Indoor Fun
It’s raining,
it’s pouring and you’re fearful that your day is about to get really boring.
But, it doesn’t have to be that way!
Combat cabin fever by having some fun indoors thanks to the suggestions
below. Read on and get ready to embrace the rainy day.
Being stuck
indoors can be cozy, but it could also mean a storm is brewing. Although many
of us consider our homes as a ‘safe place’, they can actually harbor
potentially serious threats if we are not protected with the right personal
protection. If you are looking for a safer way to live independently, it may be
time to investigate Life Alert Protection. While wearing their lightweight,
waterproof emergency pendant, you can summon help fast with just one touch of a
button. No matter what life threatening emergency you may face, Life Alert’s
dispatch team can send you the proper authorities, 24/7. Stay cozy and safe
while you’re stuck indoors with Life Alert by your side.
Reschedule
your tennis practice, leave the yard work for another day, throw on something
comfortable and pick one of Real Simple’s[1]
fun things to do indoors. Whether you’re in the company with your
grandchildren, a friend or even if you’re solo, enjoy one of these fun ideas!
Have an Indoor Treasure Hunt: Children
in the house? Keep their rainy day lively with a treasure hunt. Make one set of clues for every player (try
rhyming the clues for fun), each clue leading to the next one and, finally, to
the treasure. Seal them in envelopes marked with a clue number (i.e., 2/7, or
“two of seven”); this will help the treasure hunters keep track. Whoever solves
the clues first and finds the treasure—a small toy, an IOU for a movie, maybe a
cache of coins (regular or chocolate)—is the winner. Or have your kids play as
a team to solve the clues and uncover the treasure together.
Make Your Own Bubble Bath: A
rainy day is the perfect time to slip into a soothing bath laced with your own
moisturizing soap blend. In a clean container, mix together ½ cup mild liquid
hand or body soap, 1 tablespoon sugar or honey, and 1 egg white. Pour the
entire mixture under the running water as you draw your bath. Honey will
attract and retain moisture in your skin. The egg white helps create stronger,
longer-lasting bubbles for a nice, fluffy bath. For extra-dry skin, consider
adding a tablespoon of light oil, such as almond or light sesame.
Create a
Family Recipe Book: Here’s what you’ll need…
Unlined journal
Recipe cards (the more
sauce-splattered, the better)
Wine or Champagne labels
Photos from family meals
Adhesive
Photo corners
Ruler
Shimmery alphabet stickers
(available at crafts stores)
Ribbon
What
to Do-
Color-copy all
recipe cards, photos, and labels if you want to preserve the originals or make
more than one gift book. Compile the memorabilia by time period, holiday, or
any other theme that inspires you. Affix the items horizontally in the journal.
Use photo corners for pictures and recipe cards and adhesive for labels and
clippings. Stick a title on the front of the journal with alphabet stickers
(using a ruler helps), and finish off with a ribbon.
Camp in the Great
Indoors: Who says tents have to stay outside? If you have a pop-up or
small dome tent, it’s easy to set up camp for your kids indoors. If not, you
can create tents by draping sheets over the couch. Make them comfy with airbeds,
pillows, and sleeping bags.
Invent a (No Batteries) Game: Anne
Libera, artistic associate, recommends the following play-anywhere,
no-props-needed activities. One-word story: Starting with “Once upon a time,”
go around the room and have each person add a single word to the story. Tip:
Decide on a genre in advance―fairy tale, ghost story, etc.―and go from there.
Improvised poetry: One person says a line of poetry, and the next must say a
line that rhymes with it, and so on. Let kids say the first line; it’s up to
you to find the rhyme. Yes, and…monster! Invent an imaginary monster, with each
person adding a new characteristic to the first person’s monster description.
Every new idea has to start with an enthusiastic, “Yes, and…” and build on what
has already been described.
Deep Condition Your Hair: You’ve
been wanting to give your hair a deep treatment but just haven’t been able to
get to the drugstore or salon. Walk over to the fridge to find your solution:
mayonnaise. Starting at the scalp, coat strands with ½ cup mayo. Leave on for
15 minutes, then rinse thoroughly.
