Indoor Winter Survival Guide

As a Minnesota mom, I am no stranger to the struggle that can be the long winter months with much fewer hours spent outside.  The sibling bickering ramps up, the behaviors increase, and the dreaded "I'm bored" is uttered far more often!

After having an in-home daycare for 5 years and then another four years with my kids at home with me all day long all winter (and spring, summer, and fall), I've learned a thing or two about keeping off screens and making lots of easy fun for my kids to get us through the day (and even enjoying it)!

I created this free Winter Indoor Survival Guide for any mom who needs it (I know I do)!  I have all the activities listed here, but make sure you also print out the guide so you can direct your kids to it whenever the arguing starts or the boredom ensues!

Let's break down each activity!

1. WATERCOLOR PAINTING: Just pulling out some watercolor paints and some paper is easy enough and will get most kids painting.  However, you can find easy tutorials online, like on Watercolor4KIDS Youtube channel!
2. DRAW SOMETHING NEW: Learning to draw something new can be so fun to do as a family!  If you have a reference book, like this one or this one, definitely pull it out!  Otherwise, Art for Kids Hub is a great Youtube channel that teaches kids to draw.
3. DECLUTTER SOMETHING: This may not be the most fun activity, but especially after Christmas, this is a great one!  Encourage your kids to declutter a piece of furniture or an entire room.  Incentivize them with a hot cup of hot chocolate or a baked item after and they will stay busy and your home will have less clutter!  It's a win-win.
4. BUILD A FORT: Fort-building is one of our favorite things to do on a snowy day!  You can definitely build one the old-fashioned way with lots of blankets and furniture, or you can employ some help with an air-tent (we like to add this to our fort creation), tunnels, clips, and/or a fort-building kit.
5. TURN BOXES INTO SOMETHING: Save your boxes!  Save your food containers!  Have your kids spend a few hours creating something out of all your recycled materials.  They can make a robot, a town, a dollhouse for their little dolls, or anything their heart desires!  There are even really awesome cardboard tool kits available to help cut cardboard, attach it together, and make their creations sturdier!
6. SEND LETTERS OR CARDS: Kids absolutely love sending mail to others, so this activity is a great one!  Plus, they practice their writing skills if they are old enough to write, have to address an envelope correctly, and will have a blast putting it in the mailbox.
7. DISCO DANCE PARTY: There's nothing that gets kids moving quite like a disco ball!  We have this super inexpensive disco ball our kids pull out all the time for a disco dance party.  If you dance with them, it will be even more memorable but it's not required.  We also like to add some scarves for more color and fun.
8. DO MAKEOVERS: This activity is geared more toward girls, but if boys will do it too, it will make it even more fun and a hilarious time all-around.  Pull out some makeup, nail polish, and hair accessories and let the kids give each other makeovers.  Make sure to take some photos to document the hilarity that ensues.
9. MAKE ACTIVITY BINS: This activity is a gift that keeps on giving!  I started making activity bins for my girls a year and a half ago on a monthly/bimonthly basis and it has helped encouraged independent play like nothing else.  I have a whole blog post breaking this down, but basically get a few small bins and fill them with random stuff (the blog post has lots of ideas) and pull them out whenever your kids are needing something to do.
10. DO A PUZZLE: Whether you pull out simple puzzles for your toddler or you work together on a 1000 piece puzzle as a family, puzzles are a great fine-motor and critical thinking activity that kids definitely learn during but just feel like they are having a good time.  If you do larger puzzles often, you may want to invest in a puzzle board like this one we got for Christmas last year to help sort pieces and give you a surface you can move away if needed between times you are actively working on the puzzle.
11. KINETIC SAND: I have not met a child who doesn't love playing with kinetic sand!  Dump some of the sand on to a tray, give them some tools (even just spoons, measuring cups, and random stuff you have in the kitchen will work) or add in a sensory kit and let your kids go to town!  This never disappoints in our house.
12. OBSTACLE COURSE: What child doesn't like climbing over furniture and turning your home into a giant obstacle course?  Using random furniture and items around the house, create an obstacle course for your children (or have them create one).  Then, time them completing the obstacle course.  No special anything required!  We especially love putting a tumbling mat on the stairs and sliding down or configuring our Nugget in different ways to make it even harder.  The sky's the limit!
