50 Winter Boredom Busters

Sensory Bag. If you have a little that may want to throw items in the sensory bin, think about making a sensory bag! You can add some of the same items as the sensory bin to a zip top bag or use hair gel and food coloring for some squishy fun! You can see more on this by searching “sensory bag” on our website.

Fish Race. Using a straw, blow fish crackers across the finish line. You can do this on a table or hard surface floor and create a start and finish line using tape. If you only have one child, you can time them to see how fast they can go. Otherwise, you can make it a race if you have two or more people.

Old School Games. Remember doing Cat’s Cradle with yarn or Table Football with the triangle paper “football” as a kid? Introduce those old school games to your kids.

Card Movements. Grab a deck of cards and on a piece of paper, write down a movement for each suit (hearts = hop, spade = jumping jack, etc.). Throw down a card and everyone has to do that number of the suit movements. (You can make the face cards 11, 12, and 13 or they can all be 1, make up the rules to work with the ages of your kids.)

Shape Matching. On a piece of paper, trace out items and then have your kids match them. You could use similar items, like condiment bottles, pens/markers, or the leaves that are still in your yard for an advanced challenge, or find objects of various shapes and sizes for an easier match.

Upgrade the Hot Chocolate. Nothing is better than snuggling up with a warm mug of hot chocolate. Upgrade your experience by grabbing fun toppings, like using marshmallow fluff around the rim! See more ideas by searching for Hot Chocolate Bar on our website.

Balloon Hot Potato. Balloons are often a favorite for kids, so blowing up a few and making a game of it is an easy way to entertain kids. You can use a paper plate glued or taped to a stick to turn it into balloon pong.

Ice Skating Rinks. Sioux Falls Parks and Recreation has multiple skating rinks throughout town to provide hours of family fun.

Color Collecting. Call out a color to your kid(s) and have them race to bring you something of that color. They could choose from anything in the house or narrow it to a certain room or pile of toys.

Take in a Movie. Whether you want to watch it on the big screen or opt for a movie at home, grab your popcorn and be transported to a new world for a family movie night.

Cardboard Castle. When your holiday online shopping arrives, save those boxes to transform into a castle or rocket ship or costume.

Paint a Memory. Get crafty! Find DIY projects at a variety of businesses, from the Museum of Visual Materials to Color Me Mine to big box stores, to try a new project and create something fun!

Inside Toss Game. In the summer, corn hole/bean bags is a classic game. Bring this game indoors with a toss game. Find an empty container (like a bucket or old snack container) and pick something to toss in. You can use light things like cotton balls or crumpled up newspaper, small things like paper clips, or those old wine corks you’ve been saving for a future craft project.

Mission Possible. Change out the laser beams for yarn and tape up a spy course in the hallway. Black clothing optional.

Sugar and Conversation. Pick up a yummy treat from the many cookie or cotton candy businesses, and drive around town while asking your kids conversation starter questions that can be found on Hood’s website.

Baking Day. Some of the best memories are made in the kitchen! Let each of your kids look up a recipe and then make it together as a family. You can do one each week or do them all in one day…either way it is a great, and tasty, way to make memories!

Give your Time. One thing that Sioux Falls is amazing at is giving back! There are numerous opportunities for your whole family to give back to our community this winter. Visit the Helpline Center for opportunities around town.

Bring the Snow Inside. Use a Rubbermaid tote and scoop up some snow for your children to enjoy. Dye some water with simple food coloring and put it into a squirt bottle to color the snow! Use cups and spoons to make your very own snow cone fun.

Create a Scavenger Hunt. Whether indoors or outdoors, scavenger hunts can be loads of fun any time of the year. Make up clues and then work together as a family to solve the clues!

Let them Cook. Let them be the chef! Maybe they follow a recipe or maybe they make a soup of grapes, veggie straws, orange juice, and pepper (that you pretend to eat!!). Either way, let them be creative and help as needed.

Spend the Day in a Fort. Create a large fort in your living room with all the blankets you can find! Once you’ve created your giant fort, the whole family can spend the day reading, snacking, and snuggling!

Paint the Snow. Grab some affordable condiment squirt bottles from the dollar store and fill them with water and your favorite food coloring dye. The kids will have loads of fun creating artwork outside in the snow with their new “paints!”

Shovel the Sidewalks for the Block. After being cooped up inside from a snowstorm, burn off some energy by doing a good deed for the neighbors. Instead of just shoveling your sidewalk, do the whole street and show your neighbors how much they mean to you!

Snow, Snow, and more Snow. After you watch the snow fall from indoors, head outside and relive your childhood with your kids! Spend the afternoon creating snow angels, building snowmen, and tunneling into worlds of your imagination in a snow tunnel.

Homemade Pizza Party. Get together everyone’s favorite toppings and let everyone make their own perfect pizza creation! As everyone enjoys their own personal pizza, throw in a family movie and you’ll be set for the night!