Wintertime Indoor Activities for Kids

Most of the country has been in the grasp of a wicked cold snap. And while this means bundling up and sipping hot cocoa for most people, it means being stuck inside with a bunch of rambunctious kids for us moms. We looked to our friends at Pinterest for a handful of fun indoor activities for kids of all ages. Go ahead and try a few. Looking at the forecast ahead though, you might need to try them all.

Fun with Foam

Photo courtesy of FilthyWizardry.com

I’m a big fan of this activity because it’s totally self-contained and makes no mess at all. Let little ones stand inside of a dry bathtub. Give them a cup of warm water and paintbrush. Use the water to adhere foam shapes, numbers and letters. Supervision is needed, as are non-skid socks. But I’m guessing any mom will revel in the free time to catch up on magazines while keeping watch on busy kids.

Spider Web Obstacle Course

Photo Courtesy of Confessions of a Wisconsin Housewife

This one looks so fun that I might have to try it myself. Use colored yarn to create a spider-web like obstacle course in your hallway. Kids can practice their balance and dexterity as they maneuver, McGyver style, through their maze. Keep it up until the next day as see how your husband fares on the way to the bathroom in the middle of the night. Just kidding!

Masking Tape Fun

Photo courtesy of WhattoExpect.com

Who knew that your kids could have so much fun with a roll of tape? Use it to create a hopscotch course, a circle for marbles, tic tac toe, or a maze for cars. Caution – only use this if you have carpeted floors. If you have wood floors, try blue painters tape instead. It will not leave a sticky residue on your pretty floors.

Butcher Paper Art Work

Image courtesy of OhBoyOhBoyOhBoyCrafts.com

Whether they draw a race track or doodle their hearts out, this one will have them busy for hours. Give them a variety of markers, colored pencils, crayons, stickers and more. If you don’t have butcher paper, you can also cut up brown paper grocery bags and tape them together. Now that’s a great way to up-cycle.

Nerf Gun Shooting Range

Photo courtesy of BusyKidsHappyMom.org

Red plastic cups? Check. Action figures? Check. Great targets for shooting practice? Absolutely! Stack the cups as high as they’ll go, strategically placing action figures in between as make shift guards. Then, shoot away. And if you don’t have a Nerf Gun, just use rolled up sock balls! Dad might want to get in on the action with this one.

Balloon Ping Pong

Photo courtesy of the WeekendHomemaker.com

This is a two-fold activity – one part construction, one part playing the actual game. Us paper plates and Popsicle sticks to make the paddles. Decorate the plates for added craftiness. Then blow up a few balloons and get ping pong-ing. Best four out of five wins. The kids will love the (hopefully) friendly competition and you’ll love keeping them busy.

Moms, what are your favorite rainy day/winter indoor activities?

Meet the Author | Christina Montoya Fiedler

Christina Montoya Fiedler is a Los Angeles native - born and raised. Before becoming a mom, and writing for various parenting sites so she could be home full time with her son, she was a publicist representing environmentally progressive architects and contractors - one of whom just finished building a home completely out of parts from a Boeing 747. Now that's cool!