Bake Up Some Chocolate Chip Cookies:
Nothing cures rainy day blues like a fresh batch of cookies . Dunk them in milk
or eat ’em (practically) right out of the oven—a surefire way to happily
weather the storm.
Organize Your Own Film Festival:
Queue up some classics, old (Singin’ in the Rain) and new (Toy Story 3), let
the kids add a few favorites—even mix in last week’s American Idol on DVR for
variety—and have a marathon screening. Keep a cozy throw on hand to snuggle
under and settle in to enjoy the show.
Host a Tea Party: Dress up in
fancy duds, set the table with the good china, and put on your most formal
manners (remember, extend your pinkie and sip politely). On the menu: tea (for
you), juice or cocoa (for your children), and easy egg or chicken salad. Let
your kids decide the guest list—and which of their favorite dolls or furry
friends are on it.
Pamper Yourself with a Skin-Softening
Salve: Do a little spa therapy with a homemade scrub (this one comes
courtesy of New York City makeup artist Gucci Westman): Grind about two cups of
oatmeal, a natural skin soother; add a few handfuls each of coffee grinds and
brown sugar. Then stir in three or four spoonfuls of skin-nourishing honey,
ginger, and noni extract (find it at health-food stores). Before storing the
batch in the refrigerator, Westman scoops out enough for a week into a jar,
which she keeps in her shower, using it daily. “It smells lovely, and it’s
gentle,” she says. “When my skin feels really dry, I add olive oil, too.”
Map Out a City on Paper: Got a
roll of kids’ craft or butcher paper? Roll a long piece down a hallway, use
painter’s tape (or heavy books) to secure the corners and edges, and let your
kids draw a metropolis. Make roads, bridges, cul de sacs, and neighborhoods.
Include lakes, playgrounds, schools, hospitals, shops, and restaurants. Or use
Legos and blocks to construct buildings along the way. Kids can drive toy cars
along the roads and make believe a day in the life of imaginary characters.
Paper accidentally get ripped in one spot? Earthquake! And when the kids are
finished playing, crumple up the paper and toss it in the recycling bin.
Brush Up on Your Mixology: Is
your signature drink a glass of red wine? Are you intimidated by cocktail
shakers and coupe glasses? Do you wonder what the heck bitters are? (We do
too.) Use an afternoon inside to master the art of the classic drink—we’re
talking "Mad Men" era cocktails here—that you can serve at a party or
pour for yourself after a tough day at work. Once you know the basics, you can
alter the recipes to suit your taste. So grab some snacks—no one needs to drink
manhattans or martinis on an empty stomach—read up on the difference between
bourbon and rye, and try one or more of these.
Plan a Vacation! For Real!: Ok,
you may be stuck at home hiding from the rain, but you can still dream of a
warm, seaside resort or gorgeous mountain escape. Even better: You can make a
game out of it. One that’s even a tiny bit educational (shhh, don’t tell the
kids). Look at a map—of the world, if you can actually swing an international
vacation, or of the US—and let kids pick a location they’d like to visit. Have
them research how to get there, where to stay, and what to do. They can create
a budget based on plane tickets or house rental costs, make a plan of what
sites to hit or local foods to try, and then sell their ideas to the rest of
the family. At the very least, everyone will learn a little bit about a new
city or country. At best, you may figure out your next family adventure.
Who says
staying indoors can’t be fun?! Brew up a storm at home by indulging in
yourself, in the cinema, in baking or just relaxing. No matter what you choose
to do, Life Alert Protection wants to help keep you safe. With their many protection packages, you can
be safe at home with their signature medical alert service; in the shower with
their revolutionary two-way communication HELP button; or if you do plan that
family vacation, you can take Life Alert with you with their mobile protection
service. Stay safe inside or outside of your home, on a rainy or sunny day with
Life Alert. Call 1-800-513-2934 for a
free Life Alert brochure.
Works Cited:
1.
“14 Fun Things to Do on a Rainy Day.” Real Simple. <https://www.realsimple.com/health/mind-mood/fun-things-to-do-rainy-day >.