Inside: 42 fun activities for kids at home instead of screen time.
Here in northern Minnesota it starts snowing in October and our last snow storm is usually in April. That is a good 6 months or more of winter. When it is 45 below zero (this is not an exaggeration) it is a lot of work to back the kids up to go do something away from the house. I have had a lot of experience keeping kids busy at home.
Even when spring Spring can be rainy and even summer has its rainy days, so it is a little easier to go out and about, but being a small town the options are limited. It really helps everyone’s mood to have some fun activities to do at home.
There are many dangers to too much screen time. Too much screen time limits creativity and is a detriment to developing social skills and imagination.
Instead of turning on the television or letting the kids play computer games try some of these creative, fun activities.
Fun activities at home will cut down on whining and bickering. Pin this post here, so if you are at a loss for ideas to bust the kids’ boredom you have a go-to resource.
Kid Activities for Rainy Days
- Bake cookies
- Read a book
- Play a board game
- Make a fort with blankets and a table
- Make a vision board
- Build a robot
- Play volleyball with a balloon
- Let them paint the walls with water brushes and paint rollers
- Do a scavenger hunt
- Make a Lego creation
- Build a house with empty boxes
- Play dress up
- Put on a play by acting out a favorite story
- Make hand shadows
- Make homemade pizza
- Make a scrapbook
- Cover a plastic table cloth with shaving cream and make roads for matchbox cars
- Use an app to learn a language
Crafts for Kids to Do at Home
- Make play dough that smells awesome
- Paint a picture
- Color a picture
- Knit or crochet a dishcloth
- Build a birdhouse
- Finger paint
- Straw weaving
- Paint rocks
- Origami
- Make a fairy garden
- Thumbprint art
- Hand & footprint art
- Tie Dye a T-shirt
Kids Activities to Do Outside in the Summer
- Play in the sprinkler
- Bocce Ball
- Draw with sidewalk chalk
- Croquet
- Camp in the yard
- Hopscotch
- Blow bubbles
- Water balloon or water gun fight
You can find more activities for your kids to do in the summer here.
Activities for Kids to Do in the Winter Outside
If you are like me being outside for very long in the winter isn’t your favorite thing, but there are some things you can only do in the winter. Having some outside play time is a great way for the kids to burn off some of the extra energy that builds up from being cooped up inside for days or weeks on end.
When you get a relatively warm day (around here anything above zero degrees is considered fine to be outside and playing for a short time) try one of these activities
- Make a snowperson
- Play fox in the hen house (make a maze in the snow first) or make snow angels
- Make ice lanterns
If you are looking for more ideas to keep bored teens busy you will find them here. What are some of your favorite activities to do with your kids on a cold or rainy day.
