We love the holiday season. But the moment the garlands come down and all the festive cookies have been eaten, it’s easy to be left feeling with a sense of “what’s next?” Whether you need to entertain your friends, your kids or your whole family it can be a daunting task to keep everyone entertained with fresh ideas you can do as chilly temps and winter weather keeps you inside.
So if you’re ready to have your best winter yet, take a look below at all the things you can do as you safely gather inside with family and friends (or connect virtually from near and far).
Things To Do Inside, No matter your age
With colder temps taking over just about every part of the US, it’s harder to hit up your typical outdoor hobbies. So we’re giving you a few ideas of things to do inside with family and friends once all the seasonal merriment ends.
What can adults do inside with friends?
Writer, Kristin Bugden, fires off a few of her best tips for fun activities adults can do at home. Read them, below!
- Host a cooking class. Whether in-person or online (like this one) put your culinary skills to the test with your BFFs. Even better, make a competition out of it — winner takes home leftovers! (Psst! May we suggest a collagen-infused recipe to get you started?)
- Live stream a concert. Skip long lines and hefty ticket prices and bring the music to your living room. For a list of remote shows, head on over to this awesome resource.
- Throw a dinner party. Okay, maybe this one is a little obvious, but a dinner party is always a good idea! Better yet, make it themed to make it feel more festive! Not ready to dine with others in-person yet? Follow these tips for an awesome virtual dinner party.
- Do a DIY spa day. Sometimes, a more low-key hang is in order. Invite your closest confidants over to bask in some much-needed bliss! Opt for homemade masks, including this body mask or face mask, then reap the beauty benefits as you sit back sipping a butterfly peach tea.
- Hold a fitness happy hour. Corral your crew and pick a heart-pumping workout. Lively has ideas for bodyweight workouts, a quick 15-minute sweat, a 30-minute circuit and everything in between.. To make it even more fun, craft a killer playlist, then, finish your sweat session with a well-deserved beverage or mocktail. Pinkies up!
What can kids to do inside when bored with friends?
If you have kids, you might be be used to hearing them complain of boredom. Founder of Harmony Learning Center, Ginny Conforti, has got you covered. With years of Montessori learning experience, open-ended play is her suggestion for the best way to have kids interact with friends indoors. “Open-ended play allows children to express their creativity freely,” she tells Lively. “You can set up a few centers with various choices for play.”
Here are some of Conforit’s curated suggestions:
- Play with building blocks.
- Bring out modeling clay. (Conforti’s tip: “Keep it simple with some clay, a little rolling pin, some cookie cutters or child-sized wooden tools. Then, use a large cookie tray or cake pan to keep things clean.”)
- Try painting with water. Use a foam or regular paintbrush, small cup or bowl, colored construction paper and a towel to get the job done.
- Make a children’s photo album. “Collect a few photos of extended family and laminate or put them in a mini photo album,” she says. “Your child will have fun viewing the photos and learning about each person.”
- Create a treasure basket.
What can 12 and 13 year olds do inside when bored with friends?
If you have teens or tweens, entertaining them and their friends proves a little more challenging than pulling out the finger paints. However, you can take a page out of both Bugden and Confort’s books. Older children still can enjoy painting, creating crafts (such as bracelets or keychains), a DIY spa day, streaming a concert of their favorite band they may not otherwise have seen or a cooking class.
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The Best Things To Do Inside With Family
What are fun things to do inside with family?
“There are so many ways children can participate in simple tasks around the house,” Confort says. “Things like helping to water plants, wipe down tables or windows, feeding pets and cooking are great.” For the latter of these, the Learning Center Founder says, “Children can begin helping in the kitchen at an early age. Bring them up to counter level using a learning tower or create a space using a children’s table where they can help you whisk eggs, stir ingredients, scoop, etc.”
Of course, catering to the older kids is important, too. When it comes to activities to do with them, rock painting, simple card games (war, UNO), legos and fort building, are her recommendations.
Bugden weighed in on a few ideas as well. These include:
And there you have it — several fun ideas of things to do inside with family and friends. Now get ready to have your best winter yet!
