Cold Weather Blues: Indoor Activities for the Energetic Toddler

Cold weather is bittersweet. I love the cuddly up next to the fire with my kids and reading a good story, the trips to the pumpkin patches, and decorating for the holidays. It does; however, bring one very frightening realization. Outdoor playtime has come to an end. For moms of toddlers (especially boy moms), being able to play outside is critical for getting the energy out of our little ones. So what do we do to survive the cold months? Here are some of my favorite ideas for releasing energy without destroying the house.

Little bodies contain so much energy. I was working on finishing a load of laundry yesterday when I heard the familiar shrieks and laughter from my two boys followed by the pitter-patter of little feet. I peeked my head around the corner to find them running circles around the house while carrying pillows. Why pillows? Unsure, but they were very confident in their choices. It was a rainy Saturday and similar to the kids in the Cat in the Hat, there was nothing to do. This was the very first Saturday with cooler weather and already they were bored. I decided it was time to set up the winter centers. I like to have centers set up around the house to give them opportunities for creativity and development. It is also great when they are not getting along or antagonizing each other because it allows me to easily separate them without either of them feeling like they are missing out. I change these seasonally to keep things fresh and meet any new developmental skill levels.

1. Art: I love this center because it allows for creative play and fine motor development. I have a big table and art cart with all the supplies ready to go for their next masterpiece. I love including different mediums including crayons, Play-Doh, dot markers, and collage-making supplies. See more in my previous post "Art Central: Creating an Art Center to Boost Creativity".

2. Puzzles: I like to keep age-appropriate puzzles in a canvas cube storage that the kids can access. Melissa and Doug wooden puzzles are my favorite because they are durable and there is a huge variety. Their alphabet sound puzzle is great for teaching ABCs.

3. Cars: This center has grown and changed over time. I began with a car rug and monster trucks that are larger and easier for little hands. This winter it grew into tracks with Hot Wheels cars. I particularly love this set even though it isn't Hot Wheels brand because it is flexible, easy to build, and has lots of variety with a bridge and gate.

4. Library: I have set up a cozy corner with a comfy chair, stuffed animals, and a small bookshelf with books. It is an intimate area that fosters a love of reading. See more in my earlier blog "Make Reading Fun for the Non-Reader".

5. Pretend Play: There are no limits here. I like keeping a costume chest with different costumes. Most of these I pick up second hand or I put in old Halloween costumes from previous years. You can also include kitchen sets, superhero accessories, or other items that help spark imagination. I also like to include this in daily tasks. For example, if there are things that need to be done around the house (laundry, dishes, cleaning, etc), I will create a back story. Maybe Green Goblin has thrown sticky pumpkins all over the floors and now Spidey and Friends are tasked with cleaning up the floors. We all get dressed as superhero friends and grab a broom to help clean the floors. Or maybe we do the laundry pretending to be dinosaurs to make it a roaring good time. It is fun to get the boys involved in the story.

6. Hallway Showdown: A hallway is a great area for energetic bodies. We set up games in our hallway frequently. These games range from obstacle courses to car races to bowling. I like to use my cube storage here to keep different games organized. We use cones and ride-on cars to build obstacle courses. You can also have several cars and tracks available to build a Hot Wheels showdown. Bowling is another fun game and can either be bought as a set or you can make your own with empty water bottles and a foam ball.

7. Fort Building: A game room or den is an ideal place to build a fort or clubhouse. The best part is no additional supplies are required. Sheets, blankets, pillows, and furniture make great clubhouses. Stuffed animals are great residents. I love building forts with my kids.

8. Indoor Gym: One of the best purchases I have made is the bouncy house. We set it up every winter when the weather gets cold and it provides hours of entertainment. Here is the one we bought and I like that it has a ball pit and bouncing area with a basketball hoop. The biggest downside is the large amount of space it requires. If you are short on space, here is a smaller ball pit and tunnel that we have also used when the boys were smaller. I also love this trampoline. It is small and can fit in any space. It has a safety handle to help stabilize early jumpers and is wonderful for getting out some energy.

9. Dance Party: This is another great way to get out big energy and you already have everything you need. You can turn up the party by turning down the lights and cranking up the tunes. We sometimes dig into our costume closet to make it silly. Some of my boys' favorite songs are "The Floor is Lava", "The Elmo Slide", and anything Cocomelon. Curate your playlist and get the whole family involved. The boys get tickled when my husband joins in. Let's just say I didn't marry him for his dance skills. I like to do dance parties while I am cooking dinner as a distraction. It keeps the boys active and I can still dance along even while preparing dinner.

10. Explore the City: Sometimes a jailbreak is needed. There are days especially deep into the winter when a change in scenery is necessary. Make a list of possible destinations early in the season to be prepared for this day. Explore your town. My personal favorite is the public library. We have great programming most days of the week and a great selection of books. A local children's museum is another great option. Turn your grocery shopping into an activity. I like giving my kids a grocery list with words or pictures depending on their reading level and having a scavenger hunt. When running errands, make a kid-friendly map of the places you need to go and see if your kids can give you directions. Pretend you are pirates on the hunt for buried treasure. "X" marks the spot.

Remember to use as many areas of your house as possible. The winter can be tough and having different centers throughout the house provides the most flexibility. What centers do your kids enjoy the most? Share them in the comments below.

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