How to have fun when it’s too cold outside

I don’t know about your family, but on those cold days, especially if we don’t have snow, we find ourselves spending way too much time in front of electronics. Coming up with ideas to keep the kiddos entertained on those days can be quite challenging. Pinterest has loads of ideas. Crafts, games, sewing projects and baking ideas to choose from – I usually go there for ideas. I like to keep it simple. I call this the “Fun Jar.”

 I come up with several ideas and write or type them up on strips of paper. I then put them in a mason jar. We will usually do one or two of the activities each day. Everyone gets a turn to draw the next activity. After these fun activities that don’t involve screens, I always feel like my family is happier and I feel a little closer to my children. 

• Hide and Seek

• Airplane flying contests 

• Build a fort – or pitch a tent in your living room

• Go to the library – read a book

• Make a race car track out of cardboard for the hot wheels. 

• Shoot plastic cups with nerf gun

• Play tic tac toe 

• Play a board or card game (Uno is a favorite around here) 

• Make a hopscotch with scotch tape on the carpet and play

• Build an obstacle course in a room with obstacles that the kids have to go over or under or round. Time them to see if they get faster as they practice.

• Bake something yummy (cookies, bread, cinnamon rolls)

• If there is snow – sledding, build a snowman, bring in a bowl full of snow and let little kids play inside. You can also make snow cones with fresh fallen snow.