Indoor Family Fun

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!