By Gabi Falanga
South Africa is in the middle of winter, and with cold front after cold front battering the country, some parents might be running out of ideas for indoor entertainment. Here are some fun indoor activities you can do with children of various ages.
Cooking: Cooking is the perfect activity for cold weather. Adjust the difficulty of what you make according to your child’s age. Home-made pizza is always a firm favourite. Let your children help to roll out the dough, and chose and apply the toppings.
Make a fort: There’s nothing quite like a fort to spark the imagination. Use tables and chairs to create a structure and throw blankets over it to close the sides. Use it as a hide-away, or put pillows inside if you want a cosy place to read.
Puzzles and board games: Puzzles and board games make for endless entertainment for the whole family. Set a big jigsaw puzzle up on a table and work on it over a few days.
Baking: Similar to cooking, baking is loads of fun. Make cakes, cookies or cupcakes. Let older kids help with measuring the ingredients out, while the little ones help with mixing and decorating. Eating the finished product is extra enjoyable when you’ve made it yourself.
Upcycled crafts: Dive into your recycling bin and find plastic bottles, lids, tins and pieces of cardboard which can be repurposed into cars, jewellery, or mobiles. Be sure to supervise younger kids when they’re using scissors. Let their imaginations run wild as they make and decorate various toys and décor.
Camping: Yes, you heard right! Your kids will think it’s a hoot to camp in the house. Erect a tent in the lounge, or simply use your fort. Pile in blankets and pillows to make it extra comfortable and get cosy for the night.
Origami: Making origami is a rewarding project that requires plenty of concentration. Gather some coloured paper, and look online for free tutorials on how to make various animals and other paper art.
Science experiments: There are loads of science experiments that can be done with items and products that are normally found around the home. Look some up online and get your little scientists’ brains working!
Talent show: Plan a family talent show. Everyone has to sing, dance, play an instrument or show off other talents. Alternatively, do an open-mic or karaoke night where everyone gets to sing songs of their choice. The rest of the family is the audience – cheering each other on! You can even make videos to share with relatives who don’t live with you.
Yoga: There are many free yoga tutorials online. Lay out your exercise mats and enjoy stretching your bodies out together.
Obstacle course: Use furniture and toys to create a fun obstacle course through the house. Let kids clamber over chairs, under tables and jump over cushions. If you have kids who are similar in age, you can even time them as they do the course to see who can do it the fastest!
Reading: There’s no better season than winter to foster a love of reading in your kids. Get everyone cuddled up together in bed with their own books, or take turns to read out aloud to each other.