[Guest Post] Brr, It's Cold: Indoor Activities for House-Bound Kids
/Well, we’ve already seen some rainy days here this October, and we all know that this is just the beginning. Eeek, the rainy season is upon us and many of our normal energy release places are still closed. I know rain doesn’t mean outside is out-of-the-question, but there will be a lot more time spent indoors. To help with some indoor ideas, Carrie from The Spencers Adventures is here as a guest to share some ideas!
Here’s a bit about Carrie:
Carrie Spencer created The Spencers Adventures to share her family’s homesteading adventures. On the site, she shares tips on living self-sufficiently, fruit and vegetable gardening, parenting, conservation, and more. Their goal to live as self-sufficiently and environmentally-consciously as possible.
The Best Activities For House-Bound Kids When It’s Too Cold To Play Outside
As the leaves turn and the air gets colder, the days are numbered when kids can go outside and get out of your hair for a spell. Instead, you can look forward to chaos in the household. However, bored and restless children don’t have to be the norm. With engaging activities that offer the right amount of fun and excitement, parents and kids alike may even enjoy this respite. Raising Tacoma offers these recommendations to help everyone stay sane.
Tech is okay.
Gadgets are often seen as a bad parenting tool. We get it—too much screen time will potentially fry your kids’ brains. Well, maybe not literally, but it has been found to negatively affect children’s intellectual, social, and even physical development. However, there’s also no denying that it is a godsend in keeping kids engaged and behaved.
In reality, there can be no harm in screen time—as long as it is used in moderation. In fact, activities like gaming can offer cognitive benefits for kids—improving problem-solving skills, hand-eye coordination, concentration, brain speed, and more. Games that allow for both fun and learning are even great supplements to schoolwork, as well as a welcome relief from routine and boredom.
So yes, use tech and games wisely and sparingly for both you and your kids to truly benefit. Just make sure that your home internet connection can handle the usage on top of what you normally use it for, such as work or streaming movies. The last thing you want is laggy bandwidth that leads to meltdowns.
Two birds with one stone.
Just because you want your house-bound kids to have fun (and stay out of trouble) doesn’t mean that they can’t learn a thing or two. So why not choose activities that do both? This way, you get to hold on to your sanity while your kids stay productive.
There is no shortage of educational activities that can keep your kids busy, too, so choose ones that are age-appropriate. For the little ones, arts and crafts are sure to be a hit. It is messy enough to be interesting, but it can also encourage creativity and imagination. Regardless of age, though, kids will surely benefit from STEM activities that complement what they are learning in school.
Time to move.
Don’t forget that even when they are stuck at home, kids still need to move so they can get the wiggles out, and, more importantly, stay fit and healthy. It’s only smart to also have in your arsenal indoor-friendly physical activities that your kids can do, as well as child-friendly exercises. These can be anything from obstacle course races to yoga to dance parties.
And why not join in the fun, as well? Indoor activities are so much more fun when mom and dad are on board, after all! But do make sure to dress comfortably while you’re it. A soft and breathable tee and patterned leggings would be the perfect choice to stay comfy and stylish as you try to keep up with the kids.
Suffice it to say, inclement weather doesn’t have to mean a chaotic household when it can be an opportunity to bond as a family. Again, the key lies in the indoor activities that your kids do, so get creative and prepare. Above all, be flexible so everyone can better enjoy the moment.
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