How to keep kids busy in winter??

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Forum -> Parenting our children -> Toddlers

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Roses4me

Wed, Nov 04 2009, 3:11 am

Need ideas to keep the kids busy these cold, rainy days.

Esp. when it rains, I never feel like going out, because its such a hassle. I have a 2yr old and 10mth old.

But I feel they need to go out of the house (and me!)

What type of things do other women do?
(we dont have too many options here like play groups or indoor places)

LuckyMum

Wed, Nov 04 2009, 3:21 am

I dont have too many ideas - mostly sypathy. My 2 year old and 11 month old drive me crazy on cold rainy days when were stuck inside.
We read books, do puzzles, wreck the house, scream whine cry.... and I lose my mind usually.... Hug

jackiejoel3

Wed, Nov 04 2009, 3:22 am

Invite a friend who has kids of a similar age. Bake cookies with them, play play dough( better yet make your own it takes longer and they love it!), sing and dance with them, and read stories, a nice long bath is always fun as well. Also if they are home with you all day have a slower morning on rainy days. If you don't get dressed until 9:30 or 10:00am that's a head start on filling the day.

pinktichel

Wed, Nov 04 2009, 3:25 am

I have the same problem. We have a couple of indoor play centers but refuse to take the kids there cuz they are FULL of viruses. Those places never get cleaned out and last time we went, my kids came down with a horrendous case of flu which lasted about 10 days!!

MimsCH

Wed, Nov 04 2009, 3:56 am

bake with them, do some artwork, window colouring is real fun (depends on the age)....or let them watch some uncle moishy dvd!!!

shopaholic

Wed, Nov 04 2009, 10:02 pm

I just bought a huge bag of rice at BJ's. I put it in a large, shallow storage container (the kind that fits under the bed for storing clothes). I put little cups, sieves etc for them to play with. We're going to do it tomorrow in my playgroup because I think it's supposed to rain.

Other things I do -
playdoh
coloring with sidewalk chalk on the chalkboard side of my Ikea easel
dry erase markers on the other side
music & movement
baking
I pull out a toy that we haven't played with in a while like waffle blocks
make collages (scraps of everything to be glued on a paper)

octopus

Wed, Nov 04 2009, 10:08 pm

hmmm.... they take apart my house. literally.

Blue jay

Wed, Nov 04 2009, 10:16 pm

This has been an ongoing question in my mind..

So recently ive instituted "mommy school time" with my 3 year olds and 1 year old.
FOR a large chunk of time whatever I can spare I devote to educating my kids on cubjects likeL

THe art of coloring
Elmo appreciation
Music time
Some physical activiity , like kids exercise tape like "Elmocisize" in which I participate or dance with kids
Recently I bought 2 hobby horse at target and my kids race around the house shouting Tally ho!
The possiblities are endless

Then after the school time is over your kids will not be so antsy and bored they might play on their own for a little while... and you can take a little break

octopus

Wed, Nov 04 2009, 10:21 pm

elmo appreciation. I am rotfl! My kids would like that !

Mirel

Wed, Nov 04 2009, 10:33 pm

Let them help you with household chores like putting laundry in the right drawers, cleaning (shpritzing) windows, vacuuming, peeling potatoes......

chaylizi

Wed, Nov 04 2009, 10:46 pm

your 2 year old peels potatoes?

flowerpower

Wed, Nov 04 2009, 10:47 pm

Art-kids love art. Stock up on stickers, markers, paint, dot art....

Mirel

Wed, Nov 04 2009, 10:57 pm

chaylizi wrote:

your 2 year old peels potatoes?

no but I would say 4 or 5 year olds could!! 2 year olds can shpritz windows!!! and wipe with lots of shmattas!!!

shevi82

Thu, Nov 05 2009, 3:53 am

Don't take out all your toys at once. I hide some toys and then whan I take them out it's a big excitment and keeps them busy and happy for a long time.
My kids love playdough ( I hate the mess!) but I let them have it a t the kitchen table once in a while.
I also bought a few new books, and will buy each kid a new toy for chanuka.

pinktichel

Thu, Nov 05 2009, 4:52 am

Some really great ideas here. Just wish I could get my kids to do them on their own!
My kids are still young and are home with me all day, so by the time it gets dark, I think it's nearly bed time. And then I look at the clock... Rolling Eyes

Yesterday, I put on Morah Music and had them dance around until Dh came home to bathe them. Hey, it passed time and I got to sit on the couch. LOL

Mrs Bissli

Thu, Nov 05 2009, 6:27 am

When it's winter and rainy (many such occasions here Wink

) I still try to take the children out. It's sooo easy to get cooped up indoors which I hate as we don't have a big house.

Do you have local libraries with children's section? They may have story telling etc.
Also you'll be surprised how museums can be friendly/appropriate for young children.
Indoor kids swimming pools?
Acquarium?
Indoor pet zoos?
Visit senior citizen's home for a tea?
Plain simple playdates.

We're fortunate to have indoor playgrounds in many public leisure centres. As for the germs, I just bring antiviral wipes and make sure kids wash their hands afterwards.

pinktichel

Thu, Nov 05 2009, 8:48 am

Mrs Bissli wrote:

When it's winter and rainy (many such occasions here Wink

Don't know if you were responding to me, but unfortunately, there are no museums, zoos, aquariums, etc within a 2 hour drive from us.
I've taken my kids to the senior citizen's home but they hated it and cried, begging to leave. Don't want to force it.
Playdates? I wish! No Jewish kids that aren't in school that we know of.
As you can see, it's really difficult. Very rarely we manage to go to some friends (1 hr away) to join her Mommy and Me group.

AlwaysGrateful

Thu, Nov 05 2009, 10:46 am

Try mock cooking! Take out one of your big cooking pots (or two, one for each kid), and have them choose different toys to put into the pots...stir with a big spoon...keep on tasting it to see what else it needs...the 10 month old might just like dumping things into the pot, which is fine.

If you don't get headaches easily, give them pots and pans and spoons. Let them bang.

Do your kids like cars? Take a big piece of paper and draw different things on it - the grocery store, the zoo, the park - and have the cars drive around for a while.

Lots of blocks. Then play animals or little people inside whatever they build (a castle, a tower, a house).

Bubbles! Fill a big pot with soap and water in the sink so that tons of bubbles are on top. Give each child several handfuls, let them throw them, blow them...just make sure your baby doesn't eat them. They disappear, so no mess!

Or try some of these:
http://www.brighthub.com/educa......aspx
http://fun.familyeducation.com......html
http://www.parents.com/fun/act.....ties/
http://parenting.kaboose.com/a......html

Enjoy!

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