Low-Tech Indoor Fall Activities for Tweens

Have a Backwards Spelling Bee!

The first person comes up with a word, often using items in the room for inspiration, and then she writes the word down on a piece of paper. After writing it down, she switches the letters and writes it backwards. Here comes the fun part! Now she must do her best to pronounce the word-backwards!-based on the letters she has written. Everyone else playing has one minute to guess the original word, and the first person to guess correctly wins that round. Guaranteed to spark lots of laughs and joyful confusion, tweens and parents alike will have fun with this indoor activity this fall. My tweens and I are looking forward to it, too!

Do a Family Read-Aloud!

Does this sound a little too Little House on the Prairie for you? Don't knock it! This is a family favorite at our house. Family read-alouds build family connections and literacy skills and can be loads of fun. Pick out a popular tween book-Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Harry Potter, or the like- or better yet, let the tweens choose! (My tweens and I are reading The Secret Garden at our house right now.) Either take turns reading round-robin style, or nominate the one who can do the best voices to read it all. (Or even get comfortable to a well-read audio-book.) Pop some popcorn, light the fire, and get ready to enjoy the most affordable and educational indoor fall activity there is for you and your tweens.

Turn Your House into a Skating Rink!

Whether you and your tweens live on hardwood or carpet, this indoor fall activity will fit the bill. Wear plastic grocery bags on your feet on carpet, or smooth socks on hardwood, and go slip slidin' away! Blast tunes on the radio, pull the disco ball out of the attic, and maybe even set up a limbo game. Add in some delicious snacks and the kids will never want to go outside again!

It's common to feel a little down this time of year, as the daylight wanes and the nights get longer. Tweens are not immune to this feeling. With a little creativity and enthusiasm, you can enjoy lots of indoor fall activities with your tweens at minimal expense. Enjoy!

(Have more ideas to share? Post them in the comments!)