Whether the winter weather or your child’s prolonged run of the sniffles has you trapped inside, being stuck indoors takes a toll on both you and the kids.
The next time you find yourself confined to your four walls, try these 10 energy burning, mood enhancing activities to nip cabin fever in the bud.
1. Make your own bowling alley.
Set up 10 empty water bottles in the hallway and have at it. Give your kids a small ball and let them take to the lane for fun.
2. Go swimming.
Fill the bathtub, add some toys and encourage your child to swim and play in the water (with supervision).
3. Tape away.
Give your child some painter’s tape and let him create a masterpiece on your wall. You can even create a hopscotch court on the kitchen floor for some family competition.
4. Make a city.
Pull out an old sheet and let your child draw a city for his cars and people to navigate.
5. Build a fort.
Classic and fun, pull off the couch cushions, drape blankets over the furniture and let your kids imagination run wild.
6. Bake cookies.
Bake chocolate chip cookies or another special treat. The added work of having a little helper pays off when you see her face after tasting her own creation.
7. Make a sensory box.
Fill a large shallow box or plastic tub with rice or sand to create your own sensory play table. Add some small plastic toys and a shovel and you child will have a ball. Put it on top of a large blanket or towel for easy cleanup.
8. Play a game.
Hullaballoo, freeze dance and Twister are perfect indoor family friendly games that are sure to cure cabin fever.
9. Have a hunt.
Hide left over plastic Easter eggs, wrapped candy or even Qtips and let the kids see how many items they can find.
10. Do arts and crafts.
Set out an assortment of supplies and let the kids create an artistic masterpiece.
Since we’re so used to being on the go, it can be hard to engage the kids when we are stuck inside for an extended period of time. Hopefully these ideas will help and work as a spring board for you to come up with more creative ideas of your own.
What’s your number one cabin fever buster? How to you keep your sanity when stuck inside?
