Fun Indoor Kids' Games and Activities:
Help for the Housebound Parent
By Jennifer Bingham Hull
http://www.growingafamily.com
The storm has hit and you're stuck indoors with small children.
They're bouncing off the walls. You're going bananas.
You'd play Candyland but the pieces are missing. Anyway the kids
say they'd rather paint the mirror with your new lipstick.
What to do? Here are some indoor kids games and activities to keep
children entertained without plugging them into the TV.
*Build a fort. Face four chairs back to back forming a large,
open square. Drape a sheet over them. Put toys and kitchenware for
the kids to play with underneath. They can make a walkway to the
structure with blocks.
*Box them up. Children love cartons. Add a rope to the box
so they can pull each other around. Encourage the kids to decorate
their "boat" with markers. Beats having them scribble on the walls
every time.
*Throw a party. Announce it's bear's birthday and invite
his stuffed friends. The kids can create invitations and decorate
white paper plates by coloring them. Make slice and bake cookies
or popcorn. Stretch out the preparation. The party will only last
10 minutes
*Turn the bathroom into a science lab. Fill plastic bottles
with whatever is on the shelf to make potions. Toothpaste, ketchup,
food coloring - the yuckier the better. Add baking soda and vinegar
and watch your concoction fizz.
*Make collages. Keep everyone busy and clean out the magazine
rack by having your children clip pictures and paste them on paper.
Suggest a theme, such as animals. Toss any magazine older than your
toddler.
*Work them out. The problem with bad weather is that children
don't get enough exercise. Play "freeze dance," stopping in position
when the music goes off. Pile up pillows and encourage the kids
to gallop over them on hobbyhorses. Get out the tutus and do a dance
show. Anything to tire them out!
*Use a timer. Finish each activity with a cleanup game,
setting the timer and seeing how much everybody can pick up before
it rings!
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