Indoor Activities For Your Family During Colder Months

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If you live in the northern part of the US like I do, winter seems to drag on forever.

And when you have kids, there is nothing worse than being trapped inside all day because it’s too cold to run around outside. All that pent up energy has to go somewhere, right? So usually it leads to total destruction inside the house. Will the madness/winter ever end?! Well, we can’t change the weather – here in the Midwest it has a mind of its own! But we can find creative ways to keep our kids occupied with indoor activities to prevent complete chaos.

Activity #1: Age Appropriate Games

While we don’t want to encourage excessive video game playing, there are plenty of other types of games that are family friendly for all ages! Board games are an obvious choice: Chutes and Ladders, Sorry!, Monopoly, Life, even Scrabble for kids who enjoy word games. And let’s not forget the more interactive games: Twister, Jenga, or the various types of trivia games. If none of those sound appealing, what about dice? While Yahtzee is a popular one, there are many other dice games out there.

There are countless game options available from toddlers up to teens, from the original classics to modernized versions. Stop by your local toy store or Walmart to find one that everyone in the family can play. Not interested in board games? Keep reading for other indoor activities they might enjoy!

Activity #2: Card Games

I’m listing this one separately because this is more for older children who can understand the rules, depending on which game you are playing. You can buy the specialized decks like Uno (they have a new version out called Dos too!), Crazy 8s, or SkipBo. Or you can go old school and buy a plain deck that can be used for multiple games. Go Fish, War, or Slap Jack, anyone?

If your kids are teens and aren’t interested in the simpler games, consider teaching them how to play more complex games like Texas Hold ‘Em, 21, Hearts, or Euchre. (I am in no way encouraging you to teach them how to gamble, just the concepts of the card games.) Honestly, one of my favorite games to learn was Gin Rummy!

Card games can teach children how to use strategy and read their opponents. They will also learn mathematics with score keeping. It’s really a great way to bring everyone together.

Activity #3: Movie Night

There is nothing easier to plan than a movie night! This is one of my favorite indoor activities on the list. Pick a theme or a movie series, grab some popcorn and other theatre treats, and settle in for the night. If you have younger children, you may only get through one movie. But if the kids are older, you could make a whole weekend day of it.

Possible themes would be Disney classics, princess movies, Pixar films, etc which are easy to stream now thanks to Disney+! Or you can choose a franchise like Cars, Ice Age, Fast and the Furious, or Lord of the Rings. Make sure you choose something the kids will enjoy. My favorite marathon will always be the Harry Potter franchise. It’s a weekend long event!

Activity #4: Crafts

Pinterest will be your best friend when it comes to finding the ideal crafts for your kiddos. If it’s early enough in the winter season, you can opt for some holiday specific crafts like paper snowflakes to hang around the house or ornaments to hang on the tree.

Past Christmas? No problem! Make some puppets (sock or brown paper bag) or paint on canvas. You could make up a puppet skit once you’re done, and the canvas can be hung up in the living room to display it for all of your friends and family to admire.

Activity #5: Read A Book

Maybe your kids are used to story time before bed. But have you ever read to them during the day just because? There is nothing that says “winter” quite like snuggling up together to read a good book! Younger kids will enjoy the cuddle time and looking at all the illustrations. If your kids are older, offer to have separate but together reading time. This means they can read a book that interests them while you read your own.

Activity #6: Clean Your House

Now before you shake your head and say that you kid will never enjoy cleaning, give me a chance to explain. I don’t mean “clean” as in scrubbing floors and washing dishes. I’m being a little more specific than just “cleaning” here, and more philanthropic.

Ask your children to pick a certain number of toys, shirts, shoes, books, etc that they don’t use often and that are still in good condition. The number you give can be their age or something random, as long as it is reasonable and won’t make them feel like they are giving away half of their belongings. Do the same with your own belongings. Then take the kids to donate these items together.

This will help them learn some compassion for lose who have less than them. It will teach them that a donation is not meant to be “unwanted junk”, but rather well-cared for items that someone else needs more than they do. And in the process, you will have purged some unnecessary items from your home, reducing clutter and clearing out some space.

Activity #7: Cook Or Bake Together

This could be a midday baking session where you make cookies from scratch. Or you could make an entire meal, letting the kids help in areas that they can. (Please keep the younger ones away from the stove/oven!) Kids love to feel helpful, and cooking together also teaches them how to read recipes and follow directions. There is nothing better than preparing your children to be self sufficient. Plus, next time they ask you to make them a PB&J you can tell them they know how to do it themselves. 😉

Other Activities

This list only touched on a few indoor activities you can do as a family. Some other ideas are scrapbooking, writing a story together, building a fort, or making birthday cards for family with upcoming birthdays.

What other activities does your family do indoors when it’s too cold to play outside? Tell us in the comments!