The cold, wet, dark months of winter fast approaching. As a result, it can be hard to find new ways to entertain children. And children with too much energy and nowhere to release it usually leads to a lot of frustration. This is true for both for children and parents. Here are four fun indoor activities that you can do with your children over the winter months.

Miniature Golf

Miniature golf is a fun sport to play with kids, and most courses are thankfully inside. You can play a few rounds, have a bite to eat, and even check out the arcade and win a few prizes. This is one of those rare indoor activities that people of all ages will enjoy.

Museums

There are many types of museums and thankfully most of them cater towards children. While large city museums can be costly, there are usually smaller ones to be found that are free or by donation. A quick online search will bring up a list of museums in your area. What’s nice is that while most museums will have their permanent collection, they will also have rotating exhibits. This means that you can continue to visit the same building and know that there will always be new things to see and learn about. Ask at the front desk if there are any special kid-friendly pamphlets or activities to help them explore the area. Be sure to check for any special events that are holiday-related.

Play Centers

Indoor play centers for children are some of the best places to bring kids to when it’s just too cold or wet to go outside. They are fun, interactive, and safe. Indoor play centers will offer areas for kids to crawl around. They can jump around and basically play as much as they can. There’s also the added bonus that you can take a breath and sit for a little while, which can be quite the luxury for parents.

Aquarium

Most major cities will have an aquarium, but they can honestly be quite expensive to visit. However, most aquariums have really good family membership deals. For example, Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada in Toronto has annual passes and if you purchase or renew three or more at a time, then you receive 20% off. If you take advantage of this deal, as long as you visit the aquarium more than twice in a year, you will in essence be going for free. Having a membership means that you can decide on the spur of a moment to go. You also don’t have to worry about how long you stay. A quick jaunt for an hour or a whole day journey: either can be done and will satisfy the most curious of children.