Help us get through winter!

flyingsaucer

Winter is rough! The kids have been sick, so we have been stuck in the house the last couple of weeks and weekends (more than usual).  Plus, DH has been working really long hours which means that I am on my own most afternoons/evenings and some weekends.  Between being stuck in the house and DH not being around, I am running out of things to do.  When I have to cook or get something done, I have the kids watch tv or they can play the wii or on the iPad, but I don't want to rely on this too much.  DS can't be bothered with his toys anymore.  We do art, play dough and play games, but maybe I need some new ones.  How do you keep your kids busy and away from tv during the long cold winter months.  Any new ideas out there?

RondackHiker

Cardboard boxes? They can stack them, color them, make them into things, and have fun.

We'll use large paper and trace DS and the dog and have him color that.

Water color in the bathtub?

I'm on mobile so can't see tickers.

klondikebar

When all else fails, go simple. Grab a large box or some empty tubes (toilet paper, paper towel) and let them be creative. Or do what I did one day with my children. I gave them bags of cotton balls and let them go to town with a faux snowball fight.

KMK51

I saw this on Pinterest yesterday.
https://www.notimeforflashcards.com/2012/02/75tvfreeactivitiesfortoddlers.html

Edit: not sure why link won't work..try 75 tv free activities for toddlers

ridesbuttons

Honestly, I try to use winter to my advantage.  Being stuck inside with 2 kids blows.

On the weekends we ski, toboggan, skate.  I con the kids into shoveling sometimes, lol.  I try to make sure we are outside for a minimum of an hour a day, and often much, much more.

It obviously uses up a lot of time but it also wears the kids down a bit so they are more apt to build train tracks or play with their toys in their rooms for a while.  That gives me time to cook or just relax myself.

Is there an indoor swimming pool nearby?  That is a great go-to for us as well on the weekends in the winter.

mammersoh

cmeon_the_water:

Well, for us it's the looong hot summer that's the problem and they're out of school for it. :pWe bought a bounce house early this summer and it was just the best investment ever an hour of bouncing and sliding does great things to knock out some of that pent up energy. Arts and crafts, cooperative games the Busy Busy ones have been a hit for the past two years mine are 5.5 and 3 now so I guess we started playing them when these guys were around the ages yours are now. They love it when I make them blanket forts I use spare sheets and blankets, lots of little clamps cheap Harbor Freight, and give them each an energy efficient LED flashlight they will camp out in those for hours making shadows and pretending.nbsp;I don't envy you LOVE our winters. And at least we can work off energy super early at the park or something during the summer, or head to beach later in the day. I don't know what I'd do with cold temps for months on end!

What bounce house do you have? We have a finished basement and I am thinking about getting on for DS2 since his bday is next week.

klondikebar

I forgot to add something extremely wonderful. Let them build a fort. Grab some sheets and drape them over your furniture. Playing inside a fort is magical. I don't know why, but the same games played outiside of a fort last longer inside of one.

rakle99

We used to play baseball with a rolled up sock. We loved making forts or obstacle courses with furniture, pillows, and blankets. Give them a balloon and let them bat it back and forth. There are lots of games you can play with baloons. Hide and seek was a fun game too. We also used to turn out the lights, grab flashlights, and pretend we were exploring and ancient house.

NerdyMama2

Sometimes we'll go outside with DS and play freeze tag or hide and seek. We invite his friends over sometimes. As for DD, she barely watches TV so we don't have a problem yet

shopgirl78

We go to our local bounce house place a lot in the winter.  I buy the jump passes once a year.  Otherwise, we have neighborhood friends come over.  We do end up watching a lot of TV esp if its icy/snow outside but with friends over they are more likely to play with toys.   Sometimes we go out to lunch at Chic Fil A or McDonalds because they have an indoor play place.  I live in a small town without much.  We try to get out of the house at least once a day.  I also have the big kids in sports (basketball cheer & karate--both indoor).  Gymnastics usually starts taking the small ones first plus sometimes you can find indoor swimming lessons for the LOs.   On the days where the weather is esp nice, we make sure to get out and go to the park or something.  We do have indoor putt putt golf, roller rink, and Chuck E Cheese--though we have only been to one of those in the last month or two for a b-day party.  See if there are any moms groups in your area with meet ups.  You can look for a MOPs or a group on FB (or Meet up).  GL!