Even though I'm not a fan of ice, our latest round of winter weather has been a much needed chance to stay home and have some down time. If you've spent any time stuck in a house with children, though, you know that after a while they might need a little guidance if you're all going to escape with your sanity intact! Here are a few of our favorite creative ways to pass the inside time.
Fusion Beads—Also called Perler Beads, these tiny little plastic cylinders fit onto a plastic base and when you're finished with your creation, you can iron over it to melt the beads together so it will come off the base in one piece. I've found kits that come with directions for a specific design for pretty cheap at Michael's before, or you can also purchase packages of assorted beads to make your own creation. The beads are pretty small and they do require a certain level of fine motor skills so they may not be great for really small ones, but my four year old has been using them for a while with no problems.
Magic Nuudles—I got these foam sticky "nuudles" from Discount School Supply a while back and they were a big hit with both of my kids. Get the pieces a little damp and they become sticky enough to stick to each other so you can make all kinds of 3D creations!
Model Magic—Model Magic is such a favorite at our house that we use the Hobby Lobby coupons to buy the giant tubs at 40% off. It's much more pliable than Sculpey or regular clay, so even little ones can use it easily, and it doesn't have to be baked or fired, so all you have to do is leave it out to dry and then decorate it.
Seasonal Crafts—This is a good time to put your kids to work preparing for Christmas! Let them use potatoes to make potato print wrapping paper or make homemade cards. Remember that in addition to being the home to many over-the-top crafting plans, Pinterest also has plenty of ideas that kids can do, too. Let them look for some things they think would be fun to try and set them loose with the supplies!
When my kids' hands get busy their mouths get quiet, so I often use this time to read aloud to them. We all love it!
I hope you are warm and toasty and enjoying the winter weather!
