All the snow keeping you and your kids indoors? Acquisitions Director, Linda Howard, shares some fun activities the entire family can enjoy together! To top it all off, we have an exciting giveaway for you all! See below for details.

Imagine a beautiful snowy day with a fire burning in the fireplace while you are completely engrossed in a great book for hours on end. How often does that happen for moms with young children at home? Stop laughing, we all know that is a dream – a nice one – but one that probably won’t come true until the kids are out of the house!

Winter can be absolutely beautiful, but at the same time it can make any mom’s life much more challenging. Snow, ice, and below freezing weather all combine to trap families inside for days at a time. Don’t let these days turn into a time of survival training. Instead, plan some fun activities that will build stronger familial relationships and create hours of fun for you and your kids. View these times as gifts that will allow you to get to know your kids better, and embrace the joy of spending time together.

Below are a few ideas for inside activities that are fun, will create lifelong memories, and offer creative opportunities for family bonding.

1. Create your own Memory/Matching game. Glue pictures of your family or your kid’s favorite items onto poster board squares. Make two of each and get ready for hours of fun! Children love to see pictures of themselves and they will enjoy finding the pictures that match.
2. Write your own stories and illustrate them. Have your kids dictate a story to you and then have them draw pictures for each page.
3. Have an indoor picnic for lunch. Make hotdogs or sandwiches, add some chips, and fruit to the mix. Spread a blanket on the floor and pretend you are picnicking in the park. Have the kids take turns telling stories about their favorite times at the park.
4. Play hide-and-seek. One of my grandkids favorite indoor games is hide-and-seek. We take turns counting to 10, and then look for each other. I have to say, though that the little ones don’t quite get the game yet. The minute I say “10”, they come running out giggling and looking for hugs. That’s my kind of game!
5. Set up a “stage” and act out your favorite Bible Stories. Use bathrobes and other things around the house to create costumes. Feel free to join in – I’m sure you would make a great lost sheep!
6. Make homemade ice cream in a bag together. See recipe below!

Homemade Ice Cream…in a Bag!

Makes 1 serving

INGREDIENTS

• ¹ ⁄ ₂ cup half-and-half
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• ¹ ⁄ ₄ teaspoon vanilla
• Flavorings of your choice (chocolate syrup, vanilla, fruit)
• 1 sandwich ziploc bag
• 1 gallon ziploc bag
• 3 cups crushed ice
• ¹ ⁄ ₃ cup rock salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Put first 4 ingredients in the smaller Ziplock bag and seal bag (Make sure it is tightly closed!). Put ice and rock salt in the larger bag and then add the filled small bag. Seal the large bag.
2. Squeeze bag until ice cream is thickened, about 10-15 minutes.
3. Remove small bag, unseal, and eat with spoon.
4. No need to even dirty a bowl!

Most importantly, remember to have fun with your kids. You blink, and they are headed out of the house on their way to college. Treasure these times together and build memories that will sustain you both for a lifetime!

GIVEAWAY

Be 1 of 5 lucky winners to receive a copy of Love, Lexi  by Sherry Kyle!

Love, Lexi Giveaway

Linda Howard is the Acquisitions Director of Children & Youth at Tyndale House Publishers.