Staying-At-Home Activities

Does anyone else feel really stay-at-homey this time of year? I know I do. While I’m usually into being out and about with my family, something about the shorter and shorter days and the getting-chillier air turns my thoughts toward my own warm house and the simple comforts of family. More often than not I find myself wanting to huddle with my kids around the warmth and light of the dining-room table rather than venture out.

And the dining-room table, it turns out, is a pretty great place to be! Here are a few activities perfect for snow days, sick days, and just any day you’d rather stay in than head outside:

Family Game Night: When was the last time you cruised through The Game of Life, amassed a fortune in Monopoly, or knocked out your opponents in Sorry? Board games are low-tech family fun that includes everyone (when we’re playing a game that’s above the little one’s heads, we put them on teams with older sibs or Mom and Dad and give them an important job like rolling the dice or holding the money). Lately our favorites have been Monopoly, Guesstures and Boggle (which now comes in a handy enclosed container so you won’t lose letter cubes to a toddler’s fast-moving hands).

Check out Hasbro for tips on how to host your own Family Game Night as well as special offers on family favorites like Boggle and Jenga. Also be sure to follow Family Game Night on Twitter and let the Twitterverse know about your next Family Game Night!

Crafts: This time of year, I just love having a homey, seasonally-decorated dining room and living room. Over at Make and Takes you’ll find a few easy Thanksgiving-oriented crafts you can do with your kids to jazz up your table…even if you aren’t “a crafty mom”.

Playdough: Even as a bona fide grownup, I still can’t resist the feel or smell of a fresh, warm ball of homemade playdough. That’s why I usually make my own! After the fun of cooking it up, the kids take over, creating miniature bakeries full of playdough pies, muffins and cookies, little creatures, and tiny towns. I usually hang on to a ball myself just so I can keep rolling it around in my hands. Playdough is easy to make, from simple salt and flour recipes to scented and colored varieties. Check out three great recipes at the Moms Talk Network blog.