This post is sponsored by The Carpet and Rug Institute. All opinions are my own.
It’s no secret that my family loves spending time outdoors. Our backyard is one of my favorite places to be, and we are forever finding new and exciting adventures to have under the sun. But, having two small children with asthma and seasonal allergies means that when temperatures drop, we need to head indoors. My kids always seem to get sick as the season changes from summer to fall, and once November hits we start hanging up our boots, get comfy, and settle in for spending time inside.
I’m sure you probably think that time inside pales in comparison to the great outdoors, but some of my favorite family memories have been made snuggled on the carpet with the kids, under a pillow fort, or crafting up something adorable. It is easy to fall into the tv trap when you can’t go outside, but with a little creativity and a few fun ideas, you don’t have to be stuck on the screen!
Build a Fort
Fort building is something that all kids love. I remember when I was younger, I used spare bedsheets that were tied together to build the biggest forts that I possibly could. These were more like mega forts, and my own kids have followed in my footsteps. They make all kinds of structures, and they love camping out on the floor under their forts!
Play on the floor
For some reason, kids seem to love crawling and rolling around on the carpet. It’s something that mine regularly do, and it seems like they have the best time playing on the floor, no matter what they are doing! Most of our floors are carpet, and it’s a good thing because a properly cleaned carpet can help improve air quality by reducing airborne allergens, which means I don’t have to worry about them hanging out on the floor. It turns out that carpet actually acts as a filter, trapping allergens that are brought in from outdoors and keeping them out of the air we breathe, and studies show that properly cleaned carpet improves indoor air quality by reducing airborne allergens. With the kids having asthma, and the whole family being part of the 35 million Americans that suffer from seasonal allergies, carpet is a must in our house as it supports healthier spaces for living, even for people with asthma and allergies!
To get the best out of our carpet, we regularly clean and maintain it with vacuuming and professional shampooing, which keeps it perfect for floor play! Want to know more about carpet? Head over to the Carpet and Rug Institute – they have tons of information on the benefits of carpet, and if you are shopping for carpet, be sure to look for one certified by The Carpet and Rug Institute’s Green Label Plus program, which means it’s low VOC.
Have a picnic
Just because you’re indoors doesn’t mean you can’t have a picnic! We do living room picnics every once in a while, and they are a great way to get out of the “norm” and mix things up. We keep the tv off so we can still have our normal family time, but moving off the table and onto the floor instantly makes it more of an adventure, and the kids love it!
Go camping
This might sound a little crazy, but it’s super cool. If you are a fan of camping, or even just happen to have a tent, then why not set it up inside one night and have a faux campout? You can cut off electricity, fire up your flashlights, go on silly scavenger hunts, drink hot cocoa, and sleep snuggled in your sleeping bags.
Get crafty
We are huge crafters at my house, and the kids are always up to create something fun! We have an entire cabinet dedicated to crafting, and I always keep it stocked. The best thing about crafts is that there are no rules, and you can make anything out of anything, so go ahead and get creative! If you need some inspiration, here is a super quick tutorial for adorable no-sew felt crowns.
Supplies:
- Felt sheets in your choice of color
- Scissors
- Pen to draw your pattern
- Jewels, stickers, embellishments, glitter, and more for decoration
- Hot glue gun (the quick option) or craft glue (the slow option)
To make these, all you need to do is cut out a crown shape from each felt piece, using two pieces for each crown. You can find templates on the internet, or freehand like I did – either way will work. Once you have your crown shapes, cut them out, glue one side together, and then measure it on your child’s head to find the best fit. Mark it, cut off the extra, and glue the other side so that you have a circle. I use hot glue for this first step because it is quick, but if you want to let the kids do that part, then any craft glue will do.
Once your crown has taken shape, all that’s left is to decorate it, let it dry, and then wear it! Kaia loves using jewels and sparkly embellishments, and Judah is a fan of basic shapes and primary colors. Either way, these are a great way to spend an hour, and perfect for playing dress-up with after!
Play games
This is something that we don’t do enough of, but now that the kids are getting older, I want to stock up on board games and similar items and start having game nights. With four of us, it is easy to have teams of one adult/child for those that are more challenging for them to play. Right now, our favorite family game is Uno, but the new Guess Who is a close second! There are thousands of games out there that are perfect for all ages, and it is never to early to start building your collection!
So you see, there are tons of great ways to spend your time indoors that don’t involve watching the tv. These are just a small few, but as long as you are spending time together, the sky is the limit!
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Carpet and Rug Institute, and they are giving away a $500 Visa Gift Card to one lucky reader! Click over to visit CRI and use the Rafflecopter widget at the bottom of the page to enter for a chance to win!
