Stormy Outside? Ideas To Keep The Kids Busy At Home

Oh no! There's so much snow that you're stuck at home.

Of course, you have the internet, cable, computer, video games, the cell phone and the iPad.

But eventually, all that technology gets old (or the power goes out and your batteries run out). That's where a little old-fashioned fun comes in handy. So, here are few great ideas to keep you busy if you're snowed in.

Related: Get out of the house - Some Fun Things To Do When School Is Canceled

DIGITAL SCAVENGER HUNT

This is a great activity that you can do indoors, or out.
Step one - Dig out that digital camera (since you need to conserve what cell phone battery you have left).
Step two – Take extreme close-ups of various items around your house or yard. If your kids are younger, keep the pictures a little wider.
Step three – Set them loose with the camera to find the items in the pictures.

BOARD GAMES WITH A TWIST

By now you've likely cycled through all of the tolerable (and some of the intolerable) board games in your collection. So challenge your kids to make their own. Mixing and matching pieces from games they have, or adding in household objects, have the kids create their own game with their own rules. But make sure the rules get written down! Now as you play, your kids will have to problem solve through the inevitable twists and turns of the game that they didn't anticipate.

BUILD A FORT INSIDE OR OUT

Inside: Toss a pile of sheets and blankets in the living room, let them know what furniture is off limits, and set them loose. A couch, two folding chairs and a sheet transform into a cozy bungalow. Add a card table and suddenly you have a multi-room suite. Your kids will have to use their creativity and work together to build a structure that suits them all.

Outside: Pile up the snow and turn it into a fort. While you're at it, roll up a snow man or build a few snow walls and start a snow ball fight.

CREATE A COSTUME

Halloween is long passed, but being stuck inside is a great time for a bit of dress up. Be adventurous and let the kids take charge. Challenge them to come up with a costume for you, using only items found in your house. You may end up wearing a mop for a wig, or dressed as a member of the opposite sex... but if you're willing to check your pride at the door, this could be a lot of fun.