25 Indoor Game Ideas

In the event of it being too cold to do much outside, what can you do inside with your kids and family? I had all sorts of fun coming up with this list of ideas from websites and books for my sis and brother in law. Of course, not having kids to practice this on myself, I have no idea if these would really work or be fun, and seeing the way my last couple classes went that I taught, most likely these might be flops, but here's hoping!

1) Indoor Camping

Flashlight
Indoor S'mores
Tent or sheet tent

2) Indoor picnic in a box
blanket
special picnic food

3) Glow-In-The-Dark hide and seek

Use glow in the dark bracelets found at the dollar store

4) ABC hunting in the house game

Make a list of common items that you could find around the house that start with letters of the alphabet. Have a "treasure" hunt to see if you can find them all

5) Make a cake

6) What's missing?

find small items - like a spoon, doll, shoe, timer, etc) and group them together. Take a good look at them, cover with a towel and take one item away. Then look again and see if you can tell which item is missing

7) Tightrope walking

8) Puppet shows

9) Indoor Obstacle Course

pillows
box
laundry basket
couch
taped lines on floor
quilt

10) Bowling
cardboard toilet paper tubes, paper towel tubes, or plastic bottles
small inflatable ball

11) Balloon Tennis
balloons
flyswatters
drying racks
paper plates with popsicle sticks stapled to it

12) Bean Bag Toss (into laundry basket)

13) Pillow Fight (make special little pillows for this event)

14) Letter writing

have a shoe box filled with envelopes, junk mail, stickers, colored pencils etc

15) Paper bag pinata - the little paper lunch sacks probably work best

16) Popcorn party

17) Bug Hunt

creative bug "nets" (could be anything from a plastic sack to a real net made with netting and a stick)
bug stickers or picture cards

18) Hide-The-Marbles (or milk caps or thimble)

19) Make a car out of a box

20) Gift wrapping game
wrapping paper or gift bags

play it where you find a gift from your house that you alread have and "re-gift" it, practicing saying thank you and something nice about what you recieved

21) Make a book

color pictures

cut out people pictures

make a book with you own photos

22) Treasure Map

use a floor plan of your own house to seek out a hidden treasure

23) Bake cinnamon rolls to give away

24) Sound Hide-and-Seek

hide a ticking clock and see if you can find it

25) Dance Night
Music
Colored scarves or streamers

26) Relay Race

And last of all, I found this book at our local library and it really has some neat ideas for making your own board games, and some fun snow games to play too!

A Christmas Poem

We used this poem to make a preschooler's Touch & Feel/Know Your Colors book last Sunday. But I really like the way it goes. :)

Black is the color of the dark, dark night
Where the moon and the stars were the only light.

White was the color of the many sheep,
Who stood in the field while the people sleep.

Yellow is the color that the shepherds saw
As the angels sang, they stood in awe.

Glory in the highest to the God above
A baby has been born, a gift of love.

Gray is the color of the cloth that kept
Baby Jesus warm, as he slept.

Green is the color of the grass that grew
As Jesus became a big boy too.

Purple is the color that kings do wear
And some wise men came, their gifts to share.

Blue is the color that the sky did cry,
As angry men wanted Jesus to die.

Red is the color of God's love true.
He has so much for me and you!

Pink is the color of the story's end:
Jesus died, and arose, and is coming again!

Aha!

I found this in a cookbook of all places the other day, and thought to myself, Aha! I will memorize this and it will help me when I am scared of the dark! :)

"Keep me, Lord, for darkness gathers

Round about the path I tread;

Keep me, Lord, and let my footsteps

Ever by Thy Word be led."

Cookie Exchange

We did a cookie exchange at work and it was lots of fun. I was in charge of sorting and organizing. I found these bags on Black Friday for pennies each.

I printed out the recipes and stamped snowflakes on them as well as personal name tags. I also got each a different cookie cutter, just for fun, that I found for a good price at Ben Franklin.

We all went home with 7 dozen different kinds of treats. Yum!

It's a Keeper

Here is an experimental recipe I tried the other week. We all declared it's a keeper! It's quick to prepare, simple, yet tasty and spicy. Easy to throw together for last minute company:)

Emily's Tortilla Wraps

• 1/2 lb ground pork
• 1 serano pepper
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1 tsp pepper
• 3/4 cup salsa
• 1/4 cup pepper jack cheese
• 3 warm tortillas
• leftover jar of spinach dip :)

Fry the pork, peppers,  and onion till done and juicy. Drain off grease. Add salsa and cheese and warm through. Warm up the tortillas, fill with meat mixture and a couple spoonfuls of spinach dip, and roll up. Serve warm with corn (or other veggie), salad, and chocolate pudding cake :) Yum!

