5 Ideas To Keep The Kids Happy This Winter

Winter is probably the hardest part of the year to keep your children entertained, especially over the weekends and holidays. The cold and often rainy days mean that letting off steam in the garden or the local park are no-go options. If you are looking for some entertaining activities that your children can enjoy – even when the outdoor weather is unpleasant – then try one or two of the following ideas.

Silver Screen Surprises

Kids get a lot of screen time nowadays, whether they are simply consuming television output or surfing the internet from their tablet or smartphone. Video games, too, take up much of the free time available to youngsters. Although there is no problem with such media consumption – in moderation – many parents think that they need to keep a lid on it. The problem is that children often crave this sort of escapism from the pressures of school and study. A good idea is to go to the cinema as an indoor treat that works no matter how bad the weather is. Cinema, unlike even the best audio-visual set ups at home, offers a collective experience that kids don’t get so often. Like a trip to the theater, the action is enjoyed in the company of strangers that improves the fun factor. Many cinema chains offer discounts for kids especially for Sunday morning screenings.

Get Wet

If it is raining outside, it can feel like the last thing you might fancy doing, but a trip to the local swimming pool is always a good winter idea. Kids like to be able to splash about and enjoy the freedom of movement that they can get in a pool. Nothing keeps them happier, when they have been cooped up a little, than to get some exercise. Fun pools, with slides and chutes are great, but you don’t need anything other than a regular pool, so long as your children can jump in and out. Even learner swimmers enjoy this sort of activity.

Museum Trips

Some children hate the idea of a trip to the museum because they think that it will be boring. Unfortunately, some of them simply are. Nevertheless, there are plenty of really high-quality museums out there that are worth visiting. Natural history museums tend to be a big favorite among children. Automotive museums are another good option, which can be education as well as fun. Show your children the website of the museum you plan on taking them to, so that they have an idea of what to expect.

Indoor Sports

Not being able to play outside doesn’t mean that you cannot enjoy sports and games. Chris Cheverall from games room supplier Liberty Games says “many people like to play indoor sports during the winter months and kids are no exception. Places where children can play on a pool table outside of a bar are worth seeking out”. Another option would be to invest in your own for the den or go for an air hockey game, instead. Ten pin bowling is another indoor sport that kids love to have a go at. Alternatively, find your local ice rink and give that a go.

Stay At Home

Staying in might seem obvious at first, but the thing to do is to make sure your children are entertained by doing something new. Try your hand at a new craft with them and set aside several hours to concentrate on it. Turn your phone and television off so that your kids know that you, like them, are going to be focused on the activity. What you choose to do together really doesn’t matter so much, once you have set it up properly in this way. However, good suggestions that you can research easily and buy the materials for without much fuss include origami, oil painting and macramé. For younger kids, try making papier mache puppets from strips of old newspaper and glue placed over an inflated balloon.