While the holiday magic settles, we Wisconsin Parents are in for another three months of keeping kids entertained in the cold weather months. Some of our favorite Winter Boredom Busters are as follows.

Frozen Ice Sculptures

This one takes a bit of advance planning, as we like to save old yogurt/cheese/margarine containers throughout the year. Once the temperatures are well below freezing, fill the containers mostly full of water. Use food coloring to make the colors of the rainbow. Place the containers on a flat surface like the front porch and allow the water to freeze over night. I have found with larger containers, the water does not always freeze into one solid chunk (wear old gloves while you tip the ice out and let any unfrozen water drain out). We like to stack our ice creations in white snow, as the contrast of colors makes them even more magical.

Frozen Water Balloons

Like the frozen ice sculptures, another fun thing to freeze is a water balloon. If you choose to add food coloring to the water, experience has taught me this is best accomplished by an adult and over the sink (expect your fingers to be stained various colors for weeks). Place the balloons on a surface where they wont pop and remember to allow enough room in the balloon for the water to expand when it freezes.

You can peel the balloon from the frozen ice sphere or leave the wrapping on. One year we lined a snow fort with the colorful creations and when the ice melted the snow fort assumed a Woodstock appeal. (Read this story for more ideas on building snow forts.)

Snow Creations

There really is no right or wrong way to make a snowman. Last year we "hatched" some snow babies and made a Snow Kermit using giant googly eyes purchased from ThinkGeek.com (I have since seen these eyes at party stores and on Amazon.com).

No matter how you blast away the winter blues, remember to keep an eye on the amount of time you spend outdoors, dress everyone in appropriate clothes, and recognize the signs of frostbite and frost burn.

What did we miss? Do you have some fun ideas or traditions to add to the list? Leave a comment below!