RSSI love playing with my kids. It’s minus 8 outside and though I’m keen to enjoy the winter festivities and a good dose of vitamin D outdoors, I’m also mindful of what to do when the weather isn’t so inviting. I enjoy playing so much that I am also known to have preempted a cup of tea with a good friend to be goofy and induce a little play with said friend’s children. Have a real play date!
Need a little inspiration? Here’s our top five family favourites for keeping a 5 year old and a new baby occupied (and moving) indoors during cold winter weather.
1.) Dancing- putting on some music and a carefree spirit can warm up a room and spark a lot of fun. As a mom of boys this can sometimes lean more on my university elective of Kung Fu. I still call it dancing!
2.) Making parachutes- Inspired by one of our favourite Sarah’s Silks toys, my 5 year old and I craft several parachutes from our recycling pile and then have a race which enamours even the youngest in our brood.
3.) Simon dis- The french game of Simon Says incorporates simplistic words any anglophone can tackle. I enjoy my turn as I can check everyone’s hearing is okay when I’m talking. My five year old loves his turn to make his 4 month old baby brother lose in this game for not following the directions. It’s still fun.
4.) Take 2- Two minutes of singing, acting out a poem or two minutes of running, prowling and roaring like a lion incites a household silliness your kids will be sure to take on. On days of extra clingy-ness, it’s also been tested to provide two minutes to head to the washroom while keeping your little ones occupied.
Here’s a short action rhyme we’ve had a few years of fun acting out:
The elephant walks like this and like that
He’s very tall and very fat!
He has no fingers, He has no toes,
But goodness, gracious, what a nose!
5.) Treasure hunt- you can make this as simple or complicated as you wish. Make a treat and hide it away in a special spot. Add a bit of campy goofiness and you’ll be making memories in no time. “Going on a treasure hunt!” “Gonna find a good one” “I’m not afraid!” What’s that?, What’s that? “What’s that over there?” A table. “A table? A great big table! Can’t go through it, can’t go over it, gotta crawl under it!”….crawl, crawl, crawl…
You know the dishes and vacuuming can wait. Feel free to share your family’s favourite indoor activities!
Are you entering or in the early years of parenting and stumped when it comes to play? Discover the benefits and the how-to with Amy MacAulay’s Benefits of Play workshop!
See our workshop calendar here (upper right) on our blog for more workshops at a glance!