Winter Decorating

Reminder

"When God measures men He puts the tape around the heart, not the head."

~ Anonymous

Day Ten- Judah's Scepter

Target

Day Ten - Judah's Scepter

Text: Genesis 49:8-12

Key Verse:

"The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from his descendants, until the coming of the one to whom it belongs, the one whom all nations will honor." Genesis 49:10

Symbol: Seal, scepter, or jewel

To think about:

• What is a "scepter"?
• To "whom it belongs" has what? (obedience of the nations)
• The people of Israel are beginning to look forward to someone coming....a king, a ruler, who will reign forever.
• Where are the people in this passage? (Egypt)

Some thoughts on Bathrooms....

I know, we don't normally spend our thinking moments on bathrooms, and don't often bring the subject of them up in conversation, but I thought I might share a few tips on them anyway.

When company comes, it's a good idea to pay a little attention to our bathrooms. Now, I'm not one who has their's all fancied up with lace curtains and potporui and magazine racks, who has matching towels and painted cupboards. No, if you come to our house that's not my bathroom....you must've taken a wrong turn somewhere!

But, even if you don't have a designer home, there ARE a few things you can do to make your bathroom a nicer place in a jiffy:

1. Re-load the toilet paper holder (bonus - have an extra roll available in a handy place)
2. Change the garbage out
3. Make sure there is a clean towel to dry hands on
4. Wash the sink/counter

There you have it. You don't have to scrub the whole bathroom down if you're running short of time and high on stress....just a few touch ups like those above, make the bathroom nice and functional for you and your guests. (This is taking into account that a regular bathroom cleaning schedule is already in place :) )

One more thing I've noticed, if kids are coming over, is to leave the bathroom light on. We don't have windows in our bathroom, and it get's pretty dark and forboding at night when the hallway is dark. I've had much more success convincing a little kid to "try" if the light was on and they had a chance to "scope it out" (i.e. peek in while no-one was looking) first! :) I know this might be an electricity issue...but personally, I can deal with that more than other things ;) if it's only for a short time.

Day Nine - Review

Day Nine - Review

• Review the passages and stories read by looking at the ornaments hung on the tree.
• Practice a memory verse
• Sing a song

Day Eight - Jacob's Blessing

Pottery Barn

Day Eight - Jacob's Blessing

Text: Genesis 28:10-22

Key Verse:

"Your descendants will be as numerous as the dust of the earth! They will spread out in all directions - to the west and the east, to the north and the south. And all the families of the earth will be blessed through you and your descendants." Genesis 28:14

Symbol: Angel or ladder

To think about:

• 
  
  Who is Jacob?
  
• 
  
  Do you remember reading about him in jesus' genealogy?
  
• 
  
  Do you see the promise of Someone in these verses?
  
• 
  
  What does "bless" mean?
  
• 
  
  How many children does Jacob end up having?
  
  
  

Read these verses as well:

• 
  
  Isaiah 9:6-7
  
• 
  
  John 3:16-17
  

Tip of the Day...

Tip of the Day:

 Wear a belt.

(trust me on this)

Day Seven - Abraham's Offspring

Christmas2Ornaments

Day Seven - Abraham's Offspring

Text: Genesis 15:1-6, Genesis 17:1-8, Genesis 21:1-6

Key Verse:

"I will confirm my covenant with you and your descendants after you, from generation to generation. This is the everlasting covenant: I will always be your God and the God of your descendants after you." Genesis 17:7

Symbol: Star

To think about:
Even long ago, God was making His plan come true for sending Jesus. Read the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew chapter 1. What names do you recognize?

Read these verses as well:

• Matthew 1:2
• Romans 4

Day Six - A Promise

Unique Collection Glassware

Day Six - A Promise

Text: Genesis 8:1 - 9:17

Key Verse:

 "When I see the rainbow in the clouds, I will remember the eternal covenant between God and every living creature on earth." Genesis 9:16

Symbol: Rainbow (prism)

To think about:

• 
  
  What is the promise God makes?
  
• Has God made any other promises that you can think of?
  
• 
  
  Do you think you would look forward to the promise of Somone rescuing you from death?
  
