From the Snowpocalypse to the Polar Vortex, Kansas City has experienced some tough winters. Whether you love or hate the cold weather, it can be tough for anyone to be cooped up inside for months on end – especially the younger members of your household.

We know that bored kids can wreck havoc on your home and your nerves, so SVB Wood Floors has put together a list of our favorite – hardwood floor friendly – ways to spend the coldest days of winter indoors.

Puzzles

One of the great things about puzzles is they come in varying levels of sizes, difficulty, and themes. You can find a puzzle to suit nearly any kid, no matter their age or interests. Plus, you can do the same puzzle over again, which means you don’t need a new set of puzzles every year!

You can sit down for a several hours at a time and knock out the puzzle all at once, or stretch it out over the course of a week, the choice is yours. Not to mention, puzzles won’t scratch up your floors while your kiddos are busy looking for the right piece.

Blanket Fort

If you’ve got extra blankets and sheets around the house, you’ve already got everything you need for this boredom buster. Let your kids explore ways to keep the blankets in place while they create their own mini-forts, or one giant, living room sized one to share. If your family likes to get competitive, start a paper airplane war, seeing who can get the most into the other’s fort.

Balloon Volleyball

Grab a balloon and move the furniture against the walls (but be careful and move your furniture safely). Then, give everyone the challenge to keep the balloon off the floor for as long as they can! Balloon sports are a great way to burn off energy indoors, without destroying the house. If you decide to switch it up and play a rougher balloon sport (think, soccer or baseball) you’ll want to remove some of the smaller or lighter breakables from the area.

Coloring Books

Great for keeping kiddos entertained and encouraging creativity, coloring makes for a great indoor activity. If you don’t have any coloring books on hand, ask your children to draw a particular item or scene.

This is another activity that works well for younger and older kids alike, because you can give them specific ideas to practice their drawing skills, or provide an open ended prompt that requires more imagination. Just make sure they’ve got the space to color, without decorating your floors.

Movie Night

Pick a movie with a theme you can incorporate throughout the day, decorate for, or even make a dinner to match! If you’re getting the family excited all day for the big event, not only will you have an easier time coming up with ideas to keep them entertained, but the kids will also be more enthusiastic about watching the movie. (Which means you can catch your breath!)

Charades

Another great options for houses with varying ages, charades is totally customizable. For young kids, focus on what they know – such as animals or occupations. Since your older participants still know these terms, it’s a fun way to get back to the basics. If the whole group is older, pick books or movies they enjoy to make it a little more challenging.

Board Games

These “family night” staples are a fantastic way to entertain, as long as you’ve got a group. Get out several games and let your kids decide which one to play (or, which one to play first). Because board games require a little more concentration and focus, you’ll be better off starting after younger kids have had a chance to burn off energy.

Living Room Picnic

Move the couch to the side (you’ve got felt pads on the feet, right?) and lay down a big blanket for this next activity. Just because you can’t enjoy a sunny day at the park doesn’t mean you can’t have a picnic!

Shake up the day-to-day of being stuck indoors by serving lunch on the ground, with some summertime favorites like hot dogs and popsicles. Just make sure your messy eaters have access to napkins and take a moment to sweep up any messes once they’ve moved on to the next activity of the day.

Hide & Seek

Finally, this classic game is actually better indoors than out – you’ve got so many more places to hide! Help younger kids come up with sneaky spots, or put a time limit on the search to make the game more challenging for your older kiddos.

Even with all these options for hardwood-friendly fun, sometimes accidents happen. If you’re in need of a deep cleaning, or a full refinishing of your floors, give SVB Wood Floors a call at (816) 965-8655.