The Great Indoors: turning winter days into play days

When the clouds roll in and the weather turns moody, there’s no need to feel stuck inside. Instead, embrace The Great Indoors and create your own adventures. Think obstacle courses, board games, card games and escape room games. With a lot of fun imagination and a bit of planning, indoor games can be the antidote to dull days, and with the wide range of boards games, card games, and toys available today, there’s never been a better excuse to unplug and play.

Below are six ways to experience the great indoors:

Strategy games

For something a little more strategic and less high energy, Catan is the classic choice. Perfect for 3 to 4 players, you’ll be trading resources, building roads, and planning your way to victory – all while managing alliances that shift as quickly as the weather outside. Other strategy games to add to your pile are Ticket to Ride, Pandemic and Qwirkle.

Freak Marbles obstacle course

Use everyday items like cushions, plastic cups and cardboard boxes. Build ramps, tunnels, and jumps, then race your marbles through the course. Before starting, move through it slowly to make sure it is safe and nothing will fall. This game is sure to get everyone cheering.

Trading card games

TCGs offer a mix of strategy, collectability, and personal expression – turning an ordinary indoor day into something epic. Whether you’re building the ultimate deck, swapping cards, or locked in a head-to-head match, TCGs open up imaginative worlds where every decision counts. Pokémon remains a firm favourite, blending nostalgia with vibrant new expansions that keep the game fresh for all ages. Magic: The Gathering is the heavyweight for those who love deep strategy, intricate mechanics, and lore-rich gameplay. And if you’re after fast-paced duels with dramatic flair, Yu-Gi-Oh! delivers with high-powered combos and fan-favourite characters.

A quick burst of energy

Need a quick burst of energy? Pull out Spot It!, a speedy visual game where players race to match symbols on circular cards. Or test your reflexes with the fast fun of 5 Second Rule.

If you’ve got younger players, or grown-ups who love a good bluff, Trio offers light strategy with a twist, and Similo is ideal for those who enjoy deduction and storytelling – especially when you’re working as a team to identify the right character.

Laugh out loud games

If you’re after belly laughs and light-hearted chaos, laugh-out-loud games are the perfect antidote to lousy weather. Exploding Kittens delivers unpredictable, cat-powered mayhem in a game of luck, sabotage, and strategic betrayal. For something equally cheeky and even more devious, Unstable Unicorns is all about building an army of adorably destructive unicorns while plotting to wreck everyone else’s plans. For something even more raucous, 5 Second Rule is the go-to: players have just five seconds to blurt out answers to deceptively simple prompts, often with hilarious results.

Escape Room games

EXIT brings escape room games straight into your living room. Think: immersive puzzles, clever storytelling, and other elements that ramp up the tension. Perfect for players who love a mental challenge, this game tests your teamwork, logic, and problem-solving skills as you work together to crack codes and decipher clues. Whether you’re escaping a haunted mansion, an abandoned cabin or on a hunt through Amsterdam, each EXIT gam offers a unique adventure that unfolds in real time. There’s no need for fancy equipment, because everything is in the box.

“With the right games on hand, a gloomy day indoors becomes an opportunity to connect and recharge,” says Philip Galliford, spokesperson for Solarpop. “It’s not just about keeping everyone busy – it’s about shared laughter, surprising wins, and creating moments you’ll remember long after the rain has stopped.”

So, the next time the forecast says grey, reach for a game, gather your crew, and turn the great indoors into a space of imagination and joy.

@solarpopsouthafrica