10 Fun Indoor Winter Activities to Beat Boredom

Some winter days just aren’t made for the great outdoors. That’s simply because the temperatures may drop so low that the sniffles and fever are two very real possibilities. Of course, that doesn’t mean you (or your kiddos) should spend those days hunched in front of a screen. Instead, get your creativity on with these 10 fun indoor winter activities that’ll keep both you and your mini-me engaged for hours.

1. Make Marshmallow Slime

We know we’re not supposed to play with our food. But, if there’s one treat that begs to be squished, stretched, molded, and juggled, that’s the oh-so-sweet marshmallow. Thanks to its pasty nature, the candy doubles as glue and serves as an excellent base for your very own DIY slime. And since this mixture contains perfectly safe ingredients, both of you can take a bite of the thing.

Ingredients:

2 cups marshmallows
1-2 tbsp powdered sugar
1/2 tbsp freeze dried strawberries (or any other fruit you like)

Directions:

Crush the strawberries until they turn into a fine powder.
Place the marshmallows into a heat-proof bowl and place it in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time until they melt completely.
Remove carefully because the bowl may be too hot.
Add the powdered sugar slowly while stirring to make sure it’s distributed evenly.
Then, stir in the powdered strawberries.
Once it’s cool enough, dig your hands into the bowl and knead the mixture. Add more powdered sugar if you feel the slime is still sticky.

2. Draw Holiday Greeting Cards

If you and your little one are good at art and love to work on small projects now and then, you can bring all your creativity to life by drawing your own holiday greeting cards. You don’t need to use fancy materials to get the job done – just some craft paper and coloring pens. To nail the Christmas theme, make sure you use enough red and green for trees and gifts and switch to black, orange, or red if you feel like drawing a snowman. The best thing about this indoor winter activity is that you get to create something unique that comes from the heart, and that’s what the holidays are all about!

3. Have an Indoor Picnic

Picnic and the great… indoors aren’t exactly a match made in heaven. But, that shouldn’t stop you from changing the rules and setting up the best picnic your family has even been on. So, to make it work:

prep a few easy snacks or mini dishes in your kitchen (freeze dried fruits and veggies are a must if you don’t want to spend hours on cooking)
clear some space in the attic, living room, or dining room,
spread a picnic blanket
put the food in a basket

You know the rest. Oh, and if you want to ditch the packaged stuff, these healthier picnic swaps will definitely do the trick.

4. Decorate the House

If you haven’t started decorating your house yet, this is the time to do so. But, since we love thinking outside the box, we’d advise you to stray off the norm (in a good way) and create your own ornaments before dangling them from your tree, stairs, or fireplace. Items like cotton or ping-pong balls, glitter, color pens, and beads are fair game. From then on, it’s all up to your imagination (and perhaps some Pinterest inspiration).

5. Make an Indoor Snowman

Just because you decided to spend the day inside, it doesn’t mean you can’t play with snow. So, take a bucket, head outside, and fill it with the freshest, whitest snow you can find. Then, go to the bathroom and toss it all inside the bathtub. Put on your gloves and start working on your snowman. Needless to say, your creation will melt by the end of the day (if not within 3-4 hours), but this activity is an excellent alternative if your kid is still too young to play outside.

6. Watch a Holiday Movie

Let’s be honest: there’s nothing cozier than curling up to a good holiday movie when it’s snowing outside. So, as your porch turns white, tell everyone to wear their favorite pajamas, and organize a pseudo-slumber party. You can even build a blanket fort for the little ones and stock it up with their favorite Christmas snacks. And if you don’t know where to start, these movie suggestions will bring a smile to everyone’s face:

Home Alone
How The Grinch Stole Christmas
Jack Frost
The Polar Express
It’s A Wonderful Life

7. Make a Batch of Snow Paint

Even though snow painting is usually reserved for the backyard, this version of the activity is perfect for those who want to spend time inside the house. All you have to do is mix white tempera with opal glitter and let your kid (or yourself) go crazy. You can use the sparkly paint to glitz-ify anything from construction paper to fabric. If you feel daring, you can even cover the ground with a sheet, place a piece of paper on top of it, and splatter the paint on the paper Pollock-style.

8. Create a Cozy Reading Nook

Sure, keeping your little ones (or yourself) busy sounds great. But, sometimes, we all need to calm down. On those days, pick up your favorite blanket and a good book and snuggle up on a comfy chair with lots of pillows. If you have your kid along, this activity may also put them to sleep, so that’s a bonus.

9. Set Up an Indoor Scavenger Hunt

For this indoor winter activity, you should hide a bunch of clues all over the house and help your little ones solve the riddles on their way to the “treasure chest,” which could be filled with candies, art tools, or whatever your little one enjoys the most. You can even pick a theme for each “race,” based on your kid’s hobbies such as space, amusement park, or winter wonderland.

10. Get Your Dance On

What better time to dance than the holidays? Blast the Christmas tunes off and start moving to the beat. If there are kids around, let loose and dance toddler-style. If they are older, you can even have a dance-off or play shadow dancer (you know, when one has to follow their partner’s moves). Stomp your feet, twirl around, and clap your hands – the options are limitless.

What are your go-to indoor winter activities? Let us know in the comments below!

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