Here in Connecticut, we have had a brutal January. Temps have been way too cold to go outside. We’ve had a few decent snow storms already. It is really difficult for the whole family when the kids have limited time outside. You really can’t send an asthmatic kid out in 10-degree cold and my couches are pretty tired of my two little jumping beans. So what are some winter activities that we do to stay active when it is just too cold to go outside?
1. Children’s Museums
There are a few great children’s museums near us. The Connecticut Science Center in Hartford is great for building activities and discovery. The Children’s Museum of Southeastern Connecticut is a smaller museum with lots of pretend play areas. But our favorite is the Providence Children’s Museum. They really have a great selection of pretend play and building activities and my kids can stay entertained for a good 3-4 hours here.
Children’s museums are a great play opportunity for your kids. They have “New to them Toys” that are exciting to your kids when they are tired of playing with all the things you just got them for Christmas. Many offer educational programming like science experiments (that you don’t have to clean up), or history lessons, crafts or song circles. It’s a great way to expand your kids’ experiences beyond what you like to do.
Worried about the cost? Many offer discounts through library passes, grocery store cards, military families or teacher associations. Last year my kids went on a field trip to the Providence Children’s Museum through their daycare. They came home with coupons for our next trip. If you have a favorite, memberships are also a great way to save. Most of the memberships I’ve priced out pay for themselves after 3 or 4 trips. And there are usually other perks with it- birthday party discounts, magazine subscriptions, camp scholarships.
2. The Library
When I was a kid, I loved the library. I was a voracious reader. I would take out about 10 books on Saturday morning and have most of them read by Sunday at supper. But here’s the thing- today’s libraries are so much more than just books. They have really fun toy areas. Sometimes my kids argue about which library we should visit- the one with the puppets theater, the play kitchen nicer than my real kitchen or the one with soooo many Lego‘s.
They also offer great educational programming. I really hate doing crafts at home. I spend more time prepping and cleaning up than they spend doing the craft, and it never looks like it does on Pinterest. So why not let the library do the work for you? Some libraries bring in presenters from zoos or operas or science labs to really get kids interested in new ideas. And you don’t have to stick to your local library. You may not be able to borrow books, but you can certainly read there and take advantage of all they have to offer. Trust me- they want you there.
3. Grocery Store Scavenger Hunt
I found this idea on Pinterest, and it is a fun way to take an ordinary weekend chore and turn it into a fun activity.
Dress the kids up before you go as some sort of seekers. Pirates, safari hunters, archeologists. Whatever you have. Then print out pictures of whatever is on your weekly grocery list. Give each kid a few pictures and have them keep an eye out. And give them a prize at the end for finding everything on their list. I usually go with Play-Doh. I would recommend doing this early in the morning when there aren’t a lot of people in the store. My kids tend to get loud and wander more than a cart length away when we play Scavenger Hunt, so avoiding crowds keeps them safe.
4. Build a Living Room Fort
I usually let Dad handle this one. My kids would re-purpose my couch cushions every day if we let them. Trampoline Tuesday, Whack Your Sister Wednesday, Speedway Saturday. I’m usually the one telling them to clean it up, so when we do decide to make the living room fort, I let Dad be the good guy. It’s a really simple way to make the same old living room transform into something new. That really is the key to surviving the winter. Kids get bored doing the same thing every day. They need something new and fresh, and they really need to get moving.
Remember friends, 40-degree weather is just around the corner (70 degrees is a few corners away), and there are ways to survive the cold that doesn’t involve watching Nick Jr. all day long. Stay warm.
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