13. STICKERS: I like to stock up on random stickers from Hobby Lobby, Dollar Tree, or Walmart from time to time just so I can pull them out and let my kids go sticker-crazy when they are needing something to do.  What kid doesn't like stickers?
14. MAGNETIC TILE RAMP/HOUSE:  Magnetic tiles are always a hit at our house, but if you want to mix it up, check out this Instagram account and encourage your children to find some build ideas and recreate them.  From ramps to buildings and so much more, these tiles can entertain kids for hours!  My girls especially love building houses and then adding in dollhouse furniture to play with their little dolls/barbies in them!  This can also work with animal figures as well.
15. SEW SOMETHING: Winter can be an awesome time to learn a new skill or improve a skill. If your children haven't learned to sew or could use some practice, find a sewing project and go to town.  We really love this book with simple ideas for different skill levels.  This could also be a great time to work on knitting, crocheting, or any other kind of handicraft.
16. MAKE SLIME: I know slime is a curse word in some homes, but my kids have done really well with it and know to only play with it on a tray in the dining room.  Most kids' eyes would light up if you told them they could make slime!  You can look up a recipe or buy a simple kit to make some together and let them go to town (in a non-carpeted area of your choice, of course).
17. BAKE TOGETHER: Dust off your cookbooks or go online and pick a recipe and bake something together!  If your kids are older and able to bake on their own, encourage them to have a bake-off or to surprise the family with dessert that night, letting them bake on their own.
18. MID-DAY BATH: This seems so simple, but truly for younger kids, a bath at any time of day is a good idea.  You can even mix it up by adding pom-poms to their bath, animal figures, or something else out of the ordinary to make it super fun and special.  Plus, they will be clean and you can check that off your evening to do list!
19. PLAYDOUGH: When in doubt, get the playdough out!  There are tons of amazing recipes online for homemade playdough you can make with your kids, or you can just purchase a set.  We love to add in figures of their favorite characters, tools, and letter stampers, but playdough all on it's own with a couple random things from the kitchen is sure to please most children!
20. FIGURES IN WATER: Believe it or not, just giving your kids some water on a towel/tray and some animals or other figures will have them playing for quite some time!  You can add in scoopers, pipettes, and other tools but my 4 year old loves just plain water with her Peppa Pig figures.  If you have a color-changing toy in water, add that in for even more fun!
21. PLAY LEGOS: This one is pretty self-explanatory.  Get the Legos out and let your kids build away!  If they are needing some inspiration, this Lego book is a wonderful tool and there is even a building app that helps kids come up with build ideas with Legos they have with just the snap of a photo!
22. CRAZY CRAFT: This is one of our all-time favorites!  I keep a bin above our craft cabinet with random craft supplies left over from other craft kits as well as just random supplies - popsicle sticks, stickers, tissue paper squares, pom poms, feathers, etc.  I get out the bin, give the kids some glue, scissors, and construction paper and let them go to town.  They usually will spend a good hour creating a picture no matter what their age is!
23. WRITE A BOOK: Let your child's inner author out in this activity!  You can have your kids write on lined paper, computer paper, or get some blank books for this activity.  Have them write and illustrate a book - together or separate.  There are also really fun book-writing kits you can get but they are not necessary.  Then, have a story time where they read their books to the family!
24. FASHION SHOW: Have your kids raid their own closets, one another's closets, your closet, or the dress-up clothes bin and put on a fashion show!
25. ACTION SONGS: When my kids are going really stir-crazy during days with super cold temps where we just can't get outside, I like to go on Youtube and search "kid action songs" and play a few for them to get their bodies moving.
26. CUT OUT SNOWFLAKES: Grab some paper and scissors and make some snowflakes together.  Decorate a window, the fridge, or the ceiling with their beautiful creations.
27. CAMP INDOORS: Set up a play tent (or a real tent if you are feeling very ambitious) and camp out in the living room!  You can do this during the day just to pretend or actually sleep in the tent together at night.  Don't forget the smores!
28. USE A MICROSCOPE: I don't know what it is about a microscope, but my kids LOVE looking at random things under them!  We bought this digital one over a year ago that my kids can take around the house and suddenly everything becomes interesting to them.  Couch cushions, dog hair, their skin, plants, flooring, the crumbs in the keyboard - you name it, they will enjoy looking at it!
