5 Indoor Winter Activities for Toddlers/Preschoolers

I have 2 toddlers. I dread winter at times....the 'I am trapped inside with 4 little hands that only mission is to seek and destroy the house' feeling can get overwhelming. But, thankfully I have found a few cheap ways to keep us all amused (and the house in one piece).

1. SNOW PLAY

need: snow, buckets or tupperware, tools/toys to play with, 2 or 3 towels

On COLD snowy days when you can't imagine braving the brisk arctic wind to see if maybe your little one will even touch the snow much less play in it- bring the fun in doors. Use large tupperware or buckets and fill with snow, then place the snow(in buckets) on 2 or 3 spread out towels. Add some sand shovels, measuring cups, small plastic animals, whatever!!! to add fun to the mix!! If your little one gets cold hands- put some mittens on or encourage play with shovels, cups. Great fun and easy cleanup!! Mop up any mess with a towel and it is all done!

2. RICE PLAY

need: large enclosed container, small tools, broom & dustpan or vacuum

For those days that you need something novel, but do not have company coming to visit in the near future- rice play is a good way to interact with your little one. Simply fill a large bin, bucket, dish, or any other container with dry rice. Add some tools (scoop, small dishes, spoons,) and some play cars, animals, blocks to the rice. Toddlers love to hide, discover, pour, pat, and dig in the rice! When you are done- simply vacuum or sweep up the mess (which is bound to occur so do not do this if you need a really clean house anytime soon). You can also use beans in place of rice, but I could not find a large enough bag of beans for my 2 to be amused for long.

3. PILLOW MOUNTAIN

need: large area on the floor, several large pillows, a blanket or two

This activity is a favorite for many toddlers. Take pillows off the beds, sofas, anywhere and spread them out on the floor, overlapping and piled on each other. The more pillows the better!!! Then encourage your little one to climb, jump, crawl, and play in the pillow 'mountains'. Add a blanket for some peek a boo fun or flap it in the air above the mountain for a fun breeze effect. Pillow Mountain is a wonderful way to burn off that excess energy, get a good muscle workout, and teach toddlers to climb, jump , and play!! Clean up is easy- just toss the pillows back where they belong ( juice spills hidden on the back of course)!

4.DRESS UP

need: old hats, purses/briefcases , scarves, shoes,beads, ties, Halloween costumes, access to a mirror

Many toddlers LOVE to look like the adults that are around them. This activity keeps little ones busy for a long long time and with the common short attention span of children under 5 it is a great way to spend an afternoon. Encourage and model wearing hats, scarves, boots, ties, and anything else you find handy around the house- show them how to look in the mirror and be prepared for some silly laughter and posing!!! It does not even have to be 'pretend clothes' - anyones clothes besides the toddlers will do!!! In desperation, you can even wrap a short blanket around and tuck it in on itself (or pin it) for a dress!! A camera is also a good thing to have around for this....perfect photos to dig out when they are teenagers and totally embarrassed by wearing mismatched shoes, fake pearls, and a 1980s hat.

5.BOX CITY

need: old boxes of varying sizes, crayons/markers, stickers or other decorating items

This is a GREAT activity for all those boxes that sit around after the holidays. Basically one big box (large enough to get in) creates a great hideout, a collections of smaller boxes are fun to stack, sort, and build with. The best kind are the ones that are cardboard- toddlers love to draw and accessorize their new Box City and will spend a fair amount of time making it look just perfect. The sound of running a crayon or marker over cardboard is also very enticing to them, and not very annoying to an adult. A good source of boxes are local grocery stores or department stores - they often just throw them out or recycle them. If you see a neighbor with a new fridge, heater, or any other large appliance- ask for the box!!

Hopefully these inexpensive ideas will make a few wintry days go by a bit faster! Have Fun and know that Spring is coming soon!