Cold temperatures can sometimes mean you’re trapped inside with over-energized little humans! Try one of these sanity-saver kid activities when you have run out of ideas!
1. Paper Snowflakes
This is a classic. It’s great for working fine motor skills and creativity.
What you need:
- Construction paper
- Scissors
- Fold one corner of an 8×11 ½ piece of paper diagonally toward the opposite straight edge of the paper and crease.
- Cut of the remaining rectangle of paper where you end up with a triangle.
- Fold a corner to an opposite corner 2 more times to make a smaller triangle.
- Now cut out different designs and shapes from the paper.
- Open to see your fun creation, and find some places to hang!
2. Bubble Wrap Popping
Great for kinetic learning; cause & effect; science – pressure & release
What you need:
- Sheets of bubble wrap
I think we can all admit there is great satisfaction in popping some bubble wrap that comes inside packaging! Well, this also provides your kids with tons-o-fun when you lay it out on the hard floor and let them stomp, jump, and pound out all of those air bubbles! I admit I bought a shipping bolt of wrap one weekend when I knew a snowstorm was pending. It was a hit! I then started keeping all the bubble wrap I receive inside packages to tuck away for some kinetic release fun!
3. Sheet Tent
Another classic. Never gets old. It’s great for working together, large motor skills and creativity.
What you need:
- Blankets, sheets
- Movies & snacks!
For whatever reason watching a movie inside a homemade tent is so much more fun!
4. Toy Freezing
I did this one when I was a kid, and my kids also get a kick out of it, too. More science; cause/effect; motor skills
What you need:
- Select toys
- Pan or bowl
- Water
- freezer
Let the kids pick out some water-safe toys and place them in a pan. Fill the pan about ½ way with water & freeze (either in the freezer, or outside if it’s cold enough). Once frozen kids can either watch the thawing process unfold by checking in on it here and there, OR, if you feel bold, give your kids an old dinner knife (or alternate chipping device of choice) and let them carefully chip out the toys. We think this is the best part!
Repeat!
5. Outdoor Lap Challenge
Great for exercise (a.k.a. When you can’t take the annoying anymore)!!
What you need:
- timer/stopwatch/phone
- a good place to watch from the inside ;)
I don’t know about your house, but here we can go stir crazy, which then quickly leads to built up energy, then annoying each other with lightning speed.
That’s when I send them outside no matter the temps! BUT, we make it a game, of course. They see how many laps one can run around the yard in 60 seconds (or 120, 300, etc.) while the other times them from inside. Then switch out the kid!
Hope this helps you survive those long indoor days!!