4 Fun Indoor Activities to Play When it’s Too Cold Outside

Letting your kids run around outside is the perfect way to let your kids burn off some energy while also having fun. However, when the weather gets too cold for them to hang out outside, it can be easy to run out of ways to keep your kids satisfied when they are cooped up inside. Here are four ways to transform a cold day into a winter holiday.

Scavenger Hunt

Scavenger hunts are a wonderful way to engage your kids both physically and mentally with a puzzle that can take place over your entire house. Many sites have clues that you can use in your scavenger hunt like Icebreaker Ideas or The Spruce.

You can spice up your scavenger hunt by adding a secret treasure at the end. This can be anything from a new toy to tickets to see a movie. You can also add physical activities or small chores with a few clues that your kids must complete in order to get the next clue. This could be something like doing 20 jumping jacks or picking up all of the toys on the ground. Another element you could add is having your kids complete a puzzle or having to search the house to find a group of items like 5 blue toys or 10 things that have faces on them.

If you want to make your scavenger hunt even more memorable, you can consider giving it a theme or phrase it like a mission. You can tell your kids that this is a spy mission, and they have to solve the mystery to save the world, or you could tell them that there is a secret treasure at the end and they have to find it before the pirates get it. There are countless ways to change up this classic activity to make it fit your home and be perfect for your kids.

Decorate Cupcakes

What better way to spend an afternoon than by decorating sweet treats? This is such a simple yet effective way to hold your children’s attention. All you need is some cupcakes that you can make or have your children help you with, some icing, sprinkles, and whatever other toppings you want. You can make these for your family or give them to your friends. Either way, the cupcakes will make someone smile!

Play Balloon Tennis

Balloon tennis is a great game for kids who love playing ball games outside because it is just like tossing around a ball without all of the dangers associated with having balls fly around indoors.

For this game, all you need is a balloon. The goal of the basic version is to keep the balloon in the air for as long as possible. Of course, you can add as many rules or challenges to that as you want. You could say that they can only touch the balloon with their feet or that they can’t touch the ball with the same limb. You can also create a maze that they have to get through without letting their balloon drop. Be as creative as you want with this!

Make a Fort

There is nothing that says fun days indoors more than making a pillow fort in your house. These magical forts can be made from sheets, blankets, pillows, and whatever other materials you can find around your house. Bringing in lanterns or flashlights can also add to the atmosphere.

Once you make your pillow fort, you can spend the afternoon reading stories with your kids or letting them watch movies inside the fort. It would also be a great place to curl up with a warm cup of hot chocolate. Overall, it is a space to bond with your family and create your own little pocket or reality.

No matter what you do on the cold winter days when your kids can’t go outside, it is a perfect time to have fun with your kids in unique ways that they might not get any other time of the year. Even though at first it might seem like a burden, it actually is an opportunity to create lifelong memories that your kids will treasure their entire lives.

If you are looking for a daycare to teach your children creativity and independent play, contact The Learning Experience to find a location near you. Learn more about The Learning Experience here, and find a daycare center near you by visiting Find a TLE Center.