20 Indoor Games Names with Earning Ideas

In this article, I will list 20 indoor game names – but not just for killing time. For each game, I will also share a real money-making method.

If you are an Indian parent, student, or homemaker looking for simple, low-cost side hustles to do at home, this article is for you. No investment is required. You can enjoy playing your favourite games while earning money, and learn about the possible earning ideas behind each game. Below, let’s first take a look at why we should combine indoor games with earning money.

Why combine indoor games with earning?

You might be searching for these indoor game names just to find some activities to fill the time – playing with kids, keeping students engaged, hanging out with friends at home, or simply making the atmosphere more lively. That’s perfectly normal, and it’s what most people would think of first.

But here’s something you may not have noticed: behind every game name, there is actually a money-making idea. No extra investment is needed, and you don’t have to change your original purpose. You can still play these games by the familiar rules – just look at them from one more angle: can this game also bring in a little income?

It could be turning the game into a paid mini‑competition, creating printable game materials to sell, or simply earning a small commission by recommending related toys. Every game is different, but every game has its own potential.

Below are 20 indoor game names. For each one, I’ve attached a real, practical way to make money. You can try them directly, or just take them as inspiration.

20 Indoor Game Names and Money‑Making Ideas

1. Chess

If you know how to play chess, try teaching beginners online. Charge ₹200–₹300 per one‑hour Zoom session. Post a simple introduction in WhatsApp groups or on Instagram – offer the first lesson for free, and you can slowly build a few students. No materials needed, just knowing how to play is enough.

2. Ludo

Almost everyone knows Ludo. You can organise a small paid tournament in your neighbourhood or school. Charge ₹50 per child as an entry fee. Prepare a score sheet, set up a few elimination rounds, and use part of the entry fees to buy a small prize for the winner. The rest is your organisational income. With ten participants, you earn ₹150, and it takes only about two hours.

3. Snakes & Ladders

Turn this game into a printable custom board. Use Canva to design a festival‑themed board – for Diwali, Holi, or Christmas – export it as a PDF and sell it on Instamojo for ₹49. Parents or teachers can print it at home and play. You create it once, and every sale is pure profit. You can also make educational themes, like boards that teach English words.

4. Carrom

Collect your own Carrom tips into a short guide – for example, “10 Carrom Trick Shots for Kids” – and price it at ₹99. Use your phone to record a few one‑minute videos and post them on YouTube Shorts, putting the purchase link in the description. People who watch the videos and get interested will buy. You can also organise local Carrom tournaments, similar to the Ludo idea.

5. Pictionary

The core of Pictionary is the word cards. Make three sets of cards with different themes – animals, movies, everyday objects – 20 cards per set. Format them into a PDF and sell in teacher or early‑learning WhatsApp groups. Sell the three sets together for ₹79. Buyers just print, cut, and play – no shipping needed. You can also sell each set separately for ₹49.

6. Jenga

You don’t have to use wood – sturdy cardboard works fine. Cut old carton boxes into 54 rectangles, paint them in different colours, and put them in a small bag. Material cost is under ₹50 per set. Sell on Facebook Marketplace or local second‑hand groups for ₹150–₹200. Make ten sets over a weekend and earn more than ₹1000. Add a printed rule sheet to look more professional.

7. Memory Matching Cards

Make your own memory cards – fruits, numbers, Hindi letters, whatever theme you like. Each card about five centimetres square. Print and laminate to make them last longer. Sell one set for ₹129, or a bundle of three different themes for ₹199. Many parents happily buy such hands‑on, brain‑stimulating items for their kids. Make a few extra sets before Diwali and sell them as festive gifts.

8. Dominoes

Dominoes can also become a learning tool. Create a set of “Math Dominoes” – instead of dots, each tile has an addition or subtraction equation. Teachers love this kind of teaching aid. Sell the PDF for ₹99. Design it in Canva, format it as printable pages, and buyers cut the tiles themselves.

9. Hide and Seek

Even a classic game like hide and seek can be turned into a product. Write a short ebook called “20 Creative Clue Themes for Indoor Hide & Seek” – ideas like searching by colour, by letter, or following a mystery mission. Price it at ₹49 and include five free bonus clue sheets. It’s easy to sell in local mothers’ WhatsApp groups or on Instamojo.

10. Dumb Charades

This game needs a list of movie titles. Compile 200 Bollywood and Hollywood movie names into a PDF and sell it for ₹49. Parents or teachers can print it and run the game immediately. You only need to compile the list once; every sale after that is pure profit. To add value, include TV shows or animated films as well.

11. Paper Football

Paper football sounds like a simple paper‑folding game, but you can turn it into video content. Start a YouTube channel teaching how to fold and play. If one of your Shorts gets recommended, you can earn ₹1000–₹5000 per month from ad revenue alone. The key is to post regularly – there’s not much competition. You can also put affiliate links to origami paper or scissors in the video description.

12. Marbles

Many people remember playing marbles as children. On a weekend, organise a marbles competition in your neighbourhood. Charge ₹30 entry fee per child. If 30 children show up, you earn ₹900 in about two hours. Just set clear rules and keep order; the kids will entertain themselves. You can also buy marbles in bulk from a wholesale market, repack them into small bags, and sell each bag for ₹50.

13. Tic‑Tac‑Toe

You can make Tic‑Tac‑Toe boards from scrap wood. Take a small piece of wood, carve a grid, and add a few small wooden blocks as pieces. Material cost is about ₹50 per board. Sell for ₹200. Sell ten boards and you make ₹1500 profit. For an even cheaper version, use thick cardboard instead of wood – sell for ₹99.

14. Four Corners

This game needs no equipment at all. Write a “Party Games Host Guide” that includes Four Corners and nine other no‑prep games. Price it at ₹149. It’s perfect for people who need to organise parties but don’t have experience. Write clear instructions for each game – rules, number of players, time control. The more detailed, the more value.

15. Hot Potato

Use a soft toy as the “potato.” Create a printable “Party Game Timer” set that includes the rules and cut‑out timer cards. Sell it for ₹39. If you want a higher price, bundle Hot Potato with five other passing games and sell the pack for ₹99. The rules are simple, but once you organise them into a neat PDF, it becomes a product.

16. Musical Chairs

Musical chairs is a must‑have for birthday parties. Offer a “Birthday Party Game Hosting” service – ₹1000 for two hours. You organise three or four games (musical chairs, hot potato, pass the parcel, etc.), bring your own music and small props. Post an ad in local Facebook groups. One booking on a weekend gives you ₹1000, and you have fun doing it.

17. Button Button (Who has the button?)

This is another classic passing game. Write a digital guide “10 Classic Passing Games for Kids’ Parties” – sell for ₹79. Offer an add‑on pack of printable calling cards (lines like “the button is hidden under the cushion”) for an extra ₹39. Teachers and parents organising school events love these ready‑to‑use materials.

18. Word Chain (like Antakshari but with words)

Create a “Word Chain Challenge Book” with 50 levels, from easy (two‑letter chains) to difficult (rhyming or theme‑restricted). Sell it as a printable PDF for ₹49. Teachers use it to energise online classes, and parents enjoy playing it with their kids at home.

19. Building Blocks

If you don’t want to make physical products, try affiliate marketing. Join Amazon India Associates and recommend budget building block sets in your articles or social media posts. You earn 5–10% commission on each sale. For example, write a post titled “10 affordable building block sets for Indian kids” and put your affiliate links inside. Every time someone buys through your link, you earn.

20. Jigsaw Puzzles

Puzzles can be turned into a subscription service. Every week, design a new printable jigsaw puzzle – gradually increasing in difficulty – and send it to subscribers by email. Charge ₹149 per month. With only 20 subscribers, your monthly income is nearly ₹3000. Puzzle themes are endless – animals, maps, letters, numbers. Use Canva to design the PDFs, and spend a little time each week sending emails.

From Games to Earning: What Else to Keep in Mind?

Above are 20 games, each offering a way to earn money. But you might still wonder: are there any simpler methods? Are those “play games on your phone and earn” apps reliable? And if you don’t want to make printables, what other ways can you earn from games?

Let’s talk about these questions.

A Note on Mobile Money‑Making Games: Beware of Scams

You’ve probably seen ads saying “play a few rounds and withdraw cash to your bank account” or “ten minutes a day, earn thousands per month.” These sound tempting, but most are traps.

Many such apps set a very low withdrawal threshold. After you actually reach it, you find you need to invite dozens of friends to withdraw, or the withdrawal button stays grey forever. Worse, some ask you to recharge first to “unlock earnings” – and after you pay, your money never comes back.

Remember this simple rule: Any “earn by playing” app that asks you to pay first – skip it. Don’t give away your bank details or payment password for a small lure.

Other Simple Ways to Earn Money

If the 20 game ideas above feel a bit too hands‑on (making products, organising events), that’s fine. You can also try these simpler online money‑making methods:

1. Earn by walking
Some apps give you small rewards based on your daily step count – for example, certain Google Health partner apps. The amount is tiny (a few rupees), but you don’t have to do anything extra – just walk. Use only well‑known platforms, never those that ask you to pay first.

2. Earn by doing tasks
There are platforms that list small tasks – download an app and try it for a few minutes, fill out a survey, watch a few videos. Each task pays a few to several tens of rupees. Again, choose reputable sites. Don’t be tricked by high rewards that require a deposit.

How to Start from Tomorrow

You don’t need to try all 20 ideas at once. Pick just one game you enjoy and focus on its money‑making method this week.

On day one, choose your game – for example, making a printable Snakes & Ladders board. On day two, create the product using a simple tool like Canva. On day three, upload your PDF to a platform such as Instamojo or Gumroad. On day four, share the link in five WhatsApp groups – school groups, parent groups, or neighbourhood groups. By day five, you should receive your first sale.

That’s it. One small step each day, and by the end of the week you have turned a simple indoor game into real income.

Final Words

You now have 20 indoor game names and 20 money-making ideas. No need to keep searching for ways to earn from home – everything you need is right here.

Pick one game. Try one idea. Start small, and see where it takes you.

Which game will you try first? Let me know in the comments – I’ll send you a free checklist to help you get started.

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Profitable Online Businesses for Women at Home

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