Indoor Activity Ideas to Help the Family Through the Final Weeks of Winter
Are you and your family starting to get stir crazy being cooped up inside? Do you or your children have extra energy to burn off? Here are a few activities to help curb cabin fever in this home stretch of winter.
1. Put on a quick exercise video
Open up YouTube or Google and search "10 minute brain break activity". Have less time? Try 5 minutes. Have more time? Try 15 or 20 minutes. Put it on a TV, tablet, or cell phone and try completing the activities on the video with your kids to promote increased engagement and interest from your children. Trying to wind down at night? Try looking up a yoga video for however much time you have and add in your child’s age to see if you can find something tailored to their developmental level and abilities. You’d be amazed at how many different themes exist out there. If your child’s into a specific cartoon, game, or character, try typing in an exercise themed video with that character’s name and there’s a good chance you'll find options that will spike their interest.
2. Set up an indoor obstacle course
Create an obstacle course using household items. Use pillows on the ground as stepping stones, throw a blanket over a table or some chairs and crawl under it to create a tunnel. Try folding up a blanket and walking across it like a balance beam. Create a long jump by setting up two blankets lengthwise and try to jump and clear the gap. Add an extra element by incorporating a task or activity to the obstacle course. Set up a simple puzzle on one side and the pieces on the other and ask your child to bring the pieces through the course to find the match on the other side. Incorporate a chore and try setting up an obstacle course in their bedroom with a laundry basket of clean clothes at one side. Ask your child to bring an article of clothing through the course and put it where it belongs in their closet or dresser at the end of the course. Try the course in the reverse order to promote dressing by having the child pick the article of clothing out of their dresser or closet, bring it through the course and then put it on at the end of the course.
3. Get the family involved with cleaning or chore activities for extra sensory input and to promote greater independence
Pick age appropriate chores and get your child engaged in helping you. Any child can use a wipe or a spray bottle and towel to wash a table or surface. See if your child can carry their laundry basket to the washing machine and ask them to take their clean clothes out of the dryer. The extra input from carrying the heavy object is a great way to get out excess energy and improve their strength as well as accountability for personal items. You may need to accompany them during these tasks to help improve their buy-in and engagement with these tasks. Older children could help vacuum or mop even if it’s just their room to start. Shoveling snow is also a great way to get out excess energy and improve overall strength and promote sensory regulation.
4. Try balance activities
Working on balance is a great way to strengthen the muscles in the core and lower body. Balance work is a great activity to burn energy if you're short on space or time. You can also use balance tasks to re-focus and calm down the body before a seated activity or meal. Try a competition to see who can stand on one foot the longest. Try standing on one foot and bending down to the ground to pick up objects or puzzle pieces to place into a puzzle once they stand back up. Be sure to encourage switching legs. Try increasing motivation by having everyone’s personal best for how long they can balance listed somewhere everyone can see.
5. Try to get outside even if the weather isn't ideal
Getting outside does wonders for the sensory system and our circadian rhythm. Try to get outside weather permitting at least once a day even if it's to grab the mail, take out the garbage, or go for a short walk. Seeing the sun and fresh air helps promote grounding, regulation and healthy sleep patterns.