Stay Toasty with these Indoor Activities this Winter

Lots of time indoors means lot of time that parents need to figure out how to occupy the active little ones in our lives. Check out these innovative ideas from one of our Occupational Therapists, Pamela Baylor.

Mitten Match Up!

This mitten themed matching game is designed to promote the development of following directions, visual perception, dexterity, bilateral coordination, and fine motor control. Take all of the mittens or gloves you have at home and spread them throughout the house using clothespins to clip them to curtains, towels, blinds, etc. Give your child a box or basket to place the mittens/gloves/clothespins into as they find and unclip them. Bring the collection back to where you started the hunt and match them up before clipping the pair together!

Snow Chisel Rescue!

Freeze small objects within a tray of water. Once frozen, the child will use a spoon, golf tee, or craft stick to chisel the objects out. Don’t give up until all of the objects have been rescued! It can be fun to use blue food coloring, too!

Beat the Clock Winter Dress Up Game

Winter is the PERFECT time to address Self-Help/Life Skills like getting dressed in the morning and taking your coat/shoes off for playtime/school. This fun game is great to play individually or in a group setting. It helps children improve their fine motor control and motor planning skills required for dressing. Think snow-pants, jackets, gloves, hats, scarves, and boots... Race against the clock to see who can get dressed the fastest, and try to match siblings/friends against adults to encourage teamwork!

Ice Cube Jell-O Painting

Sprinkle some Jell-O powder on a large piece of white paper lining a baking sheet. Give your child an ice cube to spread the powder across the surface and as the ice cube melts, the Jell-O will become more like “paint”. Your child will enjoy the smell, cold sensation, and the taste if they happen to try it! If it feels too cold on their hands, try freezing a popsicle stick into the cube for them to hold, instead!