Stuck Inside DIY Play Guide

TGIF, for real. I spent a whirlwind of a week in NYC, with three segments packed in. First on Tuesday, I dropped by Little Things and played charades on their show, Refresh. Then on Wednesday, I taped a segment at a brand new to me show, Harry! I had SO much fun, and hope I get to go back soon. Mark your calendars, it airs on January 23.

And then this morning on Today, I shared some simple DIY ideas to keep kids entertained when it's too cold to go outside. .

Snowman Breakfast 

Start the day on the right foot with a big snowman breakfast, complete with snowman waffles. Get the kids out of bed and have them help in the kitchen. For your waffle snowman, I recommend topping the waffles with vanilla yogurt, and decorating with raisins, sprinkles, blueberries, or whatever else gives your snowman some character.

Grab a few inexpensive clear mugs from the store and decorate them using markers or construction paper to create a happy Snowman face. Fill the mug with white hot chocolate or milk, topped with whipped cream!

One final snowman treat: three small powdered donuts skewered onto a straw, topped off with a fruit leather scarf, and a gum drop nose.

Ice Cream Snow Man

For a non-breakfast treat, make a snowman sundae! Use vanilla ice cream for his melting body, and a marshmallow for his head. Have the kid decorate their own snowman using icing, candies and licorice.

Laundry Basket Skeeball

Skeeball is one of my favorite arcade games, and I love this version you can set up for inside using a recycled box and some laundry baskets. Use ball pit balls or tennis balls, and decide on how many points each basket will be worth. Try moving the baskets around for special challenges.

Salt Crystal Snowflakes

Grab a few pipe cleaners and twist them into a snowflake shape. Tie your snowflake to a pencil and place it inside a large mason jar. Make sure the snowflake doesn't touch the sides of the jar. Then carefully fill the jar with Borax solution (3 tablespoons Borax per 1 cup water) until the snowflake is completely submerged.

Let your experiment sit over night. In the morning, you'll have "grown" a beautiful crystal snowflake!

Egg Carton Snowmen

I love crafts that use recyclables and simple craft items you likely have laying around the house. And you guessed it, we're using recycled egg cartons for these little guys. Make sure you keep three egg holders in a row when you cut up the carton (this is a good part of the activity for adults to do). Then have kids use googly eyes, pip cleaners, mini pom poms to dress up their own snowman.

Indoor Snowballs

Don't worry, we aren't gathering snow from outside and bringing it into the house. Instead, make indoor snowballs using white yarn and string! These are safe for an indoor snowball fight, and you won't end the afternoon with soggy boots.

Balloon Ping Pong

Always have balloons in your house. They are an easy way to keep kids entertained for hours. Take it up a level and make ping-pong paddles for them to swat at the balloon with. Kids can decorate their paper plates, too.


If you're looking for some non-DIY ideas for keeping kids active, check out my list here.

Good luck with the long weekend ya'll!