Beat the Indoor Blues!

The weather is turning in Chicago and the long days of winter are almost here.
After an active summer of neighborhood walks, parks, and exploring the outdoors with your children, the thought of being stuck indoors all winter may be making your family restless!

Fear not.

We’ve found some great indoor games and child-friendly activities to help your family beat winter boredom and fatigue.
Don’t worry about going to the store for new toys; most of these creative activities are made up from common household items.
You’ll be amazed at how much fun you and your family can have when you’re stuck inside.
We encourage you to share the games you like with your nannies!

Popcorn Game (Great for Ages 6 months – 8 years)
What You Need:
Blanket or a bed sheet
Lightweight balls or beach ball
What You Do:
Put some lightweight balls in the middle of the blanket or bed sheet
Hold the corners of the blanket (need two people, one on each side)
Shake the blanket and watch the balls pop up in the air like popcorn.
Catch them back on the blanket and shake it again!

Toddler Parade Game (Great for Ages 1 – 3 years)
What You Need:
Several of your child’s favorite toys, all of similar sizes.
Short pieces of string, or shoelaces
What You Do:
Tie the toys together with short lengths of string so your child can pull the “parade” of toys behind him/her.
Play lively marching music while “marching” around the house with the toys trailing behind.
Watch your child enjoy seeing his/her favorite toys in all in a line!

Texture Book (Great for Ages 1 – 3 years)
What You Need:
Collect a variety of Materials: cloth, burlap, foil, wax paper, bubble wrap, fleece, sand paper, etc
What You Do:
Glue a large square of each material onto cardboard or construction paper.
Tie the sheets of paper with string so it opens and closes like a book.
When you explore the book with your toddler, describe the different sensations you both are feeling.

Making Music in the Kitchen (Great for Ages 1 – 5 years)
What You Need:
Wooden and Metal Bowls, wooden spoons, lightweight pans (like cake pans and frying pans), metal lids of different sizes, and plastic measuring cups
What You Do:
Place all the kitchen items on the floor.
Show your child how to use the wooden spoons to bang on different pots, pans and lids to make different musical noises and beats.
With older toddlers, have them stop and start their music by your instructions.
Encourage playing their kitchen instruments all different ways: gently, slowly, fast.
Show your child the difference in sounds.
Play along to a favorite CD and encourage your baby to add in his/her own percussion beats and sounds!

Paper Clip Art (Great for Ages 2 – 8 years)
What You Need:
Crayons of various colors, one must be black
White paper
Paper clip or used up pen
What You Do:
Color a design on the white paper with various colors of crayons. Color darkly.
After the page is covered with color, color over the whole thing with black crayon. Press down hard so all of the other colors are covered by the black.
Use the paper clip or pen to scratch out your own fireworks display!

We hope you and your kids take some time to enjoy some of these around-the-house activities.
If you liked this sampling of creative indoor play, be on the look out for “A Chicago Guide for Parents & Nannies”, our newest resource guide coming in January 2007!

We encourage you to use our website: www.nannyboutique.com to find more indoor play ideas for kids in Chicago. Take a look at our “Activities for Kids” section as well as our “Reading Room”. We know this winter will be filled with lots of indoor fun for you and your family!