Winter Crafts

When kids are confined to the house in bad weather, Moms, Dads or other "sitters" can be pushed to their limits to entertain them. Even bundling them up in snowsuits to go build a snowman--when there's snow instead of torrential rain--gets to be a little less than fun. When they've come back in several times, cold and wet and needing the bathroom in a hurry, it takes longer to undress and re-dress them than the time they spend outside.

Happy is the parent whose child likes to read books and develop their imagination. Even then, physically doing something for an hour or two is an outlet for stored-up energy. Winter crafts can be the answer to "Mom, I need something to do!" Sometimes the older kids will pitch in and help their younger brothers and sisters, even when they feel it isn't cool to do the kids' stuff for their own enjoyment.

Almost every household has odd lengths of string or leftover yarn, various pieces of cardboard and paper, and Styrofoam saved from the last package that arrived. Even a household without kids has crayons and colored markers, just in case someone drops in with an understandably bored child tagging along. White glue? You bet. If you're an old pro at dealing with cabin fever (including your own), you'll have no end of pack rat material.

Not Just Christmas Stuff in February

You can create everything from Mr. and Mrs. Snowman and their kids, to snowflakes, poinsettias, and gingerbread houses (if you're brave, of course). If the children aren't too young, they can cut out ornaments from aluminum pie plates to hang in the window. It doesn't have to be the Holiday Season to do moons and stars. If it's snowing at the end of January, you can start on Valentine's gifts. If it's March, here comes Easter. A number of websites have software for activity books or coloring books that can be downloaded and printed out. How long has it been since you tried to stay inside the lines yourself? It's not always easy!