By Guest Blogger Julie Fritz
When it is 19 degrees outside, we all tend to get a little stir crazy. Add an energetic 3-year-old to the mix and, like me, you might feel like your gonna lose it. It can be so hard to keep our little people entertained when we can’t just go outside and play. So here are a few ideas for ways to entertain your preschoolers and toddlers during the winter months. When you are just out of ideas, I hope this can help you stay warm and keep your cool.
Home Indoor Activities for Toddlers
Cardboard Box Creations If you like Amazon as much as I do, then you always have an extra cardboard box laying around. Get one, or a few, out and let your toddlers get crafty! Imaginations will run wild and they will have blast. My son even used his tools on one to do “some serious construction.”
Playdough Most little people love playdough. It makes me a little crazy with the mess factor, but I try to let that go because it’s a great sensory play tool and sparks the imagination. You can use store bought or make your own. Pinterest has a ton of very simple recipes.
Keep A Craft Box A friend of mine gave me a craft box when we moved into our new house. Such a terrific present! It has all kinds of things in it. Paper plates, popsicle sticks, stickers, pom poms, glue sticks, etc. It’s amazing and you never know what kinds of crazy creations will come out of it. Plus there are lots of things you can use for fine motor skill development. You can put one together yourself, or just order one online.
Finger Painting Another great sensory play activity. I get the big Crayola floor pads for big pieces of paper and washable finger paint. It’s messy, but they will love it. And bonus, you get some great new artwork to hang in the kitchen.
Make Puppets This is always a huge hit in our house. A few small paper bags, glue sticks, googly eyes and some markers and voila, you have puppets. Use one of those cardboard boxes to make a theater and put on a show. You can order simple puppet kits online, or just get crafty on your own.
When you just have to get out of the house
Kaleideum Sometimes my son just needs to run! When we have been in the house for a few days, going to Kaleideum North or South is a life saver. We have an annual pass and it is worth every penny.
Mall Playgrounds Hanes Mall has 2 indoor playgrounds. This is a great free option for an indoor place to play. We will start at one and then go to the other. It will provide as much entertainment as you need for as long as you like and can really wear out a toddler. The mall opens one hour before the stores do for walkers, and you can use the playgrounds during that time too.
Chuck E Cheese and Safari Nation These are last resorts for us, because they aren’t super toddler friendly. However, if you an older child and toddler it’s a great choice. You can go online and look for coupons to help make it more cost effective.
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