Winter Wonderland: 5 Fun Activities for Nannies and Parents to Beat the Chill with Kids at Home

As winter blankets the world in snow and chilly temperatures, parents and nannies alike face the challenge of keeping kids entertained indoors. Fear not! TLC Family Care has compiled a list of five engaging activities that cater to both toddlers and school-age children, ensuring a winter full of laughter, learning, and warmth.

  1. Indoor Snowman Building Contest:

    • For Toddlers: Use white socks, buttons, and felt to create mini snowmen that are safe and easy to handle.
    • For School-Age Children: Challenge them to get creative with household items for a unique snowman-building experience. Set up a contest with different categories and prizes for the most imaginative creations.
  2. Winter-themed Storytime and Crafts:

    • For Toddlers: Choose picture books with vibrant illustrations of winter scenes. After reading, engage in simple crafts like making paper snowflakes or handprint snowmen.
    • For School-Age Children: Opt for chapter books that capture the magic of winter adventures. Follow up with crafts like creating winter-themed bookmarks or writing and illustrating their own snowy short stories.
  3. Hot Cocoa and Cookie Decorating Party:

    • For Toddlers: Keep it simple with marshmallow-topped hot cocoa and easy-to-decorate cookies using sprinkles and edible decorations.
    • For School-Age Children: Let them unleash their creativity by providing an array of toppings and flavors for hot cocoa. Pair this with a cookie decorating station featuring more intricate designs and edible paints.
  4. Indoor Obstacle Course:

    • For Toddlers: Set up a soft and safe obstacle course using cushions, pillows, and stuffed animals. Encourage crawling, climbing, and jumping.
    • For School-Age Children: Design a more challenging obstacle course with activities like crawling under tables, hopping through hula hoops, and balancing on a makeshift balance beam. Time them for an extra layer of excitement.
  5. Science Experiments with a Winter Twist:

    • For Toddlers: Create simple experiments like freezing colored water to make ice cubes. Let them explore the sensation of melting ice with their little hands.
    • For School-Age Children: Dive into more complex experiments, such as creating snowflakes with borax crystals or conducting simple physics experiments using winter-themed elements. Turn the kitchen into a winter laboratory!

With these engaging activities, you can turn snow days into memorable experiences for both toddlers and older children. Embrace the winter wonderland indoors, and watch as the freezing temps become the backdrop for endless joy and creativity! And don’t forget our Pinterest board full of Winter Fun! Should you still need help – don’t forget that TLC Family Care can provide temp and back-up sitters for your childcare needs. 

 

The professionals at TLC Family Care personally assist nannies, babysitters and families in St. Louis, Atlanta, Chicago, Nashville, Memphis, Charlotte, Miami and Orlando to find the right childcare arrangement. Our mission is to provide a safe and personalized  approach for families and caregivers to connect with each other that is not an internet search. TLC has worked with families, nannies, sitters, newborn care providers, and tutors for over 35 years and looks forward to working with you! To find great nanny and babysitting jobs visit us at https://tlcforkids.com/, contact us at tlc@tlcforkids.com or call 314-725-5660.