Indoor Activities for Children

Winter sometimes stretches out interminably for those of us with children. When the little tykes need to burn off pent-up energy, no longer can we simply slip their shoes on and take them outside. Even after they are bundled in layer upon layer of cumbersome clothing, it is often too cold to stay out for very long. Sometimes it is too frigid to go out at all.
You can bring the outdoors in, though, with the following boredom-battling activities.

Bathtub Snowman
Children, especially the little ones, can quickly get chilled playing outside in the snow. Instead of worrying if they are adequately bundled, or if it's just too cold for them to go out, you can instead fill your bathtub with several buckets of snow. They will be thrilled by the novelty of playing with snow indoors. When they're finished, cleanup is easy.

Bean Sandbox
While most of us would rather not bring sand into our houses, we can still offer an alternative to the much-loved sandbox. Purchase several pounds of dried peas, beans, and lentils. Pour these into a large, shallow Rubbermaid container or even a small plastic kiddie pool.
Give your child measuring cups, spoons, trucks and other toys, and watch her enjoy this indoor version of a sandbox. If you use a Rubbermaid container, it can easily be covered and stowed away for future use.

Hold a Toy Car Wash
One of the most missed aspects of summer are water activities. Fill buckets with soapy water and rinse water. Then tell your child you are having a toy car wash. Let him drive all his vehicles, small and large through the wash area. Give him a sponge or towel and let him help.
Toys often get grubby and need a good scrub anyway, so why not have fun while cleaning? Just remember to spread out plenty of towels to avoid a slippery floor.

Living Room Camping
Recreate your summer camping vacation by setting up a tent in the living room. Either use a small pop-up version of the real thing, or make your own with blankets and chairs. Stock your tent with flashlights or lanterns and sleeping bags. Spend an afternoon reading and playing card games with children by flashlight. Smaller kids will even readily embrace naptime if they get to "camp out" for it.

Indoor Picnic
What better accompaniment to camping indoors than to have a picnic inside as well? Spread a blanket on the floor, use paper plates and plastic utensils, and prepare typical picnic foods, like fried chicken and potato salad or hamburgers and cole slaw. Kids love these informal mealtimes.

Balloon Badminton
You would risk your windows and breakables if you attempted to bring most summer sports indoors. However, you can play a harmless game of badminton or tennis with your children inside using a balloon and new fly swatters. Both can be inexpensively purchased, and neither can wreak too much damage on your house.
For younger children who lack the coordination to volley the balloon, you can tie a string on to the balloon and then affix the end of the string to a doorway. The child will be able to easily smack the dangling balloon.

A Winter Garden
Entertain your dirt-loving child with an indoor garden. Various herb and flower kits are available at most discount and lawn and garden stores. And in late winter or early spring you can even let start seeds for a summer garden. Seeds begin to show up in stores in late winter or you can order them online.

Pinecone Bird Feeder
Attract winter birds with this simple bird feeder. Tie a ribbon to a large pinecone. Then just have your child spread peanut butter on it and roll it in birdseed. Suspend the feeder from a tree or the eaves outside your child's window so he can watch his new friends enjoy their meal!