29. BRACELETS OR BEAD ANIMALS: Pull out the beads and string and have a jolly good time.  Kids can make bracelets or they can learn to make bead animals which I was an expert at making as a kid!
30. KARAOKE PARTY: Whether you have a karaoke machine or not, pull out the speaker (or use the TV) and play some songs to have your kids sing to.  They can even make their own microphones if you don't have any.  My kids LOVE doing this!
31. PERLER BEADS OR AQUA BEADS: Making creations out of perler beads or aqua beads is a fun time that will keep your kids entertained for quite a while.  They even make larger perler beads for the little ones!
32. CREATE YOUR OWN MAD LIBS: If you have some Mad Libs laying around, pull them out.  Otherwise, head to this website and fill out some stories with random words and listen to the laughter pouring out of everyone's mouths!
33. COUCH CUSHION JUMP: If your kids are anything like mine, they would love to jump on the furniture if I let them.  Instead, take the cushions off of the couch and use a chair, coffee table, side table, etc. and let them jump off into the cushion pile.
34. SPA PARTY: Let your kids feel like grown ups!  Corral some face masks, cut up some cucumber, put on your robes, and put a towel on your heads and have a spa party!
35. COLOR IN COLORING BOOKS: This one is pretty self-explanatory.  If you have any coloring books laying around collecting dust, pull them out and color in them.  Kids especially love when you color with them!  Mix it up by getting out different types of coloring utensils.
36. PLAY A BOARD GAME: The winter is the perfect time to get out the board games!  Play a family favorite or try out one you haven't played before.  We just picked up this one as a fun, hopefully drama-free game (we are a family of 3 girls - there is always game drama when we play). 
37. MAKE COOTIE CATCHERS: Bring back this nostalgic game of the past by making cootie catchers and telling your fortunes!  If you forgot how to make one or - God forbid - never made one yourself, you can use this tutorial.  Good luck to you!
38. COLOR ON WINDOWS: No, I'm not crazy! Not only will this keep your kids entertained, but when you (or your kids) go to wash it off, you will have clean windows.  So, it's a win-win!  We use these window markers to draw scenes on our back playroom window.  Chalk markers would also work great if you have those already. The kids absolutely love it and we get to admire their cute pictures for a few weeks before we have a window cleaning party.
39. GO "ICE SKATING" INDOORS: If you have any tile or wooden/laminate flooring in your house, roll up the rug if you need to, and let them put on their slipperiest socks and go for a skate!  Bonus points if you play some Vince Guaraldi Charlie Brown Christmas music while they skate!  For an even slipperier experience, cut up some squares of wax paper and have your kids skate with them under their feet, or use rubber bands to secure the wax paper to their feet as pretend "skates."
40. MAKE A SENSORY BIN: Kids of all ages love sensory bins!  Grab some dried pasta, dried beans, cotton balls, sand, water, or any other material you have handy.  Pour it into a bin.  Add some scoopers and bowls plus some figures, pom poms, or other random materials and let your kids go to town!  Many companies also make pre-made sensory bins.
41. INDOOR HOPSCOTCH: Use some painter's tape or electrical tape to tape out a hopscotch on your floor and get hopping!  For rules on how to play or other variations, check out this post.
42. TAPE ROAD + CARS: Use painter's or electrical tape to map out a road on the floor (or even up on furniture if you are really ambitious).  Get out your toy cars and any buildings if you have them and let your kids explore the new city!  If you have any PVC pipes or cardboard laying around, your kids can make tunnels, bridges, buildings, and other items to add to the play.
43. SOLO CUP BOWLING: If you have any plastic or styrofoam cups laying around, stack them up or lay them out in a triangle like bowling pins and take turns rolling a ball or throwing a bean bag to knock them down.  I bet you can challenge your kids to make up their own unique rules and name the game something new entirely!
44. SNOW ICE CREAM: One of our favorite winter activities is making ice cream out of snow!  On a snowy day, collect about 8 cups of fresh clean snow.  Grab some milk, sugar, and vanilla at a minimum and follow this recipe to make your own snow ice cream!  Bonus points if you have any sprinkles or other toppings.
45. MAKE OOBLECK: I'm warning you now, this one can get a little messy, but it's so worth it!  Oobleck is similar to slime except it's normally a liquid until you squeeze it and it acts as a solid.  You just need water and corn starch (and food coloring if you want to make it a little more fun).  Follow this recipe, get out a bin or cover up your table, and let your kids enjoy this really fun recipe!
