10 Indoor Winter Activities for Toddlers and Preschoolers

Winter can bring many days of being stuck inside. The weather is either too cold or too wet to allow for lots of outdoor play. Here are some ideas to keep your Toddler entertained and your sanity intact!

Build a Fort – Remember when you were a kid and the couch cushions and a bunch of blankets would entertain you for an entire afternoon? Have you done with your Preschooler yet? Let the build one and keep it up all day! Be fun and let them have books and even lunch in there… you’ll be surprised how quiet they’ll be!
Indoor Ice Skating – All you need is wax paper, rubber bands, and carpet. (Be sure to move all the furniture to avoid those boo-boos).
Get in the Kitchen – Who says the Holidays are the only time for cookies?! You can bake some goodies to get you through those long days. And why not prep some meals for those nights you don’t feel like cooking dinner? Put together a lasagna or casserole. Your Preschooler can help. Let them add ingredients, stir, mix – they just like the idea of being your sous chef!
Build an Indoor Snowman – A bag of cotton balls and some paper & glue or sticky Contact Paper or glue and you’re all set! Bonus: This one won’t melt!
Make a Snow Mobile – Toddlers love BOXES. Do you have any big cardboard boxes left over from the Holidays? Give them art supplies to let them decorate it (crayons, stickers, even glue and tin foil to make it shiny!) and they’ll make their own Snow Mobile and have fun in it all throughout the living room!
Treasure Hunt – During naptime hide various things throughout the house. Maybe stuffed animals or even something as silly and common as the coasters that sit on the table. Go on a hunt!
Indoor Bowling – Set up water bottles in a pattern and let your Preschooler go bowling. How many are knocked down? Turn it into a math game and help them count the number still standing!
Make Ice and then Paint with It – You’ll need ice cube trays. Scoop up some snow (or just fill with water) and drop various colors of food coloring in it. Then – you let them paint with it! (Hint: the bathtub is a great place! No mess!)
Flashlight Fun – Children loves flashlights. Go in a dark room and draw pictures with your flashlight on the walls. Have 2 flashlights? Double the fun and copycat one another.
Maze FUN – Make your own maze. Use anything you can have your child walk or even crawl through it. Change it up as often as you’d like. They’ll be busy for hours! <AB>

Learn More About our Durham Preschool

Children’s Campus is currently enrolling for the toddler and preschool programs. Ask us about our new Chapel Hill location opening Summer 2017. Call us at 919-806-1900 or schedule a tour online and see why we won Indy Week’s Best Early Childhood Learning Facility in Durham County.

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The Children's Campus opened the Summer of 2005, and I was one of the fortunate parents to claim a coveted spot. It was love at first visit. I was a new mom and this was going to by my baby's first daycare. I was nervous and excited for the opportunity. Fast forward to present 2013 and I am still the biggest fan. Both my children have now been fortunate to grow, explore, learn, and be loved by this wonderful center.

Thank you for providing a safe, nurturing and wonderful environment for my children. Thank you for loving them as your own. And, thank you for creating a place that makes learning fun.

Thank you to Mr. John - "The Cooker" (as my four year old will say) for providing nurturing meals that apparently I can't top at home. "No, I want Mr. John's soup" is a common complaint at my house. That is okay because that means my child is eating during the day.

Great staff, great teachers, great support, great place!

Dona Aguayo, Parent of two, Southpoint

All three of my children have received wonderful care at Children's Campus - first at Southpoint (Durham) and then in Chapel Hill.

Going back to work early in an Infant's life is always tough but it has been so much easier knowing my babies have been truly loved. Leaving my youngest little girl was as close to stress free as I could imagine, almost like leaving her with family!

... I know that everyone at the schools, from the administrators to the teachers to the wonderful Cook, is truly invested in my children - looking out for their welfare!

Kym Hunter, mother of three, Chapel Hill

We feel very fortunate to be part of the caring environment at Children's Campus at Southpoint. The hours are generous for parents who work outside the home and the flexible drop-off and pick-up times are convenient for those that work from home. Chef John prepares delicious and healthy meals and snacks and saves me from agonizing over packing a lunch every morning. The pre-k program prepared our oldest for a successful year of Kindergarten as well as a stress-free transition. From the 5-star educators to the friendly community we could not be happier with our decision to entrust CC with the care of our children.

Erica L, Southpoint

I've had 3 children at Children's Campus at Southpoint, from infancy through pre-k, and my favorite thing is that these teachers really love their kids. If you take a tour, you'll see how clean and well organized it is, and they'll describe the great educational programs and tools and activities that they have. The reason we sent all 3 kids there, though, is that we know that the teachers care about our children as individuals - they know them, they pay attention to how they're doing, and our kids love the teachers back. It's wonderful.

Andy E, Southpoint

Both of my kids went here and we loved it. The teachers were kind and engaging. I really felt like my kids were cared for and loved for the unique individuals they are. Also, they were both more than ready for kindergarten when they left. The Children's Campus made learning fun and the whole staff felt like family. Years later we still feel like it is a second home and still like to come and visit the wonderful teachers and administrators.

Inna S, Chapel Hill