequently asked questions

Which toy is best for a 1-year-old?

Stacking and nesting cubes, soft sensory blocks and simple household games like peekaboo are good choices. Pick toys with no small detachable parts.

What are good indoor games for toddlers at home?

Try a bedsheet fort, cardboard tunnels, fetching games, sock puppets and dress-up. Most need no purchase at all.

How do I know if a toy is safe in India?

Look for the ISI mark and BIS licence number, which show the toy meets IS 9873. Also check the age label and avoid small parts for children under 3.

How much screen time is okay for young kids?

WHO recommends none for infants under 1 and no more than 1 hour a day for ages 2 to 4. Active, hands-on play is a healthy alternative.

Do you deliver toys across India?

Yes. Lil Amigos Nest offers free shipping across India to more than 25,000 PIN codes, including Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai and Pune. Product pages show delivery in 4-7 days, and Cash on Delivery is available.

All these activities support your child's brain development while they explore their creativity. We hope you have a lot of fun playing together.

Read more

• Best toys and games online for kids in India: a parent's buying guide
• STEM toys and learning games for kids: picks by age
• Affordable toys for kids: best picks under ₹500 and ₹1,000

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