Fun indoor games to play with your kids in winter

Winter in Buckshaw Village can be long, dark and very wet, which makes getting the children outside to burn off energy a real challenge. The good news is that you do not need snow, a big garden or expensive kit to keep little ones busy. With a bit of imagination and a few bits and pieces from around the house, you can turn any rainy afternoon into a proper adventure.

Here are three of our favourite indoor games to play with your kids this winter. Each one is cheap, quick to set up and works just as well for toddlers as it does for older children.

1. Indoor snowball game

No snow? No problem. Scrunch up sheets of scrap paper or old newspaper into soft balls and you have a whole arsenal of snowballs that will not soak the carpet or leave anyone with cold hands. Split into teams behind sofa cushion barricades and see who can land the most hits, or set up a bucket or washing basket as a target and take it in turns to score.

Because the paper snowballs are soft and light, they are gentle enough for the youngest children to throw and catch, and clearing up afterwards is as simple as popping them all back in the recycling.

2. Freeze

Freeze is a festive twist on musical statues that never fails to get everyone giggling. Put on some music and let the children dance around the room, then pause the track without warning. The moment the music stops, every dancer has to freeze on the spot like an ice sculpture. Anyone who wobbles, giggles or moves is gently out until the next round.

It is brilliant for wearing off some of that pent up winter energy, and you can make it as gentle or as competitive as your household likes.

3. Snowman Mummies

For a bit of team fun, Snowman Mummies is hard to beat. Split into pairs and give each team a roll of toilet paper. One child stands still while their partner wraps them from head to toe to turn them into a snowman (or a very fluffy mummy). The first team to use up their roll and cover their snowman wins.

It is silly, fast and always ends in fits of laughter, and a few cheap rolls of toilet paper are all you need to get started.

Keeping the family busy all winter

Games like these are a lovely way to fill a cold afternoon, but sometimes you all need to get out of the house. That is where The Hub at Buckshaw comes in. Under one roof in Buckshaw Village you will find our Splash swimming pool for warm indoor lessons and splashing about, our Ofsted Outstanding day nursery for children from 3 months to 5 years, and our friendly Cappuccino cafe for a hot drink and a proper sit down while the little ones refuel.

We are just off the M6 with free parking, making us an easy, warm day out for families across Chorley, Leyland, Euxton, Whittle-le-Woods and Preston all winter long.