Find Fun Indoor Activities for Children
Finding things for kids to do indoors when the skies are cloudy and gray can prove to be a daunting task sometimes. These days, kids are used to things like reading a book, playing on the computer or the old standby, watching television. However, using just a bit of imagination can get you an afternoon of fun with a group of youngsters.
Instructions
1. Act out a favorite child's book. With most children, their attention can only be focused for small periods of time (especially when they are younger). So focus on letting them be their own person. Assign roles for the kids to act out while you read. Try to stay away from giving children "lines" to learn unless you have an extensive amount of time and the group is bit older.
2. Play a board game. This may sound old-fashioned with the latest in technology keeping kids busy these days, but it can be a nice way to get a group together and have a little fun. Whether it's the game of Operation, Monopoly or the game of Life, kids of all ages can end of having quite a bit of fun.
3. Prepare a dozen or so sandwiches, break out the cookie cutters and let the youngster in your family or neighborhood cut their sandwiches into shapes. Having fun with food can be a great indoor activity. While some children may be too young for this activity, there are plastic cookie cutters that are safer to use.
4. Involve kids with cooking large family meals. You can give children small projects to do to help out with the larger family meal. Also, keep in mind that the Internet is full of recipes for no-cook play dough. Not only can the kids help make these simple recipes with minimal help from adults, but they have something to play with when their "cooking" is done.
5. Get crafty. Kids like to make things and use their imagination, and some people might be surprised that all it takes is a few craft supplies and some adult supervision. Things like sock or paper bag puppets can be fun for kids to make and can keep them busy for hours--especially if they put on a play when they're finished. There are many different craft ideas you can find on the Internet or in craft stores, but some favorites are: paper mache, making a diorama, coloring or even making a collage out of old magazines and newspapers.
