3 snow days in a row. THREE. If your kids are anything like mine, you are starting to hear increased bickering and even an "I'm bored!" here and there. This list of ideas can help you beat the hum drums of another snow day. Check out 7 of our favorite family activities to bust up the boredom and renew creative energy. All of these ideas use household items and require very little or no prep work. Enjoy!
1. Set up a stuffed animal zoo or vet office.
Make signs, tickets, prescriptions, etc. Get creative and go all out. Lead zoo tours or treat patients with bandages, medicine and lots of snuggles. Right now my 4 year old is SUPER into Doc Mcstuffins so we frequently play toy doctor. Get in on the creative play with your child. The doc is in!
2. Blocks.
Best. Toy. Ever. The play opportunities for creative exploration with blocks are endless. I love issuing creative challenges for the kids and seeing what they come up with. Here are a few simple ideas to get you started. How tall can you build your tower before it topples? How many blocks can you stack in one minute?
If you have legos around you're in luck, there have been a million brilliant posts from Mommy bloggers all over recently about play and learning activities using these amazing little bricks. Moms never cease to amaze me when it comes to finding new ways to use basic things. Use those Legos in a new way. My kids love the Lego Mystery Challenge , for more ideas like it check out the Lego Family Challenge but a quick Google search will give you TONS of options. :) If you'd like to sneak in a little learning I recommend this easy math game and building letters/words with Legos!
3. Build with unusual objects.
Legos and building blocks are fabulous go-to boredom busters but if the repeated snow days have your kids in a building rut offer up different building options to spark their imagination. Suggestions: toothpicks/marshmallows, cardboard tp tubes and boxes, tupperware dishes and plastic cups, solo party cups, straws/play dough, or go big and build a fort!
4. Play movement games.
This is a great day for childhood games like Hide and Seek or Simon Says. As kids get bigger charades is a fun game and can be switched up with different themes. Another great idea is to turn some music on (louder is always better) and have a dance party. Break out the dress up clothes and feather boas while you dance like nobody is watching.
My kids also love a game we learned in Preschool that we call the Sleeping Game. I sing out "Sleeping, sleeping, all the children are sleeping" the kids lay down on the floor and close their eyes while I do this. When everyone is settled I say "and when they wake up they are _____!" The kiddos get up and act like the animal or thing I said until I call out for them to sleep again. It sounds too simple to be fun but this is a game that we've played for 3 years now and my 7 year old still joins in with her sister enjoying the family game. It is a great way to get some energy out in a playful way.
5. Set up simple Carnival games in the living room.
It's not hard to whip up a beanbag toss(use socks rolled into balls if you don't have beanbags around), shooting range(break out the nerf guns and build targets), or an obstacle course(use things around the house- have them race to put on their winter gear, jump over couch cushions, climb over/under chairs and tables, etc.) I also love this idea of setting up a laser obstacle course in a hallway with yarn! How clever! These are all fairly easy things to set up that will break up the monotony of another day at home.
6. Try out a new science experiment or play recipe.
There are great ideas all over the internet for creating goop, slime, flubber, homemade playdough and all kinds of other messy and wonderfully squishy things at home with your kids. Search around a bit and find something new to try with the kiddos. Sometimes the concoctions are amazing and provide hours of entertainment, sometimes they tank but either way it's fun to experiment with your kids! Some of my personal favorites are Flubber and Oobleck. I give both of these my Mama seal of approval if that matters but I do want to note that I didn't think our Oobleck had the consistency the recipe suggested. It was still tons of fun and my avid Dr. Seuss fans got a HUGE kick out of it anyway, playing with it for over an hour until Daddy's arrival home distracted them. :)
7. Get the creative juices flowing again with Art!
One of the easiest ways to break up boredom is to bust out the art supplies. The possibilities go on and on. Every day I see Mamas showing off beautiful kid-created masterpieces all over Pinterest...that's great and all but please don't get a frown-y face if you sit your child down with the paints or markers and the result is a messy looking brown mash-up of 7 mixed up colors instead of the cute little project you were hoping for. Brag about it, display it on the mantle, blog it and pin it all over the place because it is a fabulous one-of-a-kind creation crafted by none other than the best little picasso you know! So what if the horse is blue and looks like a pine cone. :)
Process is so much more important than product for children. I won't dive into the subject in great detail because it's one of my soapbox issues but I encourage you to rest in the peace that it is still fun even if it's scribbles or so covered in paint smears that it will take 3 days to dry completely.
If you're in an artistic rut allow me to recommend snow paint
Enjoy some playful time with the kiddos today!