  
  

Read these verses as well:

• 
  
  Matthew 28:20
  
  
  

Day Five - Noah's Ark

Christmas Gift Gallery

Day Five - Noah's Ark

Text: Genesis 6:1 - 7:24

Key Verse:

"The Lord observed the extent of human wickedness on the earth, and he saw that everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil. So the Lord was sorry he had ever made them and put them on the earth. It broke His heart." Genesis 6:5,6 (NLT)

Symbol: Boat or animals

Elephant

To think about:

• Do you remember what we talked about in our first lessons?
• Has God provided a Savior yet?
• Why did He destroy the world with a flood?

Read these verses as well:

• Micah 6:8
• Proverbs 6:16-19

Christmas Gift Gallery

How do you feel?

 "People will forget what you said. People will forget what you did. But people will never forget how you made them feel." Make your guests feel welcome, accepted, and valuable. Then, no matter what else happens, your dinner party will be a success."

Maya Angelou

Some tips on making your guest feel welcome:

• Greet them by name
• Greet them at the door (if your soup is boiling over, do call a hello by name, manage your soup, and then stop what you are doing for a quick, face to face hello and then go back to your soup)
• Relax.
• Offer them something to drink
• Sit down with them. (Works well to have a team-thing, making sure at least one host is visiting with the guest while the other finishes tasks)
• Ask them questions. "How was work today?" or "How is your family?" or "What is new with you this week?"
  

How about you? What are some things you have enjoyed as a guest?

Day Four - Review

• Take time today to review the lessons and Bible verse done this week, by looking at the ornaments on the tree.
• Practice a memory verse
• Sing a song (Suggested song - Have Patience)

Day Three - More Sin

Sharonroses.blogspot

Day Three - More Sin

Text: Genesis 4:1-16 (with discretion)

Key Verse:

"You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master."

Genesis 4:7

To think about:
Here blood was shed. Anger was let to lead to sin. Our world was getting wrose.

• Why do you think God responded to Cain the way He did?
• What could've Cain done differently?
• Is there any patching-up and forgiving you need to do?
• How does this show us the world needed a Savior?

Read these verses as well:

• Matthew 18:21-35

Rememberance

I want you to know you are never forgotten;

That the old, old days hid in my memory sweet

Are still a part of my life that I cherish -

Without them so much would be incomplete.

And you are mixed up with so much I remember,

Your name so often I utter in prayer;

Never forgotten, on earth or in heaven,

Always the child of God's tenderest care.

I want you to know you are never forgotten,

That my thoughts and my prayers are folding you round.

Rest in His promises, go where He send you,

Do what He bids you, faithful be found.

Look up and trust Him, a new year is dawning,

Stretch out your hand and take His today;

Bought by Him, loved by Him, never forgotten,

Hid in His heart forever and aye.

~ Anonymous

Day Two - First Sin

Image from: The City Review

Day Two - First Sin

Text: Genesis 3:1-19

Key Verse:

"Then the Lord God said to the serpent, Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all animals, domestic and wild. You will crawl on your belly, groveling in the dust as long as you live. And I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel." Genesis 3:14,15

Symbol: Snake or fruit

To think about:

In a beautiful, perfect world, sin enters. Even from this very beginning, God loved us past the sin, and made a plan for us. Part of His plan was to send His Son.

• 
  
  Can you see where it talks about this in these verses?
  
• Where is it pointing to Jesus?
  
• 
  
  What does it say Jesus will do?
  

Read these verses as well:

• 
  
  John 1:1
  
• 
  
  Isaiah 59:1-3
  

Good Housekeeping

Day One - Creation

Today I picked out my tree. It is, of course, a balasam....since I think they smell the best. This one needs a little space in the branches (not too thick) so the ornaments can hang nicely! (The nice thing about a virtual tree, is I can pick out whatever ornaments I want!) I'm excited to begin! Below are this week's lessons, Tuesday thru Friday.

Day One - Creation

Text: Genesis 1

Key Verse:

"In the beginning, God created the heaves and the earth." Genesis 1:1

Symbol for our tree: Lights!

To think about:

     In the beginning, God made everything. It all started out dark, but with a word, God said, Let there be light, and there was LIGHT! God's first week of creation was beautiful! As we start this Christmas season, you will see all sorts of beautiful lights decorting the town and houses. When you see the pretty lights, stop and think about the beginning of time. Who was there? (God was) Who is with us nowadays? (God still is) And in the end, when the world is destroyed, who will be there? (God still will) God was, and is, and is to come. He is ALWAYS. The lights can remind us of this.

Read these verses as well:

• Revelation 1:8
• Hebrews 1:10-12
• John 1:1-5