Help for the Wintertime Blues

Donna, GFCFKids, with additional tips from Miss Roben’s

Based on your kids age & interests, one of these may keep them occupied for hours:

Bat around a Mylar balloon (stays inflated for days) with a foam-covered bat.

Bowling with plastic bowling pins, or empty plastic bottles, boxes, or blocks as “pins”.

Blow bubbles, or use tub-safe, finger-paints or crayons made from colored soaps in the bathtub. 

Make snow art. Spray the snow with an assortment of different colored water in spray bottles.

Build a fort using old blankets, card tables, pillows, & rope, whatever -- a flashlight or light up toy or glow in the dark toy is always fun here

Mark tiled kitchen or basement floors with sidewalk chalk or colored tape & play hopscotch, tic-tac-toe.  Or mark a “roadway” or obstacle course to “drive” cars.  Or draw a zoo & use plastic animals; or plastic fish & make an ocean, etc.

Have a “snowball” fight using wadded-up waste paper.

Anything with water!  Lay down a flannel-backed plastic tablecloth (soft side up) with 2 old bath towels on top & give them 2 large plastic containers with lots of stuff to scoop & pour.

Big empty boxes, paper towel tubes, different shaped buttons, & stickers are all big hits.

Collect your old clothes, costumes, hats, belts, gloves, etc & let them dress up.