Are you trying to avoid cabin fever? The after-holiday blues can sure get to you quickly if you don’t plan ahead. If your kiddos are starting to get a little stir crazy, try these fun boredom busters.

Plant a Small Garden

If you have an enclosed back porch or small room with sun and some extra time on your hands, try planting a small garden. This is a great way to teach little ones about gardening and nature, plus if all goes well, you’ll have some delicious, organic veggies to munch on. Even if you don’t have a green thumb, vegetables like cucumbers, summer squash, and cherry tomatoes are known to be some of the easier veggies to grow.

Host a Family Movie Night

Too cold to a flick at The Screening Room? Why not host your own movie night!? All you need for a fun-filled family evening is some popcorn, your family’s favorite candy, and a good movie. Round up the kids, turn on the TV, and opt for the ‘light butter’ popcorn for the best movie snacks.

To make the evening even more fun, only snack on the sugary treats when something specific in the movie happens. For example, eat a handful of popcorn (or a bite of Butterfingers) every time someone falls in love. That way, you won’t over-indulge, but you’ll still get to enjoy a tasty treat and have some fun while doing it!

Bake a Batch of Cookies

What’s better than biting into a batch of homemade cookies fresh out of the oven? This is a fun activity for little ones who love helping out in the kitchen. Whether you’re into a healthy granola, a winter gingerbread, or treating yourself to the fan-favorite snickerdoodle cookies, whip up a batch with your kids to have an extra special treat to satisfy your sweet tooth. Remember, even cookies are okay – so long as you eat them in moderation!

Make Slime

Slime keeps kids of all ages happy and entertained for hours. While we’re not totally sure what the appeal is, kids seem to go nuts over the ooey, gooey stuff. You can easily DIY slime at home with the help from your kids. It only takes a couple of ingredients, and it’s way more cost-effective than buying it from the store.

All you need to do is mix one box of cornstarch with 1/4 cup of water. Let your kids choose the food coloring of their choice, and voila, you have a sticky, tricky substance that magically transforms from a solid to a liquid when you squeeze it.

Play a Board Game

Classic board games like Scrabble, Memory, and Monopoly help teach valuable skills like decision-making, problem-solving, and critical thinking. We get it; your kids may not be too thrilled to put down their iPads, tablets, and turn off the TV for family game night. Try keeping your board games in the same area as your kid’s other toys; this way, they will become a more natural activity choice.

Light Exercising

If maintaining a healthy lifestyle while cooped up is proving to be challenging, don’t think that light exercise is out of the question. Yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi, or even Qigong are fun activities the whole family can do. These can be great stress-reducers and help promote a more peaceful & active environment – something we can all use a little bit of right now! Trying a new exercise with kids is probably more fun than you thought. Check out these free yoga videos geared toward kids, and make a mini-yoga session part of your daily routine!