Activities For Shut-In Preschoolers

A couple years ago, I wrote about a bunch of indoor activities for young toddlers to do during the winter months (or whenever they’re stuck indoors). I can’t believe Ada’s grown so much since then, and -- thought a lot of the stuff is still fun for her -- the list needs some revision and updating.

Still, I encourage you to check out the original post with more details. You can enjoy a lot of the activities without spending much more than your time. Try having a beach party. Or make a quick sensory box. Plan an indoor picnic. Set up all your kid’s animal for a petting zoo. Or have a non-Easter egg hunt.

Now, here are a few ideas for the preschooler crowd.

#1: Quiet Boxes

I haven’t actually made any quiet boxes yet, but I’m obsessed with the idea. Basically, just get a bunch of independent play activities together and separate them by day or whatever system you choose. When your kid isn’t napping or is just getting on the brink of insanity -- pull out a box and let them explore the contents on their own. Independent play has become difficult over here since we’ve been indoors together all.the.time, so we’re working on this one a little more each day.

#2: Snow Dough

I’ve made homemade play dough, DIY craft kits, table top explosions, and all other kinds of messy play (here are 20 great ideas). Lately, Ada’s been digging snow dough, which is a simple mixture of 2 cups corn starch or arrowroot powder combined with around 1/2 a cup of canola, vegetable, or olive oil. You can add glitter for extra impact. Store in an airtight container when not in use.

#3: Rocks

I stumbled upon a box of rocks we gathered from the Jersey shore last summer. So, I figured Ada might enjoy looking at them through her magnifying glass. I also put them in a container and filled part with water. I gave her an old tooth brush and told her to clean and polish the stones. I was surprised how long she stayed transfixed with this activity!

#4: Fuzzy Caterpillars 

Take some regular glue, popsicle sticks, and poms. Then stick the poms on the sticks to make colorful caterpillars of all shapes and sizes. We even made stick houses and other shapes and designs. Plus, you can play with these furry guys long after you make them. Bonus points for googly eyes.

#5: Magnetic Dress-Up

This is the most expensive activity on the list at a whopping $10-$15, but I promise it’s worth every penny. Get your child one of those Melissa + Dough magnetic dress-up kits. They can stick the magnets on the fridge too. Ada loves trying out all the different combinations, and it’s great for her fine motor skills.

#6: Seed Planting

We’re dreaming of our summer garden already, and we’re starting off from seedlings this year. Get all the stuff you need -- seeds, planters, and soil -- and have your child help you get started. You can let them grow in a sunny room of your house even when the temperatures are frightful. Then you can have your little helper plant them with you when the winter finally lets up. Read all your seed packets carefully for growing and timing info.

#7: New Art

Try something new with art. If you do lots of paint, color with crayons. If you always do markers -- do clay. Skip the coloring books and go free-form. We recently did one of those projects where you use painters tape to make shapes, and Ada really enjoyed peeling off the tape when her paint had dried.

#8: Couch Potato

The rules around TV has somewhat gone out the window this winter. Well, not totally. But when the day is going especially bad (and you guys with cabin fever know exactly what I mean), I don’t think twice about running upstairs and snuggling in my bed with Ada watching a movie. In fact, it’s glorious. Pop a bag of popcorn to make it a full event.

#9: Baked Goods

Bake a cake. I love spending time with Ada in the kitchen. On the coldest of days, we’ve made all sorts of meals -- from slow cooker soups to baked doughnuts. The best part? Decorating the finished product. Let loose with some of your sugar rules and break out the mini marshmallows and sprinkles. It’s not like your kid is going to eat the entire cake. (Although, Stephen and I may have had a good chunk of this guy.)

#10: Outdoor Play

When all else fails, you can’t go wrong by bundling up and playing outdoors. Even in extremely cold temperatures, a few minutes is incredibly helpful. We’ve had plenty of -35 degrees F windchill days . . . and warming up the car and driving to a friend’s house or to the mall was a great alternative. Our tolerance for cold has increased as the winter had gone on, so we’ll gladly play outdoors for a stretch even when the temps are below 10. Just dress your child in many layers and cover as much skin as possible to prevent exposure. And start with small stretches of time, always supervised. 

What are your favorite activities for preschoolers during these shut-in months?

