Let’s be real – being around family 24/7 during the Circuit Breaker period wasn’t easy. Between rushing a deadline and arguing over what’s for dinner, it’s enough to drive some of us up the wall.
Here’s an idea: why not release all that tense energy with a family sports day? Something with just the right amount of competitiveness, mixed with good humour to give you new memories to laugh at when all this is over. Here are 8 easy indoor sports and games you should have on your lineup.
Check out other fun things to do indoors here:
Image credit: Jacinth Chia
If you grew up in a primary school here, these makeshift rubber band slingshots should be all too familiar. Relive those memories and take part in friendly fire with this game of rubber band archery.
Image credit: Jacinth Chia
All you need are rubber bands and a target – this can be anything you have lying around in the house, from tin cans to plush toys. The lighter your targets are, the easier they’ll be to hit down.
The instructions are simple – get ready, take aim, and fire! Shoot down the most number of targets to be crowned the gold medalist in this event.
Difficulty level: 4/5
It takes poise and coordination to be a gymnast, and now you can put those to the test with Hole in a wall. For this you’ll need a TikTok account and the app (iOS | Android) on your phone.
To get started, hit the giant plus sign in the middle to create a new video. Your front camera will open up, along with the “Effects” option on the left. Then, select the “Games” tab.
Image adapted from: TikTok
You should see the Hole in the Wall game icon. Tap on that and set the phone down. Ideally, it should be on a flat surface, propped up against something sturdy. Once the player sees himself or herself on the screen, they can hit the “GO” button to start. The aim of the game is to match the shape displayed as closely as possible.
The shapes to match get harder as the game progresses, so be prepared for some whacky bending and stretching! The best part is that each turn is caught on video, so you’ll have good laughs to last for a long time.
Difficulty level: 2/5
Now that we can’t have games outside, we’ll need another way to practise our free throws.
For this game, what you’ll need is a hanging clothes rack, preferably one that’s situated a little higher on the wall. Hook a small basket to it to make your “hoop”. If you don’t have one, you can just hang a cap upside-down or even a pillow case.
Image credit: Jacinth Chia
Now, decide on a ball to use. Depending on the size of your “hoop”, you can use anything from an actual basketball to a stress ball. Regardless of the type of ball, the goal is the same – to get it into the “hoop”.
Within a 5-minute limit, take turns to do a free throw. Alternatively, you can play in teams. In that case, the rule is that each player cannot take more than 2 steps while holding the ball. Only passing throws are allowed, and the ball changes hands every time someone drops it.
Difficulty level: 2/5
It’s a pity that gyms are closed this Circuit Breaker period, but test your lifting game in a different way with a game of Dice Stack. As the name suggests, you’ll need some dice to stack, so feel free to ransack old board games for some. You’ll also need a piece of plastic cutlery for each player.
Once you have about 6 to 7 dice on hand, let the game begin! Start by holding the plastic fork or spoon in your mouth, with the flat edge facing outwards. Slowly stack the dice one at a time on it. Once the first dice is on, start the clock.
Image credit: @ctnight
Record how much time each player takes to get all 6 fully stacked, and the person with the shortest time clinches the gold. It may not build your physical strength, but it’ll build your patience and balance for sure.
Difficulty level: 4/5
Image credit: @wkbturkiyeofficial
Yup, you read it right, it’s not pick-up sticks but pick-up socks. We all know that iconic karate kick, and here’s your chance to try it out in this hilarious game. There’s almost no setup required for this game – just be prepared for lots of laughter!
Before you start, assign a laundry basket to each player. Then, dump your sock drawer somewhere relatively central to each laundry basket. A good estimate is to have 10-15 pairs of socks on the ground for 3 players.
Image credit: Jacinth Chia
The objective of the game is to get as many socks as you can into your assigned laundry basket as quickly as you can – all using only your feet! Each sock you get earns you a point, with a bonus 3 points for every matching pair. The game ends after 3 minutes, and the person with the most socks in the bag bags the prize.
Difficulty level: 3/5
Image credit: Jacinth Chia
We’ve all been entranced by Singapore’s gold-winning Table Tennis team. Almost as nerve-wracking is this classic game of Ping Pong toss.
All you need is a ping pong ball and a cup. Once you’re ready, stand about 1 metre away and take turns to try throwing the ball into the cup. If the ball lands in the cup, you get a point, and the person who gets to 3 points first wins this event. This simple game will tell you who has the best motor skills – and who has played the most beer pong.
Difficulty level: 3/5
If you’ve mastered beer pong ping pong toss, try your hand at this version. Use small glasses to form a straight row and take turns to blow on the ping pong ball. The objective is to get it to land nicely in the last glass – the first person to achieve that wins this event.
Be on standby to catch the ping pong ball before it rolls off the table and this game can be played as quietly as a mouse – perfect if game night extends beyond 10PM.
Difficulty level: 2/5
Bowling is a foolproof group activity, and that applies even in the home version of this sport. It’s quite intuitive to replicate, and here’s how.
For bowling pins, you can use whatever’s available at home. That said, lighter “bowling pins” make less noise when they fall over, so be a considerate neighbour and stick to plastic bottles, empty toilet rolls and plushies. Take turns to roll a ball into your bowling pins from a distance away and count how many fall over per round. Tally the score after 3 to 4 rounds to determine the champion of this event.
Image credit: Jacinth Chia
A protip is to set up a “lane” for your home bowling game – it’s easier to score, and you won’t break your back fetching the ball for all the rounds. If your home allows, use a narrow walkway. Otherwise, you can always get creative with a laneway of furniture or books.
Difficulty level: 1/5
Texting these days happens so quickly, it might as well be a sport. Welcome to the showdown of thumb-typing versus finger-typing.
Image credit: Jacinth Chia
To do this, all you need are your phones. Create a new group with all the players on Whatsapp or Telegram and appoint a judge. The judge will send a random text to the group – and once received, the game is on! The fastest person who replicates the text accurately and sends it to the group wins.
Difficulty level: 1/5
Circuit Breaker might be keeping us indoors, but that’s not to say families can’t have a good time. In fact, we’re usually so busy that family time like this is rare and should be cherished. Even if that seems like a tall order, try it out! Start by bonding with these indoor sports and games, creating new memories and simply enjoying each other’s presence.
To treat your dad like the king he is, check out our guide to Father’s Day 2020 promotions.
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