46. INDOOR SNOWBALL FIGHT: This is super simple - just crumple up some newspaper or regular printer paper and have a snowball fight!  Your kids can make it more elaborate than that, but all you need is something non-painful to throw at one another and a space to play!
47. SCAVENGER HUNT: You can make this one as complicated or simple as you want.  I've found that older siblings love to make scavenger hunts for younger siblings.  My kids went through a phase where they would make a scavenger hunt to find our snack for the day - so fun!  Either you or your kids can make clues and hide new clues at the answer of the previous clue.  The end result could be a snack, a treat, a craft, or just the satisfaction of finding it!  They will likely want to do it all over again once they complete the first one.
48. RAINBOW LOOM: Many kids know how to create jewelry out of rubberbands and having a Rainbow Loom or other rubber band jewelry kit can make the process a little easier.  Pull out your rubber bands and you can even look up different ways to create them to challenge the ones who are already pros at a certain technique.
49. PLAY HOT POTATO: This is an oldie but goodie!  Grab a potato if you have one, otherwise a ball, koosh ball, small pillow stuffed animal, or bean bag will do.  Sit in a circle and if you have an Echo, you can just say "Alexa, play hot potato" and go through the instructions.  If not, someone must man the music.  Play some music and every so often pause the music.  Whoever is left holding the item is out.  The circle get closer with the person out and the game continues until there is just one person left.
50. ICE PAINTING: This one takes a little prep but it's always a favorite at our house!  Using either some food coloring or a little washable paint, put a couple drops of either one in each square of an ice cube tray.  Then, break some popsicle sticks in half and put the broken side down into the food coloring or paint.  Add water to each square until they are each full (but not overflowing) and use the popsicle stick to mix each color and then leave them to freeze into the ice as the holders.  If they sit diagnoally, that's okay.  Stick them in the freezer for a few hours or overnight.  Once frozen, your kids can use them to paint until they fully thaw!
51. GET OUT INSTRUMENTS: If you are like me, you have a bin of instruments that you feel guilted into keeping because you know they are good for kids, but you hide it away because you can't stand the noise.  Now is the time to pull out that bin and let them be as loud as they want - for a time period you decide!
52. PLAY KEEPY UPPY: Blow up some balloons (no helium needed) and play some rounds of Keepy Uppy where they have to keep their balloons from touching the floor!  Your kids can make up more elaborate rules, but that's the basic premise.  This is a great way to get some exercise while indoors!
53. PLAY WOULD YOU RATHER?: This game gives your kids permission to be silly, obnoxious, and gross - and what could be better (from a child's perspective)?!?  Let them choose their own "would you rather?" questions or look up some online and have a great time discussing and laughing together!
54. TEA PARTY: Every little kid plays tea party at some point, whether it's their dream to do in real life or they are forced to play by a sister.  Make their tea party dreams come true!  Make some caffeine-free tea, set out some sugar and cream.  Add in some little sandwiches or make some little desserts together.  Then pull out some poems, a good chapter book, or some picture books and enjoy the time together!  You can take it even further by dressing up and teaching them etiquette at the same time!
55. CAT'S CRADLE: I don't know how common playing Cat's Cradle is anymore, but it can be a fun way to pass the time and to challenge your kids.  You can buy a Cat's Cradle kit or make your own by tying some yarn into a circle.  You can find tutorials on Youtube about how to do the different techniques.  This is a great game for siblings to play together as well!
56. DESIGN DREAM HOUSE: Something most kids love to do is dream about their lives as adults.  Encourage them to design their dream house.  If you have any large sheets of paper (like a large drawing pad), kids an tape them together if needed to make their dream houses.  It's so fun to see what they come up with!  Chances are they may want to continue to add on to them over time!

There is SO much fun to be had indoors when the weather is too cold or hostile to be outdoors for very long.  I hope this Winter Indoor Survival Guide helps your family to have your best winter yet and to truly enjoy this time together when it can otherwise be a very sad, gloomy, and sometimes frustrating time of year!

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