With Alberta under an extreme cold snap right now we are sure you are feeling a little cabin fever. Being inside all the time can really take a toll on kids (and parents too!). Here’s a list of some fun and easy things to do with the kids without leaving the house this week.
1. Glow Stick Bath- draw a warm bath, snap some glow sticks, throw them in the tub and shut off the lights!
2. Science Experiments- kids just love playing with a mixture of cornstarch and water! Add some food colouring and see what shades they come up with.
3. Throw Hot Water- heat up some water and toss it out in the backyard and see what happens!
4. Bring the Snow Inside- playing in the snow is one of the best parts of winter for a kiddo, but when the temps are this low being outside for very long can be unsafe and uncomfortable. Get a large rubbermaid bin and collect some snow from outside, let the kids use sand toys or bath toys to play with it indoors.
5. Make a Fort- a classic. Consider making one near a tv and then cuddling up inside to watch a movie from the newly constructed fort.
6. Baking- this is the perfect opportunity to stockpile some baking. Use what you have in the pantry and try creating a new recipe with the kids. You could even use some of the Christmas chocolate up this way.
7. Dance Party- throw on some tunes and dance like no one’s watching. Apple Music has some great kids dance party play lists and if you have a Google Home ask it to play a kids game. We have found musical statues and more on ours! Another idea is to learn a dance- search You Tube for a kids line dance and get moving.
8. Balloon Party- blow up a ton of balloons and throw them into one room, put some music on and let the kids go!
9. Laser Maze- get some string or crepe paper and choose a hallway. Tape sections all across the hallway and challenge each other to get through the maze without touching the lasers.
10. Start Planning Summer Vacation- nothing is better than dreaming on a cold winter’s day. Make a list of all the things you’d like to do/visit when the weather gets warmer and research some destinations with older kids.
11. Dress Up- let the kids try on some of the adult clothes in your house! I still remember wearing my moms wedding dress when I was 7.
12. Board Game Tournament- each person in the family gets to pick a game to play. Bonus points for making homemade trophies for the winners:)
13. Inside Scavenger Hunt- depending on ages you could draw pictures of the items to be found, spell them or create riddles.
14. Paper Airplane Races- search online for a template, make some planes and let them soar. Experiment with attaching untied balloons to them too!
15. Car Wash/Doll Wash- get some soapy water and sponges and tell the kids its time to take their toys to the car wash/hair salon/etc. Bonus points if you can actually get them to clean the house!
16. Make a Picture Album- since you have some downtime choose some digital pictures with your kiddos and create an online book together- we like Costco, Chatbooks and Shutterfly.
17. Hot or Cold- choose an item to hide around the house. The person who hid it follows the searcher around and declares if they are hot or cold in proximity to the object until they find it.
18. Hot Chocolate Party- have kids create invitations and bring their stuffies to the event.
19. Find a Cardboard Box- kids will do almost anything with a cardboard box! Make a city inside it, let them make a house, make a “pet” house for a stuffed animal, create a stage for puppets or dolls…
20. Mommy Hides in the Pantry- this one is more for you… when things get nutso take a breather and go sneak that treat you’ve been hiding from the kids;)
What other ideas do you have for keeping kids busy indoors when it’s too cold to play outside?
Kim Ouellette is a Co-Founder of Alberta Mamas and an Edmonton Realtor with Schmidt Realty Group. She is a wife, mom, daughter, friend and adventure seeker who loves to explore Alberta and beyond. Connect with her at kim@weselledmonton.com