Boredom Busters for Wintry Days

You and your crew wish you could kick Old Man Winter to the curb. Cold and gloomy days have been a mainstay of the forecast for the past month, cabin fever is alive and well, and everyone is bored. Don’t fret! Here at KC Parent, we’ve got you covered with things to do here, there and everywhere in between.

OUTDOORS

There’s an old Scandinavian sentiment that says, “There’s no such thing as bad weather. Just unsuitable clothing.” As a people that experience substantially harsher winters, they might be on to something. Too often, outdoor play is disregarded because of all the cons—cold, soggy clothes, numb fingers, all the work it requires to bundle vs. the amount of time actually spent outside. I get it! But with appropriate gear and a fresh resolve, there are a lot of pros to playing in the cold. First of all, it’s refreshing. Running through snow is certainly a great workout, and, as my third-born likes to point out, all the bugs are dead! (Not surprisingly, winter is his favorite season for outdoor play.) It’s also a great sensory experience. Thankfully, there a ton of ways to play outside when it’s frigid. Here are some snow day favorites:

• Head for the hills. Sledding hills, that is. Sled optional! Consider making a sled out of disassembled cardboard boxes or a yoga mat. Red our guide for the 411 on best sledding hills in Kansas City.
• Build a snow fort with snow furniture (beds, couch, TV, etc.) and, when the sun goes down, enjoy with a camping lamp or flashlight.
• Why build a snowman when you can build a snow family? Have each family member build a snow version of themselves. Remember to snap a photo of your crew next to their flurried doppelganger!
• Dunk your face in the snow and lift up for a perfect imprint of your noggin.
• Paint the snow with a food dye and water solution in a spray bottle, because what’s not to love about Mother Nature cleaning up after your child’s arts and crafts session!?
• Make snow ice cream! Shovel fresh, untouched snow and bring it indoors. Simply add sugar, milk of your choice (dairy, almond or coconut) and vanilla extract. Enjoy!

No snow? No problem! Consider these cold, snowless favorites:

• Blow bubbles. In warm weather they pop, but in cold weather they freeze! Enjoy a new experience with a familiar favorite activity.
• Go for a nature walk. Bundle up and hit a local trail, nature center or botanical garden such as Overland Park Botanical Garden. Research paw prints and scat and then be on the hunt to discover what other little critters took a nature walk in the same spot earlier. Or spice things up by going geocaching or doing a nighttime walk with glowsticks and flashlights.
• Install a bird feeder or make homemade bird treats like peanut butter and birdseed rolled on pinecones. Simply hang them from a tree and enjoy watching birds feast. Using a bird identification guide, keep a journal and document which feathery friends come calling.
• Build a fort. No snow? No problem! Fort building is a quintessential part of childhood, and winter is a perfect time to perfect the craft. With twigs and branches in abundance, kids can easily build a lean-to or A-frame and then fill the walls with leaves and pine needles. Your biggest limitations will be daylight and imagination.
• Hit an outdoor ice-skating rink. Read our guide to find the closest ice rink near you.
• Go tubing or skiing at Snow Creek. With more than 60 snow-making machines pumping over 3,000 gallons of water per minute, Snow Creek can have 100% snow coverage within 72 hours, so long as temperatures stay at or below freezing. They’ll have snow even if you don’t!
• Enjoy the firepit. I’d argue there’s never a bad time to enjoy a crackling fire but it’s hard to beat blazing heat on a frigid day. Break out the lawn chairs, blankets, a serving tray, roasting sticks, a Thermos full of hot cocoa and something to cook over the open fire (hot dogs, popcorn or smores, anyone?). Don’t have a firepit of your own? Check out a park, such as Black Hoof in Lenexa, that offers firepits to be enjoyed by the public.

INDOORS

• Have a snow day indoors. Shovel snow into the bathtub and let little ones enjoy all the cold stuff with mittens and bath toys—no polar plunge, of course, just play tub-side. When the fun is done, there are no soggy clothes to contend with, and the snow just melts down the drain.
• Get physical! Throw a dance party, streaming toe-tapping favorites like the “Macarena,” “Chicken Dance” or “Cha Cha Slide” (“Baby Shark” optional!). Build a homemade American Ninja Warrior course with couch cushions, pillows and bean bags. Stream a workout like Group Hiit. Install indoor play equipment like a doorframe swing set. Or throw an indoor snow ball fight using wool dryer balls or white socks as substitute snow.
• Get your game on. Develop a family game night or day and enjoy learning a new game or partaking in a familiar favorite. Snow days are perfect for committing to a long-lasting strategy game or the ongoing act of putting together an epic jigsaw puzzle.
• Make story stones and kindness rocks. Make up epic stories using the story stones and then go on a mission to leave a little sunshine at local stores, parking lots, parks and trails by leaving kindness rocks for future passersby.
• Channel your inner barista and learn how to make epic hot cocoa, chai or other specialty drinks. No fancy equipment is necessary, although an inexpensive milk frother can elevate any cuppa. Consider purchasing flavored syrups and dusting powder, such as pumpkin pie spice or cocoa powder, to set things over the top!
• Make fondue or raclette. These social food experiences are perfect cold-weather fare!
• Learn how to do handicrafts. View YouTube tutorials and try your hand at making potholders on a loom, knitting a scarf or crocheting a blanket.
• Adopt an extended family member or even local friend as a pen pal and connect through writing old-fashioned snail mail. Dress it up and make it more fun with custom stamps, stationery and return address labels!

Lauren Greenlee is a freelance writing boymom hailing from Olathe who tolerates winter. She can be found playing board games (and mostly losing to her highly strategic teenagers!), trying her hand at new skills like making sourdough and, of course, dreaming of warmer weather!