12 Ways to Keep Your Kiddos Entertained in the Winter

This blog post is sponsored by LEGO. All opinions are my own.

'Tis the season of holiday fun----and chilly, gloomy weather! A mom recently asked me for tips on keeping kids entertained when the weather is less than stellar outside. I thought it would be a great time to share some of my favorite ways, along with great suggestions you all shared over on Instagram.

Without further ado, here are 12 ways to keep your kiddos entertained this winter.

One // Cardboard Boxes: The piles of boxes from holiday shopping make the perfect base for art projects. Hand your little ones some stickers and washable markers and let them go wild sitting inside big boxes and decorating them.

Two // LEGO Sets: Lego sets make great indoor entertainment. Brody has a huge collection of hand-me-down LEGO sets from his uncles that he has been playing with over the past year. Over the past few months, he's really gotten into the building aspect of them.

JD and I will help him build them so it turns into a fun activity for the whole family. Brody follows along by searching for the pieces next piece. Since the instructions are all picture based, at 4.5 years old, he's the perfect age to start building.

Best of all, after they're built, we're guaranteed a couple of hours of independent play while he goes crazy with them!

Here are a few of our favorite recent LEGO sets from Target, which is pretty much my one stop shop for all things LEGO this Holiday season. Any of these sets would make great gifts for the upcoming holidays.

LEGO Classic Medium Creative Brick Box: We use this box of LEGO bricks all of the time. From sensory play for Isla to letting Brody's imagine flow with the fun colors and pieces it comes with--this is a great first LEGO set.
LEGO City Town Ski Resort: This is Brody's current favorite set. It comes with so many fun pieces--like a ski shop, helicopter, snowboarders, hot cocoa stand and more! The perfect wintery set.
LEGO Creator Fairground Carousel Set: After out trip to France this Fall, Brody has been obsessed with Carousels. This set is a little trickier to put together, but he has had so much fun playing with it.

Three // Playdough: We love making homemade playdough during the winter. Here's the recipe we use. Add fun food coloring, festive glitter or scents to make it even more exciting. Layout cookie cutters and let your kiddos go crazy.

Four // Bringing Outdoor Toys Inside: During the Summer bikes and scooters are an outdoor toy only. But come Winter, they're welcome inside. I let Brody and Isla ride around our downstairs with bikes and scooters to get some of their energy out on the days we aren't able to play outside.

Five // Bounce House: Another great way to release some built up energy is a bounce house. We have one that has become a permanent fixture in our dining room. It gets A LOT of use. It only takes about 60 seconds to inflate and deflate, so we plug it in often and let the kiddos bounce off some of their energy.

Six // Movies: A little screen time in the winter won't do anyone any harm. Pop some popcorn and call it a family movie night. Bonus points for catching your little one up to speed on some of your childhood favorites.

Seven // Fort Building: Warm winter blankets, sheets, pillows and chairs are just the right ingredients for a day of fort building. We love using our couch and a few chairs as the base. Hand your little one a flashlight to play with inside and you're guaranteed a fun afternoon!

Eight // Play in the Garage: If you're tight on space, your garage can make a great playspace in the winter months. Park your car in the driveway for the afternoon and let your kids kick balls and ride bikes around the garage.

Nine // Museums, Libraries, Indoor Play Places, Oh My! Search out local spots you can visit that are warm in the Winter. Sometimes the best entertainment is taking a ride somewhere a few miles from home. Story time at local libraries and bookstores are great, as are indoor play places. Many times they will offer toddler time sessions during winter mornings. It's a great place to meet mom friends, too!

Ten // Board Games: We keep a stash of family friendly board games and card games on hand for days indoors. Some of our family favorites are the classics---matching games, Go Fish, and Crazy 8s.

Eleven // Play dates: A little change of scenery goes a long way! Take turns hosting a playdate with neighbors and friends. Your kids will have fun playing with other toys and you can enjoy a little quality time with some of your friends.

Twelve // Bundle Up + Get Outside: When all else fails, invest in some warm jackets and boots and head outside! There's nothing like some fresh air to bring a smile to everyone's face.