Photo by woodleywonderworks
This morning I awoke to multiple sighs from my children, who sat at the breakfast table, staring at the winter wonderland outside. Colds and coughs have been going around in our area and the last thing I wanted to do was let my little ones outside to potentially get sick. So I smiled at them and promised to pull out the fun box: a set of fun things to enjoy when going outside simply isn’t an option.
Creating bubbles on plates is a simple, yet enjoyable, activity, especially for the younger ones. All it takes is a plate, an everyday drinking straw, your common dish washing liquid and water from the tap. Simply put a couple drops (no more) of the dishwashing liquid in the middle of the plate. Run some warm water onto the plate (over the soap drops to break them up) and create a little foam. Set the plate down on the table and have the kids use their straws. By placing the end into the water and lightly blowing they create bubbles. You’ll notice that the slower and softer they blow, the better the results.
There are a lot of drawing activities you can do with your children. Here are two variations:
- Motion Picture is where you take a pad of paper and use the bottom corner of the pages to create your very own motion picture. You can draw a funny face, a race car, animals, or anything you want to bring to life. Start by drawing the initial picture. On the next page, draw a slightly different version/pose, and place it just a bit to the right of the page before. Keep following this process until you get to the opposite side of the page. To see the results, simply fan the pages with your thumb and watch your creations come to life.
- The goal of Creative Cooperation is to create a story of pictures using one piece of paper and two artists. Let the younger child start by drawing something on a blank paper, such as a building. Next, you add one person/place/thing to the picture, such as a monster walking towards the building. Take turns and see what you come up with as the end result–then take turns telling a story about the picture when you’re done. It’s not only fun, it sparks imagination.
Coffee Can Stilts are always a hit when you’re stuck inside. Take two coffee cans and flip them on their heads, so the plastic lip is on the bottom. Use a screwdriver to poke two holes near the top of the rim on either side of the can. Use rope or several strands of yarn and feed it through the holes, making large loops, then tie the ends together so the knot is hidden within the can. The loops need to be big enough for your child to hold when standing on the cans, without having to hunch over. To add character, we paint the cans and glue foam balls to create monster toes.
Indoor Picnics are always fun and easy to do. Make a fun lunch of sandwiches, pretzels, punch and even a desert and use paper plates, cups, spoons and forks. Spread your blanket out across the living room floor and have a real picnic–including summer clothes, sunglasses and sun screen.
Storyteller is a popular family game because everyone, even the smallest child can use their imagination to create a fun (and sometimes very funny) story. Have everyone write down their suggestions for the start of a story on a piece of paper. One person starts the story by reading the paper and then adds to it. Each person in turn adds to the story, going around the room.
Looking for something else to do inside? Here are some of my favorites:
- Read a book out loud to your children
- Play a board game
- Play charades
- Pop popcorn and snuggle up on the couch to watch a family movie together
- Write a short story and then read them to one another
- Bake together. Cookies, a cake or even bread—take this time to teach something new
- Make a tent with blankets and pillows, tables and chairs
- Take a nap
There are so many options, you never need fear being bored. Just use your imagination and to add more fun, do it together. What do you enjoy doing when you’re stuck indoors?
About the Author
Noah James hails from the land of tall trees and hops—Portland, Oregon. Having studied psychology in college, along with his passion for web development, you'll find his writing style a bit unique in that it's always taking you some place new. He's tech-junkie at heart, so he writes mainly for the geek in all of us here on In Good Measure. Noah can be contacted through his Google+ Profile.
