Whether you’re snowed in or it’s simply too hot to play outdoors, you know what cabin fever feels like when you’re home with kids. And while the TV might be able to provide a little entertainment, you don’t want that to be an all-day affair. But what’s a parent to do when the kids are bored and you’re fresh out of ideas? Foster your children’s natural curiosity and creativity with these five crafts and activities for kids.
- Create a racetrack. Grab an old fun noodle from the pool area and cut it in half lengthwise. Prop both pieces up, side by side, so they’re angled downward and make two parallel racetracks. Make sure they both end in a shoebox on the floor. Then, find marbles of all different sizes and your kids can race them. After all, what kid doesn’t love a little competition? Create fun prizes for a variety of things, like fastest marble, slowest marble, silliest marble race name, and more.
- Design a photo book online. This is an especially great activity for older children, who seem to understand technology better than us sometimes! Work with your kids to choose pictures from the past year or a special family vacation. Then, find an online site like Shutterfly where they can create personalized photo books. This should keep them busy for hours! If their attention span is shorter, ask them to help you design fun family photo cards for any upcoming holidays or events.
Build a fort. This traditional activity is one that parents often forget simply because it takes time and can be a bit a messy for the average day at home. But for an extended period of days when you know you’ll be stuck inside, what could be more fun than creating an elaborate maze of sheets in your living room or kids’ rooms? Not only will it tire your kiddos out physically, but it’ll require them to use brainpower and creative juices too!
- Write and illustrate a book. Regardless of age, this is a great activity for kids! First, create blank books for them by folding in half a piece of heavy cardstock and approximately ten to fifteen sheets of printer paper; then, staple along the seam to create a homemade book. Sit your kids down with pens, crayons, and markers, and ask each of them to create a story to share. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy – you can help younger children come up with the words to match their pictures.
- Make playdough. For those kids who love hands-on crafts, this is perfect. First, browse recipes to make homemade playdough for one that works for you. If you think they’re old enough, let your kids help make the dough – then, let them create away!
Rainy days, snow days, and summer days can be tough, especially when your idea well has run dry. Hopefully these ideas have sparked some of your own. Foster and engage your children’s creativity and you may be surprised at the result. Happy crafting!
Author Bio: Heather Hewitt is a seasoned writer and guest author who enjoys connecting people with thoughtful products, services and ideas as they relate to crafting, photography, gift giving and personal expression.
