Beat Cabin Fever With These Indoor Kids' Activities

January 23, 2016

Even if you don't live in a cold climate with snow, winter weather can seem endless and get you down. With the holidays far behind us, most people are ready for winter to be over. However, with a little creativity, winter can still be a blast even if you are stuck inside!

12 Ways To Beat Winter Blues Indoors

Kids and adults alike can stay active and have fun by making up new winter traditions and activities. Here are a few ways to have fun indoors:

Try snowman bowling. Gather up a few toilet paper or paper towel rolls and have the kids paint them like snowmen. Set up the snowman like bowling pins and roll a lightweight ball at them. Not only will the kids get to make something, they'll also get to have a friendly bowling competition!
If it's snowy outside but way too cold to get out and enjoy it, bring a baking pan full of snow inside for the kids to play with. The possibilities are endless for creating miniature snowmen and other wintery scenes.
Have a board game day. Board games are often pushed to the back of the shelf with the abundance of electronic toys around today. If you're stuck indoors, nothing can bring the family together like a board game.
Read some favorite winter-themed kids' books. A few good ones might be "Owl Moon" by Jane Yolen, "The Snowman" by Raymond Briggs, "The Mitten" by Jan Brett or "The Snowy Day" by Ezra Jack Keats.
Make paper snowflakes. Typically they're associated with holiday décor, but they're still a great seasonal decoration for all winter.
Have an indoor "snowball" fight with (clean) balled-up socks or giant pom poms. Make sure you do this in a rec room or other place with no breakables. Kids will have fun building fortresses and honing their aim.
Make a time capsule that you open next winter or in a few years. Kids grow up so fast, making time capsules a great way to hold onto special moments. Have your kids draw pictures and put in trinkets and a current picture of them. It might also be fun to interview your kids on silly questions that you can laugh about together when you open the capsule.
Get the kids involved in a charitable activity such as donating your car to Wheels For Wishes. Nothing feels better than giving back to children in need. If you have a car to donate, consider giving us a call at 1-855-278-9474 or filling out an online car donation form. Check out which children's charity benefits in your area here.
Make an indoor obstacle course in the basement or rec room. Winter tends to make us all a little more sluggish, but there's no reason you can't get some indoor exercise with a safe obstacle course.
For a quieter activity, teach your kids to knit, crochet or sew. Kids will have fun picking out bright yarn or fabric, and they may even pick up a new hobby. Little kids might enjoy using a plastic tapestry needle and yarn to sew felt pieces with precut holes.
Create a scavenger hunt. Kids will love looking for clues around the house and getting a small prize at the end.
Make pinecone bird feeders. If you have pinecones lying around the house from holiday decorations, turn them into bird feeders. Attach a string to the pinecone, then coat it in peanut butter and roll it in seeds. The birds will love it and your kids will have fun making them.

Get Outside This Winter Anyway

Winter can keep you pretty cooped up inside, but remember – there is no bad weather, only bad clothing. As long as you dress for the weather it's possible to have a blast outside no matter what season it is. Try one of these if you're stuck:

Bundle up and have a winter campfire.
Go sledding.
Find an ice rink and go skating.
Find a park and go on a winter hike or snowshoeing adventure.
Don't forget to bring a thermos of hot cocoa with you!

Wanting To-do Something As A Family?

If you have a vehicle that has just been sitting around and you don’t know what to do with it; you can donate it to Wheels For Wishes. You can help a child by donating an unused vehicle to Wheel For Wishes. By donating your car, all the benefits go to local children charities. Find more information about the charity that benefits children in your area using our chapter locator. Donate your car in one easy step, either by calling 1-855-278-9474 or by filling out the online donation form. Put that unused car to good use and donate it today!