Totally FREE Games For Kids

Most of the free games for kids on this page require little more than pen, paper and imagination. If they need more than that chances are you already have it in your house.

A classic of the free games for kids,that can be played with pen and paper, or string and pennies. The rules are pretty cut and dry.

This game requires two players.

1. Start by drawing or arranging a grid of squares, 3x3, much like the picture at the top of this page.
2. Choose who goes first.
3. Each player chooses to be either "X" or "O".
4. Players alternate taking turns putting their symbol in one of the squares. The object is to get 3 symbols in a row.
5. The symbols can be either horizontal, diagonal or vertical. The first person with 3 in row is the winner.

Most games will end in a draw because there can only be a winner if one player makes a mistake, so to make this even more fun and challenging play rapid tic tac toe, where players have to take their turns quickly one after the other.

Of all the free games for kids this is the most fun two player game.

• A Blindfold
• Feathers
• Cotton Balls
• Feathers
• Anything really soft like fleece, tissues, a stuffed animal etc.

1. Put all your soft objects inside a basket or bag within easy reach of one of the players.
2. Have the two players sit facing each other. Put the blindfold on one they give the other player the basket of soft ojects.
3. The player with the objects takes one object at a time and brushes them against the cheek of the blindfolded player.
4. The blindfolded player tries to guess when the object being brushed against their cheek is the feather.
5. When the blindfolded player guesses correctly the players switch places.

The gentler you are with the objects the more difficult it is the guess them. This is actually harder than it seems.

Strictly a pencil, paper and brainpower game.

4. The other players guess a letter and if it's correct, you put it in the blank. If the guess is incorrect you put a head on the upside down L. For each wrong guess you draw another body part. The object is to guess the word before the body is completed.

One of the faster paced free games for kids.

You'll Need:

• Pages from the newspaper, anything with lots of numbers. Stocks, sports, etc.
• A clock or timer to see when 5 minutes is up
• A marker for everyone

1. Give everyone a page of the newspaper
2. Set the timer for 5 minutes. On "Go" everyone searches their page for the number "4". Everytime they find a "4" they mark it and say "4 score".
3. The person with the most 4's at the end of 5 minutes wins.

You can play this game with any number or word you want.

Scavenger hunts are a great way to have free games for kids at any type of party.

• Find something red and green
• Find something fuzzy
• Put a blue stone in the kitchen

...and so on. Literally anything you can think of that would be possible for them to do, find or figure out, you can put on the list. Lead them all to the final find which can be a piece of fruit in the kitchen....or a puzzle piece from the playroom....anything at all.

Give a small prize to the first person to complete the list or make it a team project.

There is a slightly more elaborate type of indoor scavenger hunt here

You Will Need:

• Pen and Paper for everyone
• A kitchen timer (Or some way to time out 60 seconds)

1. Use scrabble letters or write each letter of the alphabet on a slip of paper and toss them in a hat.

2. Someone pulls a letter from the hat and announces it to the group and immediately starts the clock.

3. Everyone has to write as many words as they can in 60 seconds starting with the letter that was pulled.

To make it more challenging include some letter blends like ch, sl, tr -- So if "ch" is pulled guests have to come up with words like "chain, chair, chase"....and so on.

Give a small prize after each round. Or give a prize to whoever comes up with the most words after two or three rounds.

All you need is two players. Paper with a dot grid and a pencil for each player.

I used to play this a lot when I was a kid. Two players take turn connecting dots on a grid of dots. Two dots are connected during one turn.If on your turn you connect two dots that close a box then you write your intials in that box. Once the grid is completed with boxes, the player with the most boxes wins.

We use to draw our own dot grid but for more detailed instructions and a printable grid go here.

Did you know that at one time this was one of the most popular free games for kids? Battleship was originally played with pen and paper.

Set up your fleet and try to sink your opponents ships before they sink yours.

Click here for detailed instructions and a printable Battleship grid.

This game is normally played inside the house with a group of at least three people. Someone is chosen to be “It”, or the “Hider”. That person is the first to hide the button.

The rest of the group, "Hunters" will go into another room and cover their eyes.

The “Hunters” count out loud to 60 during which time the “Hider” has to hide the button somewhere in the room. After the button is hidden, the Hunters come in and start their search.

The Hider will help the group by letting them know who is close to the button by saying who is “warm”, “warmer”, or “hot” if they’re really close to the button. If a Hunter is far away from the button the Hider can let everyone know that Hunter is “cold”, “colder”, or “freezing”.

Usually when one Hunter is getting warmer the rest will all gather searching the same area. The Hunter who finds the button holds it over their head and says, “Button, button. I found the button!” This Hunter is now the new Hider. This is another one of the classic indoor games.

Another classic in this list of free games for kids, this game can be played by children as young as 3 years old and is best when an adult is the leader or “Simon”.

1. Simon stands in front of the group and everyone finds a spot where they can see and hear Simon well. It’s best to leave some space between players to allow for safe movement.

2. Simon gives commands for everyone to follow such as, “Simon says clap your hands.” Or “Simon says stomp your feet.”

3. The players must obey ONLY the commands that start with the phrase “Simon says…”

4. If Simon calls out a command without saying the phrase, then the players should ignore that command and continue doing the last, “Simon says…” command, until they hear the next command that starts with the phrase “Simon says...”

5. Any player that obeys a command that DOES NOT start with the phrase, “Simon says…” is out.

It’s not always necessary to make players sit out after a mistake in following a command. If the group is small or very young, let everyone play on. The mistakes usually bring lots of giggles.

Note: Commands can be silly and fast. The leader, “Simon”, should also do whatever command he or she is asking. Simon can also trick the players by saying one command yet doing another, (even if it's preceded by "Simon says.") For example, Simon may say, “Simon says; Pat your tummy.” But Simon will pat his head even though the players should be patting their tummies.

This one of the free games for kids is best played with at least 3 people. Since we’ve modified it for indoors there is no “running to base” involved.

1. Decide who will be “It”.

2. That player covers their eyes and counts to 20, or whatever number is appropriate depending on the age of the players. Younger kids need a little more time to hide.

3. All the players find a safe place to hide. (Decide ahead of time what rooms are off limits for the game.)

4. When “It” is done counting he or she yells, “Ready or not, here I come!!” And the search begins.

5. As “It” finds the hidden players they walk back to home base and wait for everyone else to be found.

The last player to be found wins that round and becomes “It” for the next round.