These long, long days of winter can be a real bummer. Less sunshine and being stuck indoors when it’s too cold or too snowy out can but a real damper on our moods. A snow day can be both a blessing or a curse for families — it’s both an excuse to slow down, but there’s no choice in that either. There's no school, no friends, and nowhere to go. It’s not surprising that everyone goes just a little bit stir crazy inside the house all day.
So, what can a parent do to keep the doldrums away? Thankfully, there are a lot of creative people who have come up with some incredible ideas to keep those winter snow day blues away. And those ideas are simple for us to follow too — plus they are relatively free or cheap, as well as working for kids of all ages. All it takes is a little imagination and this helpful list of excellent boredom busters that we've compiled.
There’s a lot of variation in this list, too, because we know that we don’t all have the same patience for crafts and other activities. But we promise that you’ll find at least a few things that sound perfect to bookmark until the next snowy day stuck inside. Take a look.
Play 'Nailed It'
Let's face it, sometimes we want what comes out of our kitchen to look pretty, but most of the time we'd settle for a great-tasting bake. That is the genius of the hit Netflix show Nailed It and we bet kids would love to pretend to be in the reality baking competition. No need to have a goal, if the kids are too little to make anything fancy, just have them stand in a line and show off the goods. Plus, we already know they'll love yelling "nailed it!" when they present their bake.
Make a Friendship Bracelet
This project can be as simple or as difficult as a kid can handle, but it's a perfect skill for upper elementary-age kids. For young kids, a friendship bracelet might look like some fun beads and some string, while older kids might be ready to experiment with braiding and work their way up to more intricate knots. Friendship bracelet making is a great quiet craft, too, which is good news for when parents need a break.
DIY Slime
There are lots of ways to make slime at home, but according to HomeScienceTools there are four basic ingredients: Elmer's glue, Borax (sodium tetraborate), water, and a little bit of food color. Mix 1 oz. glue, with 1/4 cup water and food coloring. Then add the 1/4 cup Borax to your solution and mix slowly. Voila! It's slime! Challenge kids to make all sorts of neat colors or add in special ingredients, like glitter, to make the slime their own.
Fruit Stamping
Fruits and vegetables are the perfect tools to learn basic printmaking skills, and while the video here shows how to make a stamp from a potato, a stamp can simply be cutting an apple in half and letting the natural shape come through. All it takes is some fruit or veggies, a bottle of paint, and some paper. Then, carefully take the stamp, dip it in some paint, and press gently onto the paper. Repeat as many times as wanted to make a print.
Spa Day
Everyone likes to relax, don't they? Why not make the living into a personal home spa? Of course, painting nails is a must, but it also might be fun to look up some DIY face masks. Plenty of masks can be made from everyday ingredients that can be found in the pantry, which is good when it's too snowy to get to a store. For a treat, why not do an oatmeal or egg white mask?
Hide & Seek
An oldie, but a goodie, Hide and Seek is a great indoor game that is bound to keep kids occupied. For those who are uninformed, it's as simple as it sounds: One person is "It" and will count to 20, while everyone else scatters and hides around the house. Then It searches high and low to find the other players. Great, so much fun, and absolutely free — Hide and Seek is a good way to bond with kids.
Go 'Camping'
Break out the tent because there is no better time to go camping than the dead of winter — yes, really. Keep things warm and cozy by setting up shop in the living room and make sure to bring plenty of blankets and pillows into the tent! Using flashlights, tell spooky stories or even bust out the latest Jeff Kinney book to read — and don't forget to do the voices! What a sweet and cozy way to spend the day!
Puzzle It Out
A classic activity that is often overlooked, we think it's time for puzzles to make a comeback. Puzzles are perfect for quiet afternoon, and depending on how many pieces it has, can be a good challenge for kids of all ages. Play some tunes or even a kid-friendly podcast or audiobook while putting the pieces together and see how magical it can be to spend some quality time as a family.
Put Phone Filters to Good Use
Remember those adorable videos of a toddler using the iPhone animoji filters? We sure do! Of course, making videos on a smartphone can be fun in and of itself, but what if instead of making short clips, we linked the footage and made a longer story? Just think of it! A fully animated movie starring the little ones! We love the idea of video-making, but this could be a true digital keepsake that can be watched for years to come.
Hit the School Yard Games
If there is space available (and the kids won't knock anything over) why not play hopscotch or better yet, show off how good you used to be at "Ms. Mary Mack." Hand games can be especially fun to do on a cold day in because both kids and parents can participate without inviting chaos in the home. It's not going to be as rough as a game of four square. It's also a simple activity — no expensive toys or props needed.
Make Up a Code
"Agent Mommy, I need more milk!" or maybe that's just what our little one's code would say. All we know is that there can be tons of fun creating a secret language with kids — especially ones who love the world of spies or even kids who just starting to read more advanced books like The Hobbit. A quick and inexpensive invisible ink is to use lemon juice on a piece of white paper and when it's time to read the secret note, hold the paper up to a light bulb to reveal its message.
