As we got ready for winter break, we had yet another cold weather, outdoor playdate over the weekend. It lasted longer than expected but still ended the same way that most of these outdoor playdates have, with chattering teeth and complaints of being too cold. Yet, with unvaccinated kids, we’re still reluctant to bring playdates indoors.
Winter break is almost here which means a solid ten plus days of keeping the kids entertained, occupied, and their COVID exposure mitigated (have I mentioned how much I want to make sure that they can go back to school in person in January?). For some, this will be a challenge because they need to quarantine in order to visit relatives or return to school. For others, it will be tough because the cold weather makes it challenging to gather with friends or they are hunkering down to avoid contracting the Omicron variant.
When I first compiled a list of COVID-19 resources in March 2020, like everyone, I didn’t think that I would still be thinking about how to mitigate my family’s exposure as we entered 2022. With winter upon us, we’re going to need a new list of resources to help keep our kids entertained, occupied, and safe. Here a are few ideas to help you out:
25 Indoor Winter Break Activities
- Paper airplanes
- Make calming jars
- Cook dinner
- Bake cakes, muffins, or cookies
- Plant an indoor herb garden
- Decorate t-shirts with fabric markers
- Make friendship bracelets
- Make a bird feeder
- Paint with water colors
- Orgami
- Pillow fight
- Build a fort
- Film a movie using iMovie or other easy to use software tools
- Learn to code
- Put on a fashion show
- Yoga
- Build an obstacle course
- Play a board game or design one – check out these cooperative games!
- Go on a scavenger hunt
- Learn to juggle
- Dance party!
- Lipsyncing contest
- Make care packages for soldiers, old age homes, or other groups in need
- Build a tower out of marshmallows and spaghetti
- Perler bead art
If you get stuck, try this four-step process for dealing with your kids when they say they are bored. Plus here are some strategies from when we dealt with our first winter of COVID-19.
