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Well, it's raining. Or in our case it's well below freezing. Regardless, no one is getting outdoors, and it won't take long before the kids are bouncing off the walls! Your saving grace is that chances are pretty good you have a healthy selection of interesting items, from playing cards and puzzles to paint, old holiday cards and of course, glue. Well, these, along with some other unique and a sundry, handy-dandy items and activities, will be your arsenal for conquering the indoor, rainy day or winter, doldrums.

Get Glued: Pasta of all shapes and sizes, string or yarn, scraps of fabric, magazine or greeting card clippings, and any other bits and pieces you have available on a sheet of paper, with a perhaps a little food coloring to add some pizazz to a pot of glue, will offer endless creative opportunities for introducing kids to the wonders of mixed media.
Don't put away the food coloring just yet. Instead of one pot of glue, make it three, each a different color. Simply offer up construction paper, some lengths of string and Popsicle sticks for glue application and you