Beat the winter blues: 10 Ways to keep busy indoors

Ah, table tennis and pool: sports that are brilliant for all ages. We are huge fans of these two indoor games, and they can offer hours and hours of fun and bragging rights (and losers do the dishes or are on teamaking duty). It’s not cheap, but it’s so worth it, as it will reward you even outside of winter. If you don’t have the space, there are some miniature versions too – one of our favourites is table-top foosball.

We are huge fans of arts and crafts, and we’ve written about how it benefits both kids and adults alike here. There are so many options to express your creativity. Our favourites are the home artist kits that include oil, acrylic or watercolour paints and some inspiration to get you started. If you don’t want to go that route just yet, there are therapeutic colouring books for any age.

We love this idea as you rope your kids into making it in the kitchen and then playing with it once it cools off. It is a simple recipe that will keep youngsters busy for hours (and it smells pretty good, too!).    

We’re huge fans of this Danish company and its brightly-coloured products. There are options for any age, including architecture projects, highly complicated racing cars, and engineering construction. Bottom line: there is something for everyone. And a handy tip: if you want to challenge your children with different building tasks, you can use LEGO Stem Challenge Cards.

The best part about scavenger hunts is that they are versatile: you can create different versions that your kids return to daily. Even better, you can make them educational games too. Start simple with hand-written lists and give them a basic time limit.

If you don’t know what that is, have a look at this music video: the band set up one long Rube Goldberg Machine. Named after an American cartoonist and inventor, these machines are built to achieve a simple goal but in a crazy, chain-reaction way. Every movement triggers the next one, and eventually (if it all goes to plan), the final task is completed. It must be seen to be believed, but it’s another activity for all ages that will take up hours. Trust us, this is oddly satisfying, and you’ll start getting bigger and crazier with each attempt.  

Winter is the perfect time to tinker and upgrade something at home, whether in your house, garden, or garage. You can consult the university of YouTube for more expert guidance and rope in the rest of the family to help. The choice and variety of projects are almost limitless! Our personal favourite? Upgrading old furniture with new material or creating new pieces from wood.  

We are huge fans of journaling, but this takes it to the next step. You can create anything: a biography, children’s book, science fiction epic, or mystery murder novel. If you’re nervous about writing, this can be a personal project that no one else reads. Either way, it’s a creative, therapeutic process that provides you with your own written masterpiece at the end. For bonus points, try doing it old-school – with a pen and paper for even more tactile and creative benefits. The challenge for children is writing fairy tales or bedtime stories.

It doesn’t matter if you have no gardening skills – there are garden projects that people of all ages can do, starting with toddlers and going through to adults. It doesn’t have to be expensive either; seeds are inexpensive. The best part? You end up with a garden with your personal touch that you’re proud of.