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Thoughts on Barre (So Far)

On Monday we had around 10 inches of snow. A couple days later another 3 inches. And last night another 2 or 3 more. I hear another storm is in the forecast for early next week. We’ve also had more negative windchill days. None of this is surprising. Still, (good) running without a gym membership has been elusive, and not for lack of trying.

Our new neighborhood is great, but people don’t love shoveling their sidewalks. Many streets don’t even have sidewalks, really, which leaves running in the street often as the sun is setting. I do try to make it to a local path a few times a week, but with Ada’s preschool often closed due to the weather, well, you see the excuses piling up. Running in the winter is hard. Some years I trudge through better than others. This year, I think I get a B+.

Along with cycling at home and doing some cross-country skiing, I’ve been doing Barre -- and I thought I’d give you a quick update on how I’m liking it so far. No. Loving it. My trial with Barre 3 Online ended earlier this week, and I decided to keep it up at least over the next month or two. I’m majorly on the bandwagon right now. We’ll see how long it lasts, but since I’m seeing some results, I’d like to keep the good stuff going.

// I don’t know if I’ve lost any weight doing Barre. My instincts are telling me no, but I’ll find out today at my fertility appointment. At the same time, I’m noticeably slimmer even after a couple weeks. My jeans are slightly loose. My butt is lifted -- no joke -- and my thighs are leaner. It’s not too dramatic from an outward view -- but I can tell a huge difference.

// My flexibility is back again. With so many yoga and stretching movies incorporated into the workouts, I’ve been taking the time to get limber again. I used to do lots of yoga and sort of took my natural flexibility for granted. Now I want to keep it up because it feels so good.

// My strength is, like, whoa. I haven’t done any major strength training consistently -- bodyweight or otherwise -- in a long while. Accordingly, I’ve been a little weak compared to previous years. I can already see some gains in this area by being able to hold certain poses much longer. And generally feeling toned. Even using 2 pound weights has my arms feeling it the next day, but without extreme soreness.

// After completing the workouts, I feel energized, and I can’t always say that for running. I think it has something to do with impact. I like having something in my routine that challenges me without jarring me. Not that my running form is bad, but sometimes it’s just rough on the body to do 5 or 6 days a week. The tiny motions in Barre are surprisingly difficult . . . but at the same time restorative, if that makes any sense. In the middle of a “class” I feel like I want to curse, yet at the end, I want to give someone a hug.

// I’ve also been happy to find a workout I think I could keep up when I’m lucky enough to get pregnant again. I’ve already written in numerous posts how I’ll cool it on the running the next time around. No half marathon races for me. But keeping fit and active is a huge priority, as I think it helped me a lot mentally and physically during my last pregnancy. Some of the moves in Barre remind me a lot of my favorite prenatal workout by Summer Sanders.

// I do wish we had a Barre studio or class in the area. I’m getting slightly tired of doing the same workouts again and again (though I’m excited to try a new runner workout that was posted recently). I also have enjoyed group fitness classes in the past for the social aspect, and I’m more alone than ever talking to my TV during nap time. But online workouts are undeniably convenient. No excuses, right?

So, at this point I’d highly recommend at least trying Barre if you’re interested. I have no affiliation with the studio or incentive to share my feelings. It’s just something that’s helping me get through winter this year.

If you have questions, I’d be happy to answer!

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15-Minute Indoor Workout

Here we are again, January. And we’re in the midst of another arctic blast with wind chills colder than -20 degrees F. I actually did go jogging yesterday afternoon before the worst of it hit. By now, I know how to dress. A pair of tights under sweatpants. Two layers of hoodies with a vest. Fleece-lined socks. Hat, gloves, and hood. But the cold still infiltrates so what was going to be a four mile workout turned into 3.6, and I couldn’t make myself finish in the direct wind!

Today? I’m staying inside and doing this simple, 4-move workout that we did with my BIL and SIL over Christmas break. It’s simple enough to perform anywhere with zero equipment. Yet, you’ll definitely work up quite a sweat.

Here’s how to perform each move.



If you like exercises like these, check out this 30-Minute Indoor Workout I posted around this time last year. It’s got some of these same moves, just in a different sequence and for longer duration. And if you’re lucky enough to hit the treadmill today, here are 4 Fun and Fast Treadmill Workouts to help beat belt boredom.

Those of you in the freeze -- how are you exercising today?

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