Blueberry Muffins, Dance Parties, and More

It's the beginning of March and we've got blustery winds, iced over sidewalks, and snow snow snow! At least it isn't twenty below zero?? Spring is coming. Spring is coming. Spring is coming. 

[Image of a yellow daffodil with green stems and leaves. Out of focus in the background is a railing and winter wonderland.]

We love playing outside in the snow but some days it's nice not to spend 30 minutes putting on all the layers before opening the door to booger-freezing winds. Below are a few ways to enjoy the indoors while waiting for spring to come. Or maybe it isn't freezing or snowing where you are but you're interested in some indoor fun!

Activity Books

I love making books. Little paper books just stapled together on the spine. Poked holes with string or yarn is a great way to make the books too. Offer themes, leave them blank, write in an activity. 

[Image is a close-up of five little white paper books stapled on the spine, in a neat stack on a dark gray brick surface.]

[Image of five white paper books with a subject written in black capital letters on the cover. Insects, Colors, Shapes, Nature. Birds. They're on a dark gray brick surface.]

[Image of a small white book with a stapled spine and a black pen keeps is closed in the upper right corner. Large black text centered on the cover "I SPY..." Bottom of the cover black text "Name:" with a line to write on.]

[Image of an small white book opened to two pages. Left side prompt “something small” and right side prompt “something special.” Below each has a line with text in parentheses “write here.” On the bottom of each page has text in parentheses “draw here.”]

Blueberry Muffins

Winter days are awesome for baking. The oven heats up the room. The smells warm your heart. My favorite blueberry muffin recipe is "The Perfect Blueberry Muffins" recipe by Smitten Kitchen. It's. So. Good. One bowl recipe. If you use a food scale, there are even less things to clean. I opt for the 255 grams of blueberries (versus less) and the zest of a whole small lemon (versus half). I've made it with frozen blueberries as well as fresh and prefer the latter. The batter doesn't get as stiff or muddle with the fresh compared to the frozen. I prefer how the fresh blueberries burst in ooey gooeyness. 

[Image of a glass bowl of freshly washed blueberries on a kitchen counter, lit by a windy wintry morning.]

[Image of hot just-baked blueberry muffins cooling on a wire rack on a kitchen counter. Gooey blueberries ooze out of the muffins topped with crunchy turbinado sugar.]

Finger Painting

Get on an old-t-shirt, an art smock, or clothes optional. Finger painting can be so much fun. There are tons of different recipes for homemade finger paints out there. We used child-friendly tempera paints I already had. We also added some baking soda halfway through to thicken it up and add another element of fun. Would have brought out the vinegar to put in squirt bottles but didn't have those on hand for fizzy paints. Broken down cardboard boxes (Amazon Prime much?) can be great surfaces to paint on because they're thick. Emptied toilet paper or paper towel rolls are fun to rolling the paint around or stamping circles. Or just use those fingers and hands! I prefer to cover the table with a washable or wipe-able tablecloth for quick clean-up. 

[Image of a black and white plaid tablecloth on a table with two pieces of paper adjacent to each other, each with six dots of different colored paints. Upper right corner has a child's hand and part of a lime-green smock sleeve.]

Get Moving

Some times you just gotta move. Get that heart rate up. Shake those sillies out. Keep it fun.

• sing a song (i.e. ABCs) while jumping on both feet
• pretend to pick apples from a tree by reaching up with alternating arms, up on your toes, ten times
• ten jumping jacks
• do "Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes" regular speed, fast speed, slow speed

Repeat. Add whatever other actions you want. 

Another fun thing is a dance party playlist. If there are chores to do, make it fun. Instead of using a timer, use the song. "By the time this song finishes, let's have all the books on the bookshelf and be able to see the floor of the living room." "By the time this song finishes, all the blocks are put away."

[Four image collage of two sisters having a great time. Hair is flying, well at least for one of them because the toddler doesn't have much flyable hair. Smiles are all around. There's a toy block, pillows, and black bag against the off-white wall. The toddler has on a purple and teal dress tutu over black leggings while her older sister has on a white t-shirt, a mauve floral skirt, and socks.]

Rock Sorting

As a child I loved collecting rocks and I still do and now my children love collecting rocks too. Coffee canisters are excellent rock containers. Rocks can be sorted, stacked, painted, etc.

[Image of two sisters playing on a tiled floor sorting rocks into the different squares.]

And there you have it. The snow is falling even harder (at an angle nonetheless) now as I type. Wishing you a strong cup of coffee is that's what you need, thirty seconds to yourself if that's what you crave, an early and smooth bed time to finish out Monday if that's what you are looking forward to, and giggles and belly-aching laughter if that will turn all the frowns upside-down. Cheers!

[Image of a tan skin bespectacled Asian woman with dark brown hair. She’s wearing a light neutral brown top and holding a white cup with a brown tree design. Inside the cup is honeyed coffee and milk. She’s smiling with her eyes and eyebrows and mouth open.]