As many of you know and are experiencing, many people have yet
another stay home day due to the crazy weather. Last night I went to bed
exhausted from being snowed in for two days, and kind of dreaded today. But
this morning I decided we needed to have a family fun day. I can’t get
anywhere for extra supplies, so I’ve been coming up with ideas using random
things around the house. All of this wording simply to say…here are some cool
ideas for you to do with your kids today! And if you don’t have kids at home
with you, DO IT YOURSELF!
1) Build
a Volcano
You can use sand if you happen to
have a sandbox in your house (right), or we used poster board, a tin lid for the base, and playdough Tape posterboad around a cup, cover it with playdough, put 1tbsp of baking soda
and food coloring inside the cup, pour in 1 cup of vinegar when you’re ready
for the explosion. Do it tons of times with different colors of food coloring!
2) Egg
Drop
Have your kids come up with ways to
keep an egg from breaking when you drop it from different heights. If you have
a staircase this has the potential to be awesome, but if not, you can still
drop it while standing on a chair, a ladder, etc.
3) Coloring
Fun
If you own coloring books, set them
on the table and everyone color together. You can even print pictures from the
Internet. This sounds far too boring to some kids and parents, but coloring
with my Papaw is one of my favorite memories! We did this even when I was well
out of high school!
4) Baking/Cooking
Make breakfast for supper, bake a
small cake and let your kids decorate it, cookies, muffins, snow ice cream, or
fried pickles! Possibilities are endless, and kids love it!
Google the recipe for making your
own playdough. Some of you may even already have one. It’s a great opportunity
for kids to measure, work together, listen to directions, and then play with
their final product!
5) Board
games, puzzles, cards
The boys and I love to play Sorry!
Monopoly is a blast for older kids, but it can be taxing for the younger ones.
Try UNO, goldfish, puzzles, spoons, Phase 10, Trouble, or any game you have
that they might enjoy.
6) Family
Movie
Let your kids pick a movie. Pop
popcorn (you can even string it for something extra…using needles and
string/yarn), or have a party plate with all kinds of goodies on it! We do sweets
and fruits/veggies!
7) Sock
Help
Have your kids help you match
socks. You can even have them race each other! Have socks spread out on two
ends of a room. They have to hurry and find a match (one from each pile), then
they throw them in the laundry basket to “score.” Winner is the first one to
complete all their matches.
8) Cleaning
Fun
Let (notice I say let, because we
know it’s easier just to do these things) your kids wash dishes in the sink. I
know…I’m a country girl and dish washers were created for a reason…but kids
love to help clean if we give them the chance. Especially when water and warm
bubbles are involved! You could give them gloves, an apron, a cleaning brush,
etc.
You can also let your kids mop the
kitchen (or other rooms). Bucket of soap and water, towels, and they will have
a blast making a mess and cleaning your floors.
9) Shaving
Cream
Before you have the kids mop your
floor, let them play with shaving cream! You can tape wax paper on the floor
and they can have at it! Add cars or other small and easily cleaned toys!
10) Tents and
Tunnels
Now is the perfect time to break
out any tent or tunnel you have hidden or tried to pretend isn’t there. You
know your kids love these, and it will keep them busy and excited because it’s
something they probably don’t do every day.
11) Build a
fort
If you’re like me, I don’t like it
when my livingroom is turned into a fort. I’m a little OCD with that, but I
want my boys to be able to build forts like I did when I was a kid. So…if you
can brave it, let them build a fort out of your couches, pillows, blankets, and
chairs. A) None of your friends will come over today because they are snowed
in, too and it’s freezing outside! B) It’s just for a day and your kids will
remember it forever!
12) Toys
Just make them play with toys. I
say MAKE because if your kids are like mine, they often just want to play on
their Kindles, the Wii, or any other form of electronic device that captivates
them for long periods of time. I find that if I will go into THEIR room, and
sit down and play with them for a few minutes they are prone to be excited
about the toys, and I’ve just SHOWN them how to play. I think we assume they
will come up with something, when it never hurts to give them ideas and let
them expand on them! How will they know what it means to “go play” if we don’t
teach them??
13) Slip N
Slide
If you have a slick surface
anywhere in your house, let your kids skate in their socks or slide in wind suit
pants! They will be entertained for hours! Just make sure furniture and other
things are out of the way so they won’t get hurt.
14) Paper Art
It’s amazing what kids will create
when they are given paper and glue. Have them tear (using fine motor skills)
tissue paper, construction paper, etc. and glue it on another sheet of paper. They
can create whatever their little hearts desire. They can do this at the table
while you are busy doing something else or need alone time.
15) Bath Fun
We all know how relaxing it is when
we are given the opportunity to take an uninterrupted shower! Well, kids are
no different! They love the water! Let them take an extra bath! Throw in
bubbles, toys, cups, etc.
You may be doing most of these
things already, but I hope you find this information helpful during this winter
craziness!
