I don't know about you guys but winter isn't the funnest time for me. Don't get me wrong I LOVE having a white Christmas. I LOVE the days the kids go and play in the snow. It's the bitter cold that I don't like. It keeps you couped up inside. The kids can get cabin fever in a bad way (lots of destruction going on here :) I take the kids to the ice cream fun play at the mall or the fun park but I can't be there everyday. So I'm posing a question to all. What activities do you do with your kids? I'm looking for stuff beyond story time, reading, playing tag, computers or hide 'n go seek. Something different from the regular stuff if you know what I mean. Anybody have some new ideas for kids?
5 comments:
Sorry for your bitter cold. I saw on the news the other day that you guys had the worst air in the nation. One thing I DO NOT MISS is the inversions. We have clean air and warm enough temps that my kids have at least been able to jump on the trampoline, and it has been a lifesaver.
Dramatic Play is one of my favorite indoor activities. Choose a "theme" like Doctor's office, Vet, Space, Fire Station, Grocery Store, Florist shop, Camping, Fishing, School, restaurant, etc. and set up an area for the kids to play. You could change it out weekly or whenever they're bored with it.
You can use large boxes for boats, rockets, fire trucks, cars, etc. Setting up a tent in the house is always fun, too.
One of my favorite activities for younger kids is to stick them in the tub with shaving cream on the walls so they can fingerpaint.
I told my older boys that if they took their time to write and illustrate a story together (not a one day project) that I would pay to have their book published at blurb.com. It has to have 20 pages and nice illustrations (not two minute drawings).
You can do what I call "story stretchers" and read a book, and then do activities inspired by the book all throughout the day. For example: read "If you give a Mouse a cookie" and do all the activities that the mouse does, or read "Green Eggs and Ham" and make it for dinner, and write silly poems that rhyme.
You should make play dough!! Or finger paint with pudding!! You can do vanilla pudding and make it lots of colors with food dye!
Sandra, I'm feeling it too. I'm glad I'm not the only one.
I love all these ideas! Felicia you are so creative! I just read in a magazine, (haven't tried yet) to fill spray bottles with water and food coloring and send the kids out to do art on the snow. I thought that sounds like a fun idea. We just got our Valentines and started working on them. We usually get them the week before and then we are rushing to get them ready. If you start now the kids can do a little bit at a time and not get burned out plus they could even make them and not have to buy them. I love making snowflakes and put them up in the windows.
We are going to take the kids to Merlin Olsen Park to the outside skating rink. They are so excited. They have lights up so you can do it when it's dark.
Don't forget about all those board games that have dust on them!
I have NO stinkin' idea. Winter totally bites the big one! I do everything that you do. There just isn't that much to do here in Cache Valley!
How many old packages of broken crayons do you have laying around the house? I know that we have tons, especially 'cause my kids always get new ones for Christmas (my in-laws are always very generous with the art supplies that way). So we are going to start mashing them up into bits, putting them between pieces of wax or parchment paper, then putting those pieces of paper between folds of fabric (old towels are ideal) and ironing them. Then the kids can cut out whatever shapes they want and make them into Valentine's cards or just window decorations...I'll let you know how it turns out. If nothing else, the mashing of the crayons ought to be therapeutic...
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