When the weather takes a turn for the worse or family members are suffering from colds, it can be helpful to have some quiet activities on hand for kids that are fun yet also soothing. Children can enjoy downtime that’s thoughtful as opposed to energetic. Keep the following ideas in mind for the next time the kids are stuck inside and complaining that “there’s nothing to do.”
Color
Kids have long enjoyed using their developing artistic skills to express themselves. Even if you don’t have coloring books on hand, you’ll find some dazzling pages to color at this link. Kids can use crayons, markers, or even colored pencils to create their special works of art. Set out some crackers and juice and let your kids relax with snacks while displaying their creative flair.
Salt Dough
With salt, flour, and water, you can create a big bowl of dough that kids can mold into shapes and objects. Even older kids are sure to enjoy this activity. With salt dough, you can create ornaments for your holiday tree or even fun objects for the garden. Once the kids create their objects, you need to bake them until they harden. Afterward, they can decorate their hardened dough creations with some acrylic paints.
Read Together
Reading stories together is a wonderful way to create lasting memories while supporting kids’ educational needs. Reading is a life-long skill and the sooner you instill a love of books in your kids the better. You can find lots of great stories at your local library. If your kids are already reading, take turns reading. If you are suffering from colds and no one feels like reading aloud, borrow some audio books from the library instead. You can listen to great stories together!
Fun with Felt
Felt is an inexpensive item from the craft store, but it has lots of creative potential. On a rainy day, you can pull out some colorful squares of felt along with some good fabric glue and have the kids create special banners for their bedrooms. They can decorate their banners with felt butterflies, stars, baseballs, or other images that reflect what they like. Felt is easy to work with and kids only need some basic scissor skills to create with this versatile craft item.
Puzzles
Puzzles are classic boredom busters that you and your children can work on together. Put on some soothing music and clear a spot on your table to work on a challenging puzzle during a rain or snow storm. You’ll find all sorts of puzzles available at both toy stores and even craft stores. Whatever their age, you can find puzzles that suit their skill levels.
Keep these ideas in mind so that you’ll be ready with quiet activities the next time the kids are home recovering from colds or are unable to play outside because of the weather. You may even inspire the kids to pick up a new hobby once they discover how enjoyable these quiet pursuits can be.