Indoor Activities for the Family
Make the most of spending time at home with these activities to help the days fly by:
- The play’s the thing. Why not write a play together? Decide on a storyline and give everyone a role (or more than one). Write down a script so everyone can learn their parts (or just ad lib!). Dig out some props and simple costumes (hats, capes, whatever’s on hand). Or, you could act out a familiar story or an adaptation of one of your favorite movies. Variation: make sock puppets and have them “perform.” Bravo!
- Get the picture. Do you have boxes or a drawer full of loose photos? Gather together and look through them. Share memories, laugh at past antics, or relive birthdays or vacations. There’s nothing like reminiscing to strengthen family ties. While you’re at it, have everyone help organize the photos by date, occasion or location.
- Take turns. Cards and board games are always great family activities. Give everyone a chance to choose a game, deal the cards or set up the board. Give small prizes or a special privilege to winners. A little friendly competition can be loads of fun. Remember, no cheating!
- No permission slips needed. Many museums, aquariums and zoos are offering “virtual field trips.” Just do an online search, and you and your kids could tour the Louvre, the Smithsonian, the Cincinnati Zoo and other amazing locations right from your couch. Or, explore the planet using Google Earth, which can take you to virtually any destination with a few clicks.
- Watch the birds. Springtime means many birds are getting busy finding their mates and building nests. Migratory birds start to arrive in spring, too. Find out how many different birds you can see from your windows. Use the internet to identify them and to learn about their songs and habits. Keep a chart or list of what you see.
- Learn a new language! There are lots of great apps that offer simple, easy-to-follow foreign language lessons complete with audio for pronunciation. Learn the basic greetings, counting, colors, weather and food terms, and practice together.