Beat the Winter Blahs with Movie-Inspired Fun
Cabin fever often finds us turning into couch potatoes, wiling away the winter hours in front of movies. This season, use movies to inspire themes as you beat the winter blahs with creative family fun!
Tip: The recommended films are available to borrow for free at local libraries or inexpensively through online movie rental programs.
Snowed In
- Home Theatre: Snowball Express. Dean Jones, the iconic actor of Disney’s Herbie movies and That Darn Cat, stars in this oft-forgotten but fun-filled slapstick family comedy. Jones’ character, John Baxter, inherits a Rocky Mountain ski resort and, along with his family, must fix up the property and make it profitable in order to keep it. Kids laugh out loud at the skiing and snowmobile scenes in this wintry family classic.
- Eat tortilla snowflakes. Warm flour tortillas for 15 seconds in the microwave. Fold the tortillas in half once and then in half again to create a pie wedge shape. Using clean scissors, cut as you would paper snowflakes. Unfold tortillas. Brush with butter or spray with non-stick cooking spray. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar or shredded mozzarella cheese. Bake until just warm and slightly crisp (about 4 minutes at 250˚). Another option is to sprinkle them with powdered sugar after baking.
- Build an indoor snowman. Kids love to build snowmen, but Kansas City snow isn’t always deep enough, wet enough or long-lasting enough to create Frosty in your own yard. Let the kids make their own snowmen at home with homemade snow play dough. Ingredients: 1 c. cornstarch, 1/2 c. salt, 1 T. oil, 1 T. cream of tartar, 1 c. boiling water, a few drops of liquid glycerin (optional, but makes dough really smooth), glitter (optional fun special effect for the kids). Instructions: Mix dry ingredients in bowl and add oil. Next, an adult should pour in the water and mix thoroughly. Let it cool. Once cool, knead until smooth and soft. Add glitter (optional), then play! Store in an airtight container. Tip: If it's too sticky, add more cornstarch. If you desire additional colors for Frosty’s features (top hat, carrots, etc.), simply make another batch and add a few drops of food coloring or powdered tempera paint to dough for color.
- Snowball fight! Head outside for a classic snowball fight or, if there is a shortage of snow (or you’d prefer to be inside), try this idea for an indoor snowball fight. First, create indoor snowballs. Balled up white socks, white bean bags or giant pom poms will work. Then choose a safe place to play. Create two teams, providing each team with an equal number of snowballs. Divide the space into two sections (use masking tape on carpet, for instance). Each team must stay on its side. Set a timer for 2-5 minutes and have each team throw snowballs to the other side. If a snowball lands on your side, you may throw it back to the opponent’s side. This continues until the time expires and the team with the fewest snowballs on its side wins.
A Very Merry Unbirthday
- Home Theatre: Alice in Wonderland. In Disney’s animated classic Alice in Wonderland, the Mad Hatter sings the “Unbirthday Song” about the 364 days a year that are NOT his birthday. Enjoy the film, then celebrate with your own unbirthday party!
- Eat a backwards dinner. Decorate the party with an unbirthday banner and upside down decorations. Invite your children to a backwards dinner and encourage them to wear their clothes backwards. Then dine backwards, beginning with dessert and ending with appetizers.
- Play “unpin the tail from the donkey” and other backwards games! Create the classic game, but place many tails on the donkey. Blindfold the contestants one at a time as they take turns removing one of the donkey’s tails. The object of the game is to remove the correct tail—the one in the proper spot. Replicate the concept to play other favorite games backwards. Play Candyland beginning at the finish line. Play Old Maid where the winner is the player holding the maid at the end. Raid the game cabinet and see what games inspire your kids.
Winter the Dolphin
- Home Theatre: Dolphin Tale. Is winter making you long for the beach? Cuddle up with Winter the dolphin for an at-the-beach, heart-warming family film. A boy rescues Winter the dolphin when her tail is lost in a crab trap. With creativity, he persuades a team of scientists to develop a prosthetic tail enabling the dolphin to swim again.
- Enjoy dolphin sandwiches. Local grocery stores sell sandwich cookie cutters in dolphin shapes. If you are unable to find these, you may purchase food coloring markers in the bakery aisle and let the kids draw ocean scenes on their sandwiches.
- Compete in dolphin olympics! Create two teams and compete in some fun races. Catch fish in your mouth: Dolphins can jump up and catch a fish midair with their mouths. Provide everyone with a cup of goldfish crackers (5-10/person) and see who can successfully toss them into the air (one at a time) and catch them in their mouths. Award one point per successful catch. Balance a ball on your nose: Give each player a plastic ball and, using a timer, determine who can balance the ball on the nose the longest (no hands!).
- Speed races: In Dolphin Tale, Winter races a human swimmer. Create your own race using classics like a pillowcase race, three-legged race, etc.
Kansas City mom Kristina Light writes regularly on creative winter fun ideas all season long.