Better Than TV

better than tv indoor play series

better than tv

Nobody loves the great outdoors more than we do! But it’s inevitable that sooner or later sick kids, bad weather, or other forces beyond our control will have us stuck inside. Once you’ve watched all of the kids’ shows on Netflix that don’t completely suck, what’s left? Join us for a hands-on series of posts on indoor play that will have you saving Netflix for “later.”

Latest Indoor Play Ideas Posts:

  • Give your kids the universe… in a box! Space Scouts Joy Makin' Mamas I want my kids to understand that the universe is vast and filled with endless possibilities- but I want to give them that information in installments they can absorb. Compared to interstellar travel, the monthly subscription cost is a bargain, and inside adventure awaits.
  • Mish Mash Roll Pound Smash! A Playdough Playdate There seems to be something universally soothing about play dough. Or, perhaps I should say NEARLY universal. My littlest has yet to get over his bitter disappointment that play dough isn’t something to eat, and I’m told there are children with sensory issues who do not enjoy it at all. For most, though, it seems ...
  • Microwave Soap Clouds Making microwave soap clouds kitchen science indoor play activityWhen I saw this post, I thought, man, we’ve gotta do that! That has my dudes’ names written all over it! That rocks! So I added Ivory soap to my shopping list (this is very important- it’s all the air in that 99.44% that makes this trick work) and waited for a lull. I crept ...
  • Hey Mr. Post Man! DIY Cardboard Mailbox Play DIY Cardboard Mailbox Play: Mailing a letterThere is nothing like pretend play to fill up a LOOOONG afternoon of being indoors, and a DIY cardboard mailbox is just the thing to inspire plenty of story telling. Everything you need to create a play post office from scratch, including a FREE printable.
  • Let’s Get Messy: Shaving Cream Play Shaving Cream Play video…in which we learn that not every activity is a winner for every child. And that was the end of that. Notice, however, that he has shaving cream not only on the play kitchen, but also in his hair and on his clothes. By the time I clicked “stop” on this video, it was also on ...
  • Build engines of (minimal) destruction All you need to keep your kids occupied non-digitally on a super hot or rainy day is a glue gun, craft sticks, wooden clothes pins, masking tape, bottle tops, plastic spoons, rubber bands, and small size Lincoln logs or other small, glueable pieces from the thrift store or junk drawer. (If you want to take ...
  • Stage A Table Play If you’re thinking that you don’t have any wooden peg people or that you aren’t that crafty, think again. You can make some characters from clothes pins, play dough, or cardboard. Or sub in some Fisher Price or Lego people. We did Little Red Riding Hood (sort of) but any story line (or open ended ...
  • Write with Invisible Ink Do you remember writing with lemon juice as a kid? Yeah, me too. Do you remember why it works? Nope, me either. Mostly what I remember was that it didn’t work very WELL, and my brother trying different lamps hoping for a better result. This little chemistry lesson has way more for your kid to take ...
  • Indoor sand/rice play Indoor sandboxEveryone who knows me has remarked on my indoor sandbox at least once. If you don’t have the stomach for sand in the house, get a 20 lb bag of rice and use it to fill a sand table or under-bed storage box. Vacuum after playtime is over, or get a small brush and dustpan the ...
  • How to string popcorn like a boss …with kids! How to string popcorn like a bossThis is a hands on indoor play idea that is perfect any time. Tradtionally used as holiday decorations, these strings also make great bird feeders. If popcorn gets boring, alternate with cheerios or cranberries or anything else you can think of that sounds fun. And don’t forget- even if the stringing isn’t going that well, ...
  • Hand and footprint reindeer Today’s installment in our series of hands-on fun for the school break is hand and footprint reindeer! My kid’s preschool class did this adorable project on white sweat shirts. You needn’t do this on a shirt or even with paint. A quick peek at The Crafty Crow will show you several cute versions from construction paper! In ...
  • Quick and Easy Lemon Squeezie Playdough lemonQuick, easy, less salt playdough recipe for young kids who will totally eat it no matter what you do.
  • Angry Birds in Your Back Yard Make your own bird seed ornaments Joy Makin MamasThis post begins our Better Than TV series of indoor fun. With kids getting out of school for winter break, I know we’re all looking for no-casualty, indoor play options to keep the kids (and Mom!) merry and bright. Here’s one that won’t make you nuts! We made molded birdseed ornaments this year for my son to ...
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2 Comments on “Better Than TV”

  1. These are great ideas! I used to set up stations around our family room when my daughter was a toddler. She had about 20 minutes at each station which was as long as her attention span was. Each station was different ie puzzles, coloring, play dough, doll house, etc.

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