Indoor Winter Wonderland: DIY Activities for Kids this Winter
This time of year, the wind chill makes it awfully hard to get outside as much as we’d like. But freezing temperatures doesn’t have to mean freezing playtime with your child until the spring! We asked the teachers at Memorial Child Care for their favorite indoor activities to keep kids happy, healthy and stimulated–even when the weather outside is frightful.
Make Candy Cane Slime
This tactile goop makes for a fun experiment.
Ingredients:
Clear washable glue
White washable glue
Liquid starch
Water
Red food coloring
In one bowl, mix ½ cup water and ½ cup of clear glue with a generous amount of red food coloring. In another bowl, measure out ½ cup of liquid starch. Slowly mix the glue into the starch, then mix with your hands for a few minutes. Repeat the process with the white glue without food coloring. It can be used right away, but our staff recommends waiting an hour for the best consistency.
Bring the Snow Inside
When it is cold outside but your child wants to go out and play in the snow, bring a bucket or tub of snow inside and let your child play in it. You can put it on the kitchen table or the floor, in the bathtub or the kitchen sink. Children love to play in the snow, and this is a great way for them to do that without the worry of them being out in the cold.
Create a Sensory Bin
Fill a large bin or container with oatmeal, ice cubes or uncooked pasta and let your toddler explore touch and explore.
Build a Fort
Do you still have a bunch of boxes from the holidays? Put them together to make a tunnel and add blankets to create different rooms or areas within the fort.
Other ways to beat the cold and turn your home into a winter wonderland:
• Have a dance party.
• Have an indoor picnic.
• Get a bucket and wash the toys. Have your child help you.
• Make snowflakes out of coffee filters, adding glitter and paint.
“Remember, it is still very important to get outside to ensure we get our children the fresh air they need, even if for 10 minutes,” said Tiffany Hardy, director of Memorial Child Care. “It helps build their immune system, gets them some vitamin D and provides much-needed exercise while we’ve been so cooped up.”