The thick of winter is upon us, and often that can mean more time indoors.
If the weather allows for travel, our facilities hold tons of possibilities for family fun – the basketball courts and swimming pools alone can provide an afternoon of activities.
If not, there are activities to do at home, many of which do not involve screens and can get some energy out no matter your children’s ages!
Sensory Bins
Sensory bins are huge hits for toddlers and young children. They involve filling up a bin with items that kids can feel and explore. Popular items include dried rice and pasta, shaving cream, water, moon sand, or slime. Add in small plastic animals, blocks, cars, straws, pom poms, or other fun items for the kids to feel around for and discover. As always, be sure to supervise small children, and know there is a possibility of a mess!
Obstacle Course/Floor is Lava
The classic game of floor is lava is to pretend that the carpet or floor is lava, and you need to get across the room without touching it. Climb across the couches, chairs, and tables. If you have smaller kids, add some pillows or cushions on the floor to make it simpler. You can turn it into a competition and time how long it takes everyone to get across or see who can be the most creative!
Board Games, Card Games, and Puzzles
There are tons of board games for a variety of ages. Many of them offer opportunities for practicing expanding attention spans and helping kids learn strategy and even delayed gratification. The same goes for classic card games such as Go Fish and solitaire. Puzzles also offer an excellent opportunity to sit and focus, whether a simple wooden puzzle for a toddler, giant floor puzzles for preschoolers, or a more complex puzzle for preteens.
Cooking or Baking
Get the whole family involved in making meals or a special baked dessert. Have everyone top their pizza, practice chopping veggies, or measure out various ingredients while practicing following along with a recipe. The possibilities are endless and always end deliciously!
Blanket or Pillow Fort
Make a fort out of items you have on hand like extra sheets, blankets, pillows, and cushions. Drape them over couches or chairs and secure them with heavy books, or hang up a clothesline and clip onto it. Fill the fort with extra blankets and hang out for as long as you would like!
Arts and Crafts
Pull out paper, markers, crayons, paints, beads, glue, and any other crafty items you have and create masterpieces! You can challenge everyone to do the same thing and see the kids’ different interpretations of the prompt, or just let the creativity (and possibly the mess) flow!
Science Experiment
There are a lot of science kits you can purchase online, but if you want to limit cost, then look up a few STEM activities online that use everyday household items. Use food coloring to make rainbow water for coloring flower petals, make homemade playdoh, guess if objects sink or float, or make a classic erupting volcano. Have fun and learn at the same time!
Dress Up
Get some old Halloween costumes, hand-me-downs, or fun clothes from the thrift shop, and let everyone’s imaginations run wild. Kids can put on a play, role play, or simply try different things. Add in some jewelry and a fancy hairdo, and a day inside can turn into a great adventure!
Reading
Sometimes the best thing to do to pass the time is curl up with a good book. Let younger kids choose a few simple stories to listen to. Older kids can read independently and get lost in a great story, or older kids can read aloud to the younger ones.
Writing Cards or Letters
Even between holidays, sending cards to family and friends can be a great time to think of others. Little ones can draw pictures, and older kids can practice the art of writing a letter. Some organizations accept letters to veterans or nursing home residents.
Karaoke or Dance Party
Put on an upbeat song and belt it out! If you’re not so comfortable with singing, then dance it out. A dance party is a great way to use up some energy and have a ton of laughs for all ages!
It can be challenging to be cooped up inside, especially for younger kids. The activities above can mostly be done with things you already have at home and for little to no cost.
No matter what you do, the most important part is having fun as a family!
