Thankfully, we seem to be on the other side of the frigid cold brought on by the polar vortex, but that doesn’t mean we won’t see those days of being stuck inside again! Having grown up in South Dakota and now living in Nebraska, I’m no stranger to days that are just way too cold (and often windy) to enjoy snow angels or sledding!
It’s a good idea to plan ahead for those snow days where you need to occupy everyone indoors for hours on end. There’s nothing more frustrating on these days than having kids that want to do something fun and mom has no ideas!
I’m a big fan of “bucket lists.” I don’t like to use them as a “must-do” list, but more as a brainstorming opportunity that will leave you with multiple great ideas when the kids say, “There’s nothing fun to do!” You can get the kids involved in making the list, but it is also fun to have a few surprises up your sleeve!
To get your creative juices flowing for your own indoor winter fun list, here are five fun ideas I love! And I won’t tell your kids you got the ideas from someone else!
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Summer Party. People like to celebrate Christmas in July, so why not flip it around and celebrate the warmth of the summer months when we’re freezing away?! Turn up the heat a few degrees, put on your most summery outfits and flip flops, play some tropical music, and do the limbo! The more silly and creative you get, the more you and the kids will enjoy it and forget about the ice and snow outside!
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Build an Epic Fort. I have three boys, so fort building is an anytime activity. But when you’re stuck inside for hours on end, you need to take fort-building to the next level. Take up the whole living room. Move chairs, boxes, card tables—whatever you need to make this an epic fort! And to top it all off, maybe let everyone watch a movie inside or even sleep in there for the night!
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Baking. Snow days and baking go hand-in-hand. Eating those baked goods makes it even better! On those cold days when you have nowhere else to be, bake away and let the kids help, no matter how messy it gets! They can even help you make a few loaves of bread or pizza dough to stock the freezer for busier days! And don’t forget the enjoying-your-treats part; warm cookies and hot chocolate will win you major parent bonus points!
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Bathtub Painting. This is so genius. I’m kicking myself that I didn’t try it when my older boys were little! All you need are some water colors or washable paints, paint brushes, and an empty bathtub. This will need to be a supervised activity as I can only imagine the mischievous acts a child could dream up alone in the tub with paints, but I’m guessing you will thoroughly enjoy watching them create masterpieces all over the tub knowing you just have to turn on the faucet to wash away all the mess!
- Obstacle Course. If your children are anything like mine, they will have a LOT of bottled up energy when they are stuck inside for so long. My two older boys came up with an obstacle course all on their own the other day and spent well over an hour running through it and timing themselves, seeing if they could get faster each time! Depending on the age of your children, choose whether you will design the course or let one of them do the planning. And then make it a a big event; use a stopwatch if they like knowing how fast they went, change something each time if they like new challenges, award medals at the end! You could even try it yourself to show them mom
It IS possible to have a great time when you’re stuck inside with your kids – just remember to plan ahead and HAVE FUN!
What are your favorite fun indoor winter activities with the kids?
Erin finds joy in her life as a Jesus-follower, doctor’s wife, mama to three handsome guys, writer at Home with the Boys, and co-founder of The MOB Society. She has a passion for running, healthy living, fashion, and encouraging families to form strong bonds based on faith! You can find her on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest!