Not in This Weather: Activities to Do Indoors

Author: one tough job

Maybe you or one of your children is feeling under the weather, or maybe cold and icy rain is coming because of the New England weather. Or, maybe you’re waiting for your building’s repairman to come by and they’ve given you a broad window of time you need to be home and available. There are many reasons to stay home for the day.

Then the question comes up: what will the kids do? It can feel easier to bring your child to a park and let them mill about playing on the playground or in the grass or with other children. But when that’s not an option, what can you do to keep your children entertained and keep yourself centered? Here are some ideas to get you started.

Make art together

No need for a fancy crafting table or specialized equipment. Printer paper, or even newspaper print, can be your canvas. If you have paint or colored pencils, that’s great, but you can connect with your child in this non-verbal way, even with a pencil and paper. Allow your child to draw in their own style, rather than comparing it to your ability to draw or whether what they draw “looks real.” Ask open-ended questions to your child about what they finished drawing. Rather than a simple “what did you draw,” try asking them what kind of story they’d tell about their drawing. If they drew a flower, where do they think that flower can be found? If they drew a person or animal, what kinds of friends does that person or animal have? If they drew something more abstract, what kinds of feelings do they have about the drawing?

Make a blanket fort

This is a classic for a reason: it’s fun! It can be elaborate, but a blanket fort can be as simple as your blanket or sheets over a small table or stretched across two chairs can create a haven for your child (and you too if you decide to share the fort). A blanket fort is a great springboard for the child to use their imagination. If they like the outdoors, prompt them to think of places they can pretend they’re camping for the night. How do they want to make the fort cozy? Take care that any blanket over furniture won’t pull down the furniture and land on your child.

Read to your child

Reading has all sorts of benefits for your child’s brain development, and it’ll keep things to a quieter, more manageable level of activity while you’re indoors. Reading with your child also creates a bond between you and gives them memories to look back on. If your child can read on their own, try passing the book back and forth every couple of pages. If your child is learning to read or struggles with long sections of reading, encourage them to read a sentence aloud to you every few pages, or to sound out an unfamiliar word together. No books handy? Try making up a story together! Ask your child where the story takes place, who the characters are, and what kind of adventures they get into together.

Safe Indoor Play

Quiet activities are great, but sometimes you’ve just… got to get the wiggles and energy out.

If your child can read, send them on a ‘scavenger hunt’ to find items in your home that start with the letter A, B, C, etc. If multiple children are involved, give them each a different section of the alphabet to work on.

Play the Mirror Game – your child stands about a foot away from you and has to copy your movements as closely as they can. Try stretching your arms up or waving to start. When your child gets the idea, you can do faster movements and see if they keep up. Then switch places!

If you have masking tape and hard floors, you can create a hopscotch board indoors, or maybe a Four Square court. Make sure everyone’s in bare feet, since children can more easily slip while playing in socks.

There are a ton more ideas from What Moms Love that can be adapted to suit your kids’ needs and the space you have to work with.

Being indoors is sometimes just a reality of our daily lives, especially in the winter, and we hope these suggestions help spark ideas for you on how to keep your children safe, active, and occupied on those indoor days to come.

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