Stuck Inside? 22 Ways to Keep Your Kids Busy This Winter -- Without Television!

Got kids stuck inside on a cold winter day? Prevent cabin fever (and save your sanity!) with these fun crafts and activities (23 Photos)

Joel Schwartzberg on Feb 2, 2012 at 1:18PM

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Stuck Inside? 22 Ways to Keep Your Kids Busy This Winter -- Without Television!

A Happy Wanderer

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Make a Ball Maze



It may surprise your kids to learn there was life before television. Also, before DVRs, before remote controls and before Dora the Explorer.

At one time, parents kept their kids independently busy without the aid of television, freeing up valuable time to wash dishes, make phone calls, churn butter, scare away dinosaurs -- whatever responsible grown-ups did back then. Experts have warned us that televisions make lousy babysitters, so here are some contemporary TV-free suggestions to keep your kids doing their thing while you do yours.

Cardboard Maze
Good for ages: 2 and up

Ever wonder what to do with all those paper towel or toilet paper rolls? Don't throw them away, make a maze for the kids! Cut the cardboard cylinders in half and glue them cascading down the long side of a large cardboard box. Let dry for a few hours. Sit up against a wall for support and let the kids drop balls, cars (or really, anything that rolls!) down the path. It'll keep them entertained for hours, and keep all those toys off the floor -- at least temporarily.

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