Our Favorite Indoor Activities

I’m just going to say it… I do not love the summer.  Hot weather and I don’t get along.  I wear Max a lot when we’re out of the house and end up with a baby-shaped sweat print on my back.  Gross.  I also get sunburned in about the time it takes me to unload the kids from the car and walk into Target.  So, we’ve been spending more time indoors than usual since it’s been miserably hot and humid out.  I’ve compiled a list of our 5 favorite indoor activities.  These ideas can apply to a crappy weather situation or any situation where you need to stay indoors (hello, mountain of laundry that needs to get folded).

Reading: Aside from being good for your kids’ language and cognitive development, I can make reading take up a lot of time.  We put blankets and pillows on the floor in the living room and get cozy.  I let both boys pick some books to read and we snuggle up to read.  Max’s attention span isn’t that long yet, so he normally wanders away after a while to play with some toys.  Aidan loves to read and can sit through a few books at a time.  If he’s starting to get antsy I’ll give him some paper and a pencil to draw what I’m reading.  Pro-tip: only pick one book at a time and have your kid run back to his room every time you need a new book.  Kills an extra few minutes of time.

Blanket Fort: Everything is suddenly more fun inside a fort.  Snack in a fort. Reading in a fort.  Puzzles in a fort.  I grab all the clothes pins and chip clips I can find and fashion a fort with blankets in the winter or a queen-sized flat sheet in the summer.  Pro-Tip: Use a Swiffer to make the fort tall enough to stand in.

Cheater Painting: Like real arts and crafts, but easier clean up!  Line whatever surface your kid will be painting on with Glad Press and Seal (table, high chair tray, etc).  Lightly tape the edges of a piece of paper down to the Press and Seal.  Let your kid go nuts with bingo markers.  I got the ones pictured below at Target in the craft section.  Pro-Tip: Give them the lighter colored markers first so the bingo markers don’t get all stained by the darker colors.

Cleaning: Why do kids love to clean so much?!  I wish the enthusiasm lasted until they were old enough to truly help.  These kids go bonkers for a broom, vacuum, or duster, and what are they going to do? Only sweep up a few crumbs?  Still better than nothing!  Pro-Tip: Keep your kids far away from each other; kids are surprisingly adept at hitting each other with brooms.

Bean Bin: I saved the best for last.  The bean bin is one of my favorite activities EVER for older toddlers.  It’s like having a sandbox in your house, but a lot less messy.  I filled a big plastic bin with dried beans and added some mismatched measuring cups and spoons I had laying round.  I also threw some miniature dinosaur figurines in there that I found at Michael’s for cheap.  Aidan could play with the bean bin for hours.  It’s also a great quiet time activity for when Max is napping.  If Max is awake I sit the bean bin on the dining room table for Aidan to play with; the beans are big enough that I don’t let Max play with them because I’m afraid they’re a choking hazard.  Pro-Tip: Plastic bins are on sale right now because it’s back to school season and kids are stocking up for college move in.  Go get one!  Walmart also has HUGE bags of beans; pinto beans are the cheapest.

So there you go, five tried and true activities to keep busy kids occupied when you’re stuck inside.  What are your tried and true indoor-day activities?  I’m always looking for new ones to add to our repertoire.