While most children love playing in the snow, when the temperature outside dips too low, snow turns to ice and school gets cancelled, those same children become bored, restless and agitated when stuck inside for long periods of time.
Commonly referred to as cabin fever, this feeling affects children and adults alike. Oftentimes parents are left scrambling to find something for the kids to do to fill the time, when it’s too cold or stormy to be outside.
With that in mind, here are a few pointers for parents when the inevitable snowfall hits and they are left with a house full of stir-crazy kids who are desperate for something to do.
• Gather around the fire and read a book. Though most children might not enjoy reading for pleasure on their own, those same children probably enjoy being read to. Grab a blanket, some hot cocoa and a good book and stay warm with your children by reading to them.
• Board games. Many board games take a couple of hours to play, making these a fun and time-consuming option for beating cabin fever. While games like Monopoly might be too advanced for younger children to enjoy, plenty of other games exist that can be fun for young children and adults.
• Invite over some friends. If you live in an area that gets particularly cold or is known to have lots of snowfall, this can be a great way to share the responsibility of finding something for your children to do.
Allow your children to invite over some friends so they can keep each other busy. See if their friends’ parents wouldn’t mind hosting the kids the next time snow falls and school’s out.
• Dress up. Playing dress up can be a fun way to pass the time. Let your children make their own outfits and pretend to be whomever they want, be it a super hero, princess, movie character or animal.
• Rent a movie without leaving the house. Thanks to recent advancements in technology cable companies now provide a slew of movies. At similar and many times better prices than a video store, you can rent a movie through your television set without ever having to dress the kids and leave the house.
• Make some arts and crafts. Chances are, you have enough things around the house (i.e. brown lunch bags, paper plates, construction paper) that can make for some pretty fun materials when making arts and crafts.
This can also be a good way to encourage creativity in your children on days where they might otherwise be plopped down in front of the television set for hours on end. This will also keep their minds sharp for the inevitable return to school.
• Make your home into a sports arena. Though generally it’s a good idea not to play ball in the house, some creative maneuvering can make for a fun and safe way to play games indoors.
If you have an especially large basement and not too much furniture down there, consider letting the kids play a game like Broomball, where they use a soft ball and a couple of brooms.
Most adults and children will have fun playing this game, and it’s a good way to sneak in some good physical activity during the long winter months.
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