Play 'Target'
If a trip to the real Target isn't in the cards, set up a play station meant to look like everyone's favorite superstore. Imaginative play is always good for kids, and many like to pretend to do the same things their parents do. Of course there will be the dollar section at the front of the store, a Starbucks where kids can load up on their java (juice or milk), and a toy section, too (made from the toys already in the house).
Snow Ice Cream
We didn't know that snow was so versatile! Yes, snow is the perfect thing for forts and snowball fights, but according to blog The Prairie Homestead, all it takes it a little cream, maple syrup, vanilla extract, sea salt, and fresh, clean snow to make ice cream. It's a simple recipe to make and kids will love that it can only really be done during the winter.
Indoor Picnic
Pull out a blanket and put out a spread because it's time for an indoor picnic — it's way too cold to go outside! Choose either summer or winter foods as a theme. Of course, a hot dog or hamburger is delicious at any time of year, but we think a winter picnic allows cold weather treats — hot cocoa, cookies, soup — that will make an indoor picnic a special treat.
Scavenger Hunt
A scavenger hunt in the house is a fun way to work on problem-solving and if there is a large group of kids, it can teach them to work together. There are also so many ways to organize the hunt: a ROY G. BIV hunt would require kids to find one object of each color in the rainbow, while a treasure hunt could include gifts or prizes at each location. No matter what, a scavenger hunt is a great way to spend then afternoon when cooped up indoors.
Marble Painting
A super simple craft that kids preschool age and up will enjoy, marble painting is as easy as one would think. All it takes it a flat container with high sides — a metal baking dish would work well for this — marbles, paper, and a few colors of paint. Add a few dollops of paint onto the paper in the container. Then drop the marbles on top of the paint and gently rock the container side-to-side, creating long streaks of color across the page. Easy!
Magnetic Tile Maze
For the builder in the family who can't get enough of Lego bricks and magnetic tiles, this is the activity for them! Make a maze with magnetic tiles by laying some of the tiles flat and the build walls and traps with tiles perpendicular to the maze's floor. Use toy cars to go through the maze or even a small ball would work! A magnetic tile maze is a good brain teaser and can help with cognitive development.
'Baby Shark' Dance Party
OK, hear us out on this one: "Baby Shark" Dance Party! Not feeling it? OK, fine. A dance party can be fun, but one doesn't need to play "Baby Shark" on repeat. Just put on a beloved kid's playlist, Disney favorites, or even some music that is mom-approved and start moving those feet! It's a good way to get all the wiggles out on a day when kids (and, admittedly mom) tend to get stir crazy. Mix things up by playing the "Cha Cha Slide" or "Cotton Eye Joe." Or better yet, why not play a rousing game of Name That Tune?
Make the Inside Match the Outside
Making paper snowflakes is as easy as can be and creates a winter wonderland, but without the chill. Take some printer paper (or construction paper) and a pair of scissor to start. Then fold the paper into quarters (or more!) — first in half width-wise and then length-wise — and use scissors to slowly cut shapes out of the folded sheet. Make sure to cut out a design for the edge of the snowflake and don't cut out shapes too close to each other or else it will become too fragile and break. When it's done, open the paper up and behold the snowflake that appears!
Make a Snow Family
It's time to stretch the old legs and head outdoors and what better way to get the blood pumping than to play in the snow? If the idea of a snowball fights sends chills down the spine, stick to less chaotic task. Building one snowman can be fun, but a whole snow family is even better! Up the ante a little and assign everyone to build their snowperson to look like someone else in the family and see what creative ideas they come up with!
Bake Some Cookies
What’s better than a couple of warm chocolate chip cookies and a glass of milk or hot chocolate when stuck indoors? There’s nothing better — except when the cookies are baked fresh! Baking cookies doesn’t take a whole lot of time so it’s not a daunting activity but one that lets the kids enjoy all that labor while being engaged in an activity, too.
Paint the Snow
It’s fun to play in the snow but some days it’s still way too cold out for anyone to spend any significant amount of time out there. Instead, bring the snow inside and turn it into a fun painting activity. These can be done with regular watercolor paints, some home prepped water paint in spray bottles, or get creative with brushes!
Try Some Snow Candy
Candy is a word many kids love to hear, and this candy is particularly perfect for those bored snow days. Not only do the kids get a delicious treat, but they can bust some of their boredom by making the treat up themselves. All that’s needed is some freshly fallen snow, real maple syrup, and a popsicle stick. It’s something that could be made indoors or outdoors and fun for all ages.
Blow Bubbles in the Cold
Most often when we think about blowing bubbles it’s a summer activity. But doing that same thing in the winter brings a new level of fun. If it’s cold enough outside, the bubbles will freeze instead of pop, and taking a peek at the intricate designs that are seriously impressive and fascinating, too.
Make Some Cardboard Skis
For the days it’s too cold and gloomy outside, make up some cardboard skies to pretend with in the house. This means everyone gets to stay warm, have a craft to keep them occupied, and burn off some energy with the skis inside where it’s warm. These use supplies that are likely from the recycling bin in the garage, so there’s a higher chance these could be made on a whim without needing to pick up supplies.
