For days when you’re stuck inside, every parent needs a good set of screen-free activities that kids can do on their own.

As a mom of 5, these activities help function as a tool to give me a break so that I can quick throw in another load of laundry, keep some kids busy while I present a homeschool lesson to another child, or just give me a break from the millions of questions kids ask all day long. (Honestly, they are non-stop!)

While you know we love games around here, I want to share with you a few of my favorite solo logic and puzzle activities that help this stay-at-home mom make it through the day in case you find yourself in need of a few “mom-not-required” activities. 

I love to utilize logic and puzzles activities for my kids at all ages because of the way it engages them and offers them a challenge to work through on their own. These are what I reach for during quiet time each day when one of my kids is looking for something to do. 

What makes for a great puzzle activity:

• Easily set up and restored
• Age appropriate challenges they can solve
• Holds their attention 
• Requires little to no help from me (a must)

What I love most about these is that it offers the child an opportunity for independent work. Not only does this foster independence and build confidence, but it can help give you, the parent, a little well deserved break as well. You’ve earned it!

DOT Stickers

This activity is a DIY that takes literal seconds to get set up. If you’re a mom and you’ve got toddlers and preschoolers in the house, you need a stash of DOT stickers! The possibilities are endless with these stickers, but here are a few of my favorite ways to use them to help keep my 2 year old happy as a clam as he busily works with his DOT stickers. 

On the surface it may not look like much, but for toddlers, its a great way to practice fine motor skills and work on increasing those attention spans so that they can focus on even trickier things in the near future. 

Plus, what kid doesn’t love using a bunch of stickers???

Here are some ways I use them:

• Follow the Line.

The easiest of all. Just draw some lines on a piece of paper and have them stick the dots on the line so it covers it up. Boom. That easy.

• Dot Your Name

Much like the above except this time with their name. This is a little trickier depending on their letters. At the end they have a fun piece of sticker art that’s fun to hang up and share. 

• Color Matching.

Have them match the color of the sticker to the color on the paper! Use construction paper or color a space with markers for them to stick the stickers onto! 

Seriously, I always have these stickers on hand and in bulk. You can do so many things with them. 

I’ve even heard people use them at their garage sales! 😉

Pattern Play

I love this activity. Not only does it keep my son’s attention, but it is just beautiful to look at. Kids deserve beautiful things too! 

Using the challenge cards, you need to arrange the wooden blocks so that the pattern on the card is recreated. It’s harder than you think! Kids will need to rotate flip, and fit these wooden blocks in a specific way so that they can create the pattern exactly right. 

Our son Oliver loves any and all puzzles and this one really speaks to him. He’ll sit at the table for a good while quietly working through 3 or 4 cards in a single sitting. 

Smart Games 

Always a go to (as you can tell by their well loved boxes!) Smart Games are logic puzzles for kids to problem solve their way to victory. 

There are a few different versions so you can find the one that is best suited for your child’s interests and age. No matter what you choose you can’t go wrong!

For our younger kids we use The Three Little Piggies and Little Red Riding Hood. For a little bigger challenge we enjoy Penguins on Ice. Each comes with their own booklet filled with challenges and solutions that progress from beginner to master. Some are so hard that it even takes us a good while to work through! 

They’re well made and built to last you for years and kids to come! 

Chroma Cube

Chroma Cube from Project Genius is a straight logic puzzle that is beautifully made.

12 wooden cubes must be placed in a specific order and the only way to solve it is by logically working through the clues to decipher where they must sit. 

You’ll need to be able to read to enjoy this one, but our daughter Alice enjoys working through the 25 puzzle cards. This is a nice little desk piece that could make a cute addition to any shelf while not in use!

Tumblemaze

This is one of our cooler additions to the quiet time line up! From Blue Orange Games, Tumblemaze challenges you to find a way to drop stainless steel balls so that they land in the indicated slots on your challenge card. 

Slide your challenge card into the maze board, build the maze, then, tinker and around to figure out where to add the indicated wall(s) so that you can guide the balls to their target location.

It’s a challenge of trial and error and requires a fun amount of problem solving as you work your way through the 40 cards with increasing difficulty levels. 

I find Tumblemaze to be that right balance of toy/game/puzzle that keeps Alice engaged and focused. There are a lot of small pieces though so it’s one we make sure doesn’t come down while the little ones are out and about.