Rainy Day Mini Olympics: Indoor Games for Ages 10+

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8 rainy day mini Olympics events

Here are eight quick indoor events you can set up with things from around the house. Keep a pen by the scoresheet and record each result as you go.

Aim and throw events

1. Paper plane distance: fold a plane and measure how far it flies from a start line
2. Sock basketball: throw rolled socks into a washing basket from three steps back, ten shots
3. Cushion long jump: stand still, leap and mark where your heels land
4. Bin shot challenge: toss a soft ball into a bin, moving back a step after each hit
5. Target coins: slide a coin across the table and try to stop it on a taped line
6. Beanbag ladder: throw a beanbag onto numbered paper squares for points
7. Indoor boules: roll marbles to land nearest a target button
8. Playing card flick: flick cards into an upturned hat, count how many land in

Speed and balance events

1. Cup tower race: stack six cups into a pyramid and back down, fastest time wins
2. Spoon and potato walk: carry a potato on a spoon across the room without dropping it
3. Balloon keepy-uppy: count how many taps keep a balloon off the floor
4. Teddy balance: walk a short line with a teddy on your head
5. Pairs sprint: match ten socks into pairs against the clock
6. Dice stack: stack five dice into a tower, time how long it stands
7. Pillowcase hop: hop across the room inside a pillowcase, slow and steady
8. Thread the hoop: pass a hula hoop over your body without using hands, timed

Skill and puzzle events

1. Memory tray: look at ten objects for twenty seconds, then list all you remember
2. Keepy-up with a ping pong ball and a book, count your best run
3. Blindfold draw: draw a house with eyes closed, judges score the result
4. Tongue twister race: say a tricky phrase five times fast without a slip
5. Coin tower: build the tallest stack of coins in one minute
6. Card house: build the tallest house of cards before it topples
7. Dot to dot sprint: join numbered dots in order, fastest wins
8. Riddle round: solve three riddles for bonus points

How to run a rainy day mini Olympics, step by step

1. Print the scoresheet and write in your players.
2. Choose eight events and clear a safe space for each.
3. Take turns, and give younger players a head start.
4. Write every score on the sheet as you finish an event.
5. Add up the points and award the medals.

Ways to use the mini Olympics

• Mixed-age family afternoon. Give younger children a head start or a helper so everyone has a fair shot at a medal. Older children can be the judges for one event each.
• Birthday or sleepover. Turn eight events into a party. Keep each round short and loud, and hand out paper medals at the end.
• School wet break. Run two or three table events in the classroom with no running. A round of Shut The Box makes a calm scoring event.
• Build in a games finale. End with a family game so everyone stays together after the medals. A fast round of Liars Dice suits ages ten and up.
• Rematch league. Keep the sheets and run the same events next rainy day. Children love beating their own best time.

Games and gifts for rainy days

These games keep older children busy when the weather keeps you in. Pick a mix of quick dice games, strategy boards and group favourites.

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Wooden Game - Shut The BoxShop nowLiars Dice GameShop nowCode Breaking Board Game - Logic GamesShop nowMexican Train Dominoes - Mexican Dominoes in Wooden BoxShop nowWooden Backgammon Set - 15" Mahogany Backgammon BoardShop nowFolding Draughts Set - 12" Board & PiecesShop nowBlack Playing Cards - Deluxe Waterproof CardsShop nowLuxury Cribbage Set - Cribbage Board & CardsShop nowMancala Game - Luxury Warra SetShop nowChinese Checkers - Free Go BangShop nowGiant XL Tumble Tower - Wooden Tumble Tower GameShop nowFour in a Row - Counting Game for KidsShop nowScavenger Hunt GameShop nowSkipping Rope - Kids Jump RopeShop now

Mini Olympics by age and key stage

What children learn from a mini Olympics

• Measuring. Reading distances and times gives real maths a point, and adding up scores keeps mental arithmetic sharp.
• Taking turns. Waiting, cheering others on and losing well all get a gentle workout across eight events.
• Coordination. Throwing, balancing and stacking build fine and gross motor control.
• Planning. Choosing events, setting them up and running the order teaches simple organisation.
• Resilience. A low score in one event can turn around in the next, which keeps spirits up.

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Every one is free to print, and each has its own guide.

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Make it a Christmas tradition

A mini Olympics is an easy habit to keep. Save your scoresheets in a folder and bring them out every time the rain sets in. Children love chasing their own best times, and a running family league gives even a dull afternoon a purpose. Over the years it becomes the thing you always do when you are stuck indoors.

Frequently asked questions

How do you run an indoor Olympics at home?

Pick eight short events, set each one up in a clear space, take turns and write each score on the sheet. Add up the points and crown a champion.

What age is the mini Olympics for?

It suits ages 10 and up, and works well for mixed-age families when younger children get a head start or a helper.

Do I need special equipment?

No. Most events use everyday bits like socks, cups, coins, a balloon and paper. The free scoresheet does the rest.

How long does it take?

Around 45 minutes for eight events, though you can run fewer events for a shorter session or more for a party.

How do I keep it fair for mixed ages?

Give younger players a head start, a shorter distance or an older helper. You can also pair children into balanced teams.

Is it safe indoors?

Clear each space of furniture and trip hazards, swap balls for rolled socks, and keep an adult watching. Supervision matters for hopping and throwing events.

What if we run out of events?

Make up your own, like a memory tray or a tongue twister race. Children enjoy inventing rounds as much as playing them.

What games go well afterwards?

Finish with a family game so everyone stays together. See our gift ideas above for dice, cards and board games for ages ten and up.

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Jaques of London is Britain's oldest toy and games company, founded in 1795. We have spent over 230 years making games families play together, from chess and croquet to wooden toys for the very young.

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Written by the Jaques of London team. Last updated 1 November 2026.