Even though we have 11 children, there won’t be any bored children on vacation in my house this winter, even if we are snowed in. We have many great ideas to keep the children busy.
Crafts
Children can make seasonal crafts. Halloween decorations, Thanksgiving decorations and Christmas decorations. Have on hand some construction paper, markers, glue, items to glue onto decorations etc. The dollar store has many great craft supplies so stock up when you go.
Healthy Foods
Provide plenty of healthy snacks for children. Have them help prepare ants on a log (celery with peanut butter and raisins), carrot sticks, ranch dip and other nutritious snacks. Oranges and apples round this out nicely.
Bake cookies and decorate them together as a family. Give prizes for the funniest, most unique etc.
Board Games
Have a family game night. Turn off the television and grab a board game. Make a huge bowl of popcorn and enjoy the evening together as a family.
Make a Scrapbook
Make a family scrapbook of a special event such as a holiday or birthday. Let everyone write something or do a page.
Interview Relatives and Make a Family Tree
Make a life size mural of a tree on a wall in a family room (if you don’t own your home use butcher paper for this one). Have children interview grandparents and other family members and write in small details such as hair or eye color, where the person works or worked etc.
This project could also be done as a scrapbook. Don’t forget to include photos.
Play Charades
Write out a list of funny song titles and cut them apart and put in a hat or bowl. Players must act out whatever song title they draw out of hat or bowl.
Snow Fort
Send the children outside and make up a batch of hot cocoa. Hand them buckets, small snow shovels (garden trowels) and any other objects they can use and tell them to build a snow fort. This usually keeps children busy for an hour or so. When they come in cold hand them a mug of hot cocoa and chances are they’ll drink it and go right back outside.
Snow Painting
Collect some empty spray bottles. Fill them with water and add a few drops of food coloring in each bottle. Children can then “spray paint” the snow on their fort to decorate it. They could also make snow men and other creatures and “spray paint” them as well.
With these ideas my children will be healthy and busy and not have time for boredom.