20 Indoor + Winter Fun Ideas

Is it just me or is my toddler e x t r a energetic lately?  After being spoiled with 70 degree December days, we just don't know what to do with ourselves being cooped up inside all day.  Don't get me wrong, I am probably the biggest fan of cold weather ever - but I do love getting to go outside & let Cam just "be a boy" everyday.  You know, get all that c r a z y wild energy out.

Instead, these days he enjoys coloring the couches with pens, chucking his monster trucks into the wall, & turning on every electronic at the same time to see how long it takes for mommy to get a headache & forget my place in the world!  Little stinker.  Oh, & let's not forget how much he begs to use the IPad. 

As much as I hate to admit it, I have resorted to the iPad & television toooo much.  Especially after little brother came along & I've had to juggle two.  Something I said I'd n e v e r do.  Yea, let's just add that as the #43,298th thing I said I wouldn't let my kid{s} do.  It's so easy to have a sit down chill Cam as opposed to a throw his toys into the window & break things Cam.  But easy doesn't necessarily raise up a good kid.  I have consciously become more aware of how much he was beginning to want it in place of playing & we have completely scaled back.  Which hasn't been easy.  I mean, it's winter!  How do you entertain a toddler indoors a l l day long?  

I'm glad you asked!  Let me just share a little research & brain power with you...

1.  Indoor Camp Out:  Grab some sheets to make a tent, smore ingredients, & a flashlight - we're bringing the outdoors inside!  We had endless fun the past few days spending time in Cam's teepee telling "scary stories" (about Sharks) & pretending Ony was a big Polar Bear attacking our tent.  

2.  Hide & Seek with Stuffed Animals:  Let your kids pick out their favorite stuffed animals & take turns hiding them.  Fun for hours, I'm telling you!

3.  Board Games:  Operation, Matching Games, Hungry Hippos, Candy Land.  The list goes on & on!

4.  Bon a petit:  Get in the kitchen & whip up some cookies or a yummy meal.  I love to bake & my favorite things to do are make sugar cookies & "fruit art."  I guess you could call it that?  I let Cam help me mix all the ingredients & pick out which cookie cutter to use.  He also likes to tell me what kind of "fruit picture" he wants.

5.  Dance Party:  Cam loves to dance.  Or be held, while I slowly rot inside with every bounce & shake holding this 45 lber.  His favorite song, along with every other toddler in the world, is "Shake it Off."  The kiddo has good taste...it is hard not to shake it when this song comes on!

6.  Make something!  This, I haven't done yet.  But the internet- or let's just go straight to the source... Pinterest - has way too many fun crafts & projects to tackle to be bored or throwing an iPad at a kid.  I'm thinking of trying homemade slime?  Playdough or magic mud!

7.  Draw/Color:  This is the old school way we used to have fun.  Still nothing wrong with it & a great time to teach our babies letters, shapes, & colors!  Or just color a ninja turtle or princess...

8.  Rollar Skate/Ride Bikes in Basement:  I know this isn't a great idea for everyone- but for those with basements... this is sure a great way to expend all that energy.  I know this was the highlight of my snow days as a kid:)

9.  Build a cardboard house!  If you have some extra cardboard or boxes lying around the house-make use of it!  Get creative.  Build a box.  Or a car.  Use your imagination & the possibilities are endless!

10.  Bubbles:  Kids love them.  If you don't like them inside your home, the bathtub is a fun place to use them.

11.  It's never a bad idea to keep a couple balloons handy.  Cam loves to toss them back & forth or kick them around.  And your sure not to shatter anything with a little light weight balloon;)  Balloon tennis, anyone?

12.  Make an e x p l o d i n g car wash for boys or bubble bath for their princesses for girls.  Check it out here!

13.  This is probably a given...build a tower.  Legos, blocks, or styrofoam cups!  Easy enough:)

14.  Take a bath just for fun.  (Which if your a two year old Cam, that's all baths are supposed to be anyway...right??)  Try throwing glow sticks in the tub with the lights dimmed.

15.  Physical Games:  Simon Says, Ring around the Roses, Duck Duck Goose...all the classics!

16.  Play "store," "restaurant," or "doctor."  I used to love doing this as a kid...encourage using the imagination.  Let them help you make a menu or set up the store.  And for the doctor, remind them of Doc McStuffins!  I'm sure they have plenty of toys that might need an appointment with your mini doc:)

17.  Read books!  Storytime should never be downplayed or get old.  Okay, sorry there is the speech therapist in me.

18.  Tape!  Love this idea for my active boy!  And I have a feeling it will soon be be boys...

19.  Pretend it's summer if your all catching the winter blues.  Throw out some beach towels in the living room floor, grill hamburgers, & play some tropical tunes:)  

20.  Lastly, just follow your kiddos lead...you never know what fun things you might come up with;)  Kids are the most creative little people out there!  

And if your lucky enough to have a "snow day"- by all means...bundle up & head outdoors!  We had a blast today wearing ourselves o u t:-)

I'm all up for more ideas, y'all.  Let's make a running list!  Send them this little mama's way:)