Creative Indoor Play for Cold Days

Gray skies, bare trees and temps too low to play outside. Blast boredom this month with some creative indoor play. Create a “boredom buster” jar with 20 fun ideas the kids can do on their own. Here’s a start!

1. Make a snack. Try instant pudding, chips and dip, or celery with peanut butter. Remember to clean up!

2. Make sock puppets. Put on a play with your newly created characters.

3. Eat saltine crackers, then hold a whistling contest immediately after.

4. Celebrate “Backwards Day.” Eat, wear and say everything backwards! (Until it gets too hard, at least).

5. Start a scrapbook. Fill pages with old art projects, pictures and school awards.

6. Make placemats out of construction paper. Decorate with pictures of food you hate!

7. Make a treasure hunt. Use plastic Easter eggs, Legos, anything easy to spot will work. The creator can draw a treasure map to lead pirates to the treasure.

8. Gather unused toys and clothing for a donation center.

9. Make your own word search and then give it to a friend to complete.

10. Write and perform a play based on a book you’re reading.

11. Write a family newsletter to send to relatives who live out of state.

12. Have a “Princess Night.” Watch a princess movie (Cinderella, Princess and the Frog, Snow White, etc.). Host a tea party and dress up while you watch the movie!

13. Project your shadow on the wall. Have a friend trace it. Then cut it out and glue onto black paper for a unique piece of silhouette art.

14. Take a bubble bath!

15. Make sugar cookies. Make creative faces out of frosting.

16. Play “spot the difference.” Have a friend study how you look for a few minutes. Then go in the other room and make a small adjustment (take out an earring, put in a bobby pin, etc.). See if they can spot the difference.

17. Make and name pet rocks. You’ll need paint, glue and some googly eyes.

18. Hold a bubble gum blowing contest. Biggest bubble wins! Don’t forget to take pictures.

19. Play musical chairs. Just be sure to clear breakables out of the room!

20. Play a board game that’s made its way to the top of the closet. Monopoly, Sorry, the Barbie Game – chances are kids have forgotten how fun these classics are!

– Melanie Wagner