Winter temperatures are dropping and that means the kids are spending a lot of time indoors. While the TV and screens make easy entertainment, kids need to be up and moving and using their imaginations, even when it is bitterly cold. Here are some fun ideas for indoor activities to get you and yours through the remaining winter weather!
20 Indoor Activities for Kids
1. String Cheese Snowmen
Grab your favorite type of string cheese and transform it into an adorable snowman! Use construction paper, ribbon, and a sharpie for a cute snack idea!
2. Rock Candy Science Experiment
You can make rock candy with ingredients that you most likely already having lying around the house! All you need is water, sugar, flavoring, food coloring, a glass jar, and a skewer!
3. Cardboard Tube Polar Bear
Have old paper towel or toilet paper rolls lying around? Turn them into cute little animals such as a polar bear! All you need is some paint, googly eyes, and markers to turn plain cardboard tubes into fun creatures.
4. Frozen Free Fall Fortune Teller
Thanks to Disney, you can make this Frozen Free Fall printable and spend some quality time getting your fortune predicted! Click here for the printable!
5. Make Your Own Play Snow
All you need to make your own snow is half a cup of hair conditioner and 2 cups of baking soda! Combine them together and have some fun with indoor snow play. Build a snow man, snow castle, you name it!
6. Create A Penguin
Use this shape penguin printable to not only create a cute penguin, but to practice shape sorting and scissor skills as well!
7. Make Sparkly Slime
This will earn you instant cool points with your kids as an indoor winter activity. Add some glitter to a regular slime recipe and you’ve got hours of slimy fun on your hands!
8. Wax Paper Ice Skating
Rip off a couple of sheets of wax paper and place them on the floor. Stand on the pieces and then glide as if you are ice skating! You can even create ice skating routines in honor of the upcoming Winter Olympics!
9. Indoor Bowling
Gather up some plastic cups and use them as bowling pins for an indoor bowling adventure! Turn it into a fun bowling tournament for added fun.
10. Build a Fort
Use your table, chairs, ottomans, you name it, and create a cozy fort! Read, play games, color, and more within the walls of your newfound homestead.
11. Create a Snow Globe
Are we the only ones that have an insane amount of plastic toys lying around? Put them to good use by placing them within a snow globe. Directions can be found here!
12. Crayon Resist Snowflake Art
Try your hand at this fun winter craft and create some beautiful art! This is a fun craft to try over and over again!
13. Indoor Snowball Fight
Purchase some pom poms from the craft store and let your family have an indoor snowball fight for the ages!
14. Stained Glass
Using old jars you have lying around the house and some tissue paper, you can create beautiful “stained glass” pieces! Here is a great tutorial for how to make these works of art.
15. Make Some Action Dice
The idea is simple. Get two wooden cubes or dice, and create an action for each number or side of the dice. Roll a 1? You have to spin! Roll a 2? Bounce on one foot. Come up with fun movements for numbers 1 through 12 and watch your kids play and burn off energy!
16. Indoor Obstacle Course
Create an indoor obstacle course for the kids to conquer. Climbing the stairs, jumping through hoops, crawling under tables, doing hopscotch over pillows — it’s all fun!
17. Puppet Theatre
Create simple puppets using paper bags and crayons and markers. You can even set up a make-shift puppet theatre using a cardboard box that you can decorate and turn into a puppet theatre!
18. Cardboard Slide
Live in a multi-level home? Turn your stairs into a slide by building a cardboard slide! This site has some great inspiration.
19. Masking Tape Car Track
Bust out your masking tape and create a car track! The track can expand all throughout the floor, over the couch, and anywhere else that sounds fun.
20. Sugar Cube Igloo
Create an igloo using sugar cubes. This is a great way to practice using glue and the ability to follow directions! A tutorial can be found here.
Don’t Let Winter Get You Down
The winter months can often seem long and tedious. Don’t let the winter months get you down. Try out some of these indoor activities to spice up your routine and help get the wiggles out for your children and family.