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- 10 cosy activities for the whole family this autumn and winter
When shorter days and colder weather mean the park or garden aren’t options for family fun, it’s time to be a bit more imaginative about how to keep everyone busy and stave off boredom.
While it’s lovely being at home together during winter, it can be difficult keeping small children, with very short attention spans, happy and busy. Luckily our homes can be a treasure trove when it comes to fun ideas, and you’ll be pleased to know that not all of them involve getting messy or spending money.
We’ve put our heads together to think of some creative activities which will please everyone, young and not so young, this autumn and winter.
Puzzles and board games are classic rainy day activities but they’re popular for good reason. They can entertain children of all ages and help them develop their cognitive and motor skills, as well as spatial awareness. But, most importantly, they’re fun for the whole family. Whether it’s a game of Snap or Pairs or something more complex like Monopoly or Chess for older children, these kinds of activities will keep children calm and engaged when playing outside isn’t an option.
Books and bedtime are great companions but there’s no reason why you can’t mix it up a
bit and enjoy some audio tales during the day when you’re at home. Ladybird has a huge selection of audio books which will not only entertain little ones, but also educate them. Our Ladybird Audio Adventures mean you can choose from Vikings and Creepy Crawlies, to Musical Instruments and Big Cats.
And if you’ve had a busy day and all want to wind down together before bed, then our Sleepy Tales and Bedtime Stories are just some of the books and audio books which will help send everyone off into a peaceful slumber.
If you’re quite relaxed about mess and mayhem in your house, and have the space, then an obstacle course can be a great way of burning some energy and tiring out your children. Obviously, children should never be left unattended when doing this, but it can be a really fun way to spend a wet afternoon at home. You can use furniture, blankets and cushions to make a fun route for them to move their way around. Even children who are getting to grips with walking will enjoy this kind of activity and it’s a great way for them to practice their gross motor skills. We’re sure this activity will lead to plenty of giggles.
Baking is a fantastic rainy day activity and having a tasty treat to enjoy at the end is a lovely reward for everyone. Even the youngest of children can get involved with measuring, pouring, and mixing which all help their fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. Learning towers or kitchen helpers are clever pieces of furniture which bring little ones safely up to counter level where they can see what’s happening and get involved. But baking is something everyone can attempt, no matter how big or small you are.
Yes, a tablecloth that you can colour in really exists and it’s a great activity to have in your craft cupboard for cold or rainy days at home. All you have to do is unfold it and the fun can begin. These tablecloths are usually 1-2m long which means there’s space for everyone in the family to choose an area to bring to life with colouring pens or crayons. All kinds of themes are available, from pirates to Disney’s Frozen or Christmas. This is a really lovely, peaceful way to spend an autumn afternoon and time is sure to fly by.
This is a really sweet and simple idea that involves adults and children. Everyone picks a couple of things they’d like to do and you write them all on a big piece of paper or blackboard to tick them off as you complete them. These activities could be anything from baking a cake for grandma, learning to draw a unicorn or how to play dominoes. It really can be anything and the list could have 10 or 30 ideas on it, but there’s fun involved in every stage, from the planning, to the doing and then ticking it off.
Autumn and winter aren’t optimal seasons for camping outdoors so why not bring the campsite to your living room? Den building is a really fun way for children to use their imagination and construction skills to create something they will want to play in for hours, if not days. You can get the whole family involved in creating an elaborate hiding place which will also teach children team-building and problem-solving skills.
A sensory basket or box is a fantastic way of stimulating a baby or toddler’s senses, plus it gives them the chance to practice their hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills. If your baby can sit independently, it may also buy you enough time to have a hot cup of tea!
You don’t need to buy anything special for this. You can fill different baskets and boxes or trays with things like bottles with beans or lentils inside, scarves, dried pasta or rice, Play-Doh and kitchen utensils. Just remember to never leave babies unattended with anything which could be a choking hazard.
This is an activity that children of all ages will enjoy and can be easily tailored to your children’s interests. Older children may enjoy being set clues to find things around your house, whereas younger children might like a simple map to follow or drawings for clues.
Obviously if more than one child is playing, you’ll need to make sure you have more than one of each item on your list. You could keep the list quite flexible and say they have to look for things which are “round”, “squishy” or “noisy” so there’s no arguing over specific toys. This is the kind of activity you can do over and over but change every time to keep it engaging and entertaining.
10. Movie night
Sometimes we all just need to snuggle on the sofa, especially if you’ve been busy doing the activities on this list. A movie night, or afternoon - or even morning - is a lovely way to spend time together as a family. Pick your favourite snacks, take turns to choose what you watch, and sit back and relax!
:: As we get closer to Christmas many of these activities can easily be given a festive spin. Bake some Christmas-themed biscuits, read and listen to Christmas stories or watch a Christmas film. Discover more of our Christmas activities for the family here.