10 activities to keep the kiddos entertained when it’s freezing outside

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We’re back in the midst of a super cold spell here this week. It’s been windy, snowy, rainy, and honestly pretty awful. It’s certainly been a week to hibernate and keep warm indoors. As much as we’re fans of getting outdoors in all weathers, sometimes it’s just too horrible out there to venture out! I remember the days when my three girls were little, and endless days inside seemed to drag on, cabin fever would hit and I’d have to think up some fun things to keep us entertained {and the arguing at bay}. Now they’re bigger, days at home are so much easier – Beastie needs a little entertaining, but with three big sisters in the house, I don’t always have to be the one who does that!

Still, on weeks like this, when we’re spending day after day at home, it’s fun to pull out a few activities to keep us all amused and break things up. Sometimes we’ll bundle up, and head out for a fun indoors activity, other days we’ll stay in our PJ’s and have fun at home.

1| Build a fort. Still one of our favorite things to do. Grab a pile of sheets, some cushions and blankets and build a fort. Sometimes we build it in the living room and watch a movie in there, sometimes under the kitchen table so the little ones can play while I cook, other times in the playroom and create a cosy nook to read some books in.

2| Dig out the photo albums/baby books. My girls love afternoons spent together pouring over old photos and looking through their memory boxes full of birth announcements, scan photos, birthday cards and all the other paraphernalia they have collected.

3| Grab some paints. We love painting, whatever the weather, but on days like this, it’s a great all-age activity. My littlest loves painting pieces of penne pasta and stringing them into necklaces when they’re dry.

4| Make puppets and put on a play. This is a great all-day activity. We’ll dig out the craft supplies and make some puppets in the morning and then act out a fun play with them in the afternoon. It’s great to see the kids imagination at work as they create their own stories!

5| Go to the cinema. If you feel the need to venture out of the house, the cinema is a great place to go. Check out if your local cinema has any Kids Club screenings {they usually are super cheap!}, take your own popcorn and enjoy sitting in the warmth, getting lost in a movie for a couple of hours.

6| Bake a cake. If this isn’t an essential cold-day activity, then I don’t know what is! Even the littlest kiddo can help make the cake – and eat it afterward!

7| Raid the recycling. One of my kiddos favourite things to do is to turn cardboard boxes into new toys! Right now we have a box that has been turned into a sofa stroke ball pool, another box that has been transformed into a luxury cat bed and a third that is a dolls house!

8| Dance Dance Dance. If you’re all full of energy, but it’s still too cold or wet to leave the house, put on some music {and turn it up loud} and dance all that energy off!

9| Have a tea party. You’re never too old for a Tea Party with your teddies! It’s a great excuse to make some fancy sandwiches, delicate fairy cakes and open a couple of packets of crips. We love to gather in the playroom, with all our teddies for an indoor picnic! Sometimes I even wrap up a quick pass-the-parcel for a party game!

10| Have a board game marathon. We’re a family of board game lovers. From the classics like Monopoly and Trivial Pursuits to Yeti in my Spaghetti, and especially Mancala. Nothing beats a family afternoon spent playing board games {though beware, Monopoly always brings out the worst in us!!}

What are your favourite activities to do on the coldest days of the year?

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4 Comments

  1. Su {Ethan & Evelyn}

    February 16, 2018 at 18:33

    These are great ideas! I think I must have done everything on this list, except Go to the cinema & Have a board game marathon. Aiming to go to the cinema one day… but my little one is still a little too small for it. I think having a board game marathon will literary kill their boredom them. lol!

  2. Rachel

    February 17, 2018 at 10:58

    Some great ideas :-) I love building forts and cinema trips are always a favourite, too. Board games are a favourite on Sunday mornings, here….with several large cups of coffee. Relaxing fun for the family unless they get too competitive!

  3. Eva Katona

    February 17, 2018 at 22:03

    Great tips! We absolutely love building with card board boxes too! One of our favourite indoor activities is to stage their books, like we’re going on a bear hunt, and we build the cave from chairs and blankets!

  4. McKenzie Allyshia

    February 17, 2018 at 22:50

    I am loving all of these ideas! It has been really windy and stormy here lately and we have had to make the best out of being stuck indoors. Finding fun crafts is always our favorite!

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