Enjoy this beautiful day

It’s a crazy windy day outside, strong enough that I almost got blown several feet on my way to the car. Add to that the falling temperatures, and it’s definitely a day to hunker down at home.

As these cold days become more frequent, it’s time to start pulling from my stash of indoor activities for the kids, who I find jumping off couches and recreating pro wrestling on the living room floor if I don’t keep them occupied.

One of my favorites is the indoor sandbox. Instead of sand, we use cornmeal. (This is my sister Susie’s suggestion, so I give her full credit.) Cornmeal acts just like sand in terms of digging and pouring, but it doesn’t have the grit. Plus, it’s safe for little people who occasionally eat a fistful or two as they play. Just don’t get it wet unless you’re planning on making cornbread. Oh, and bring out a funnel for added enjoyment.

The box that holds our sand is actually an underbed storage container. At around seven inches tall, it contains the “sand” but allows kids to play easily on a tabletop or floor. And when we aren’t using it, we store it under a bed!

When the kids are done playing, a quick vacuum cleans up the mess. Or, if I ignore it long enough, the dogs do an excellent job as well.