Winter is here (Hello, Polar Vortex!)...

At this point, the cold has numbed us and turned us into cranky, comfort food seeking humans. It has also trapped us inside for days at a time. There is no wonder the electronic devices have taken over parenting most of the day, right?

Have you read our post about screen time? Well, it's eye opening. 

I know it's hard this time of year to be creative and entertain the toddlers while staying sane. Where is the damn sunshine? However, limiting the screens is a must. Don't panic, though. I created an awesome list of activities for you to choose from. There are several categories that are broken down into weekly themes. They should keep your kids interested, promote educational conversation, involve the whole family, and keep everyone happy throughout another cold week.  

Without further ado, here are a few weekly themes, including several book ideas you can checkout at your library, hands-on activities, and toy ideas to invest in to extend the play.   

Transportation Week

Activities:

Paper Airplanes

Balloon Rockets: A personal favorite.

Car Jump

Train Tracks:  Set up a town and all your train tracks!

Egg Carton Bus

Books:

• Busy Boats
• I Love Trucks
• I Love Trains

Conversations: 

Ask your toddler how people get from place to place and talk about the options: car, bus, train, bike, plane, etc. Talk about engines, power, speed, or lack of these for each mode of transportation. Use colors and sizes with younger kids to play matching race car games or category games.

Toys to Invest in: 

Trains and tracks, Matchbox cars, ride on toy for inside, toy planes (we love the vehicles you can take apart and rebuild!)

Hibernation Week

Activities:

Build forts!

Shoebox Cave:

Watch a documentary

There are hundreds to choose from!

Make a cave from play dough:  Use your imagination with this one.

Design a cave:

Read Books, watch movies, and nap!

Play the Hibernation Game:  First person to move is out!

Books: 

• Bear Snores On
• Hibernation Station
• Time to Sleep
• Not a Buzz to be Found
• Animals in Winter

Conversations:

Learn about why some creatures hibernate and why some do not.

Toys to Invest in:

Play Dough and toy animals

Zoo Week

Lion:

Binoculars:

Giraffe:

Zebra Puppet

Books:

• Color Zoo 
• Dear Zoo 
• From Head to Toe 
• My Heart Is Like a Zoo 
• Two at the Zoo 

Conversations:

Animals, animal sounds.

Toys to Invest In: 

Zoo Animals (Little People Zoo is great!)

Ocean Week

Activities:

Rainbow Fish

Octopus:

Crab:

 

Ocean View:

Books:

• Rainbow Fish
• Pout Pout Fish
• Little Fish
• Busy Beach
• Seaside Poems
• That’s Not My Mermaid

Conversations:

Number of oceans, the animals, and plants that live in the ocean, salt water versus fresh water (and drinking water).

Toys to Invest In:

Kenetic Sand

Map Week

Activities:

Color a map!

Draw a Map: Draw a layout of the house with a compass.

Map Flip Book:

Compass:

Treasure Map

Books:

• Me on the Map
• Where Do I Live?
• Follow That Map
• There’s a Map on My Lap

Conversations:

Directions, adventures

Toys to Invest in: 

Compass, binoculars, pirate costumes, maps

Rainbow Week

Activities:

Half-Circles:

Ribbon Dancers:

Rainbow Mobile:

Rainbow Necklace:

Construction Rainbows:

Color Mixing:

Books:

• Mix It Up
• What Makes a Rainbow?
• A Rainbow of My Own

Conversations: 

Colors, Mixing Colors, Creating Rainbows

Toys to Invest In:

Wooden Rainbow Stackers  

Valentine’s Week

Activities:

Heart Necklace:

Light Catcher:

Love Bug:

Heart Play Dough:

Books:

• The Day it Rained Hearts
• Roses are Pink, Your Feet Really Stink
• Fancy Nancy Heart to Heart
• Amelia Bedelia’s First Valentine

Conversations:

Kindness, Generosity, Showing Love

Toys to Invest In:

Wooden Mailbox