The weather outside is frightful.
And by frightful I mean 15 degrees below zero without the windchill. Schools in our area closed yesterday because it was simply too dangerous to have kids wait outside for the bus.
Old Man Winter’s brutal cold slap is being felt across the nation. The bone-chilling temperatures have most families cuddling up together as they wait for the spring thaw to arrive. Of course, all that togetherness can be a bit too much for kids and adults to handle, especially if the weather pattern persists for multiple days.
If you are looking to keep your blood pressure down and your children’s spirits up as you wait out this Artic blast, consider the following options for affordable indoor fun:
DIY Mailbox: Nothing stops the mail from being delivered to your home, including sub-zero conditions. However, going out to retrieve letters and bills from your mailbox in the cold is a totally different matter. To keep your kids busy, have them make their own mock mailboxes. All you’ll need is a shoebox, some old magazines, pictures, markers, scissors, and glue. Have your kids cut-out photos they want to use to decorate their boxes. They could also opt to use a family photo. Next, glue the images on the box. When the glue dries, have your kids decorate the box with markers or simply have them write out their name. Finally, write notes to each other and designate a “mail carrier” to deliver the letters to the respective boxes.
Dress Up and Down: Have kids burn off some energy by playing a clothes relay. You’ll need about 10 pieces of clothing for each team. The object of the game is to see how quickly the players can dress and undress using multiple layers. First, divide into two teams. Place at least 10 items of clothing on the first player in line. You can use pants, jackets, scarves, hats and long underwear. The first player on each team must then strip off the layers and place them in a pile at the other end of the room. The next player has to run to the pile and put on the clothes over his or her own, as quickly as possible. The player then runs back to the starting point and takes off the clothes, and then the next player on the team puts on the clothes, runs to the other side of the room, and takes off the clothes. The game continues until the last player returns to the team. The first team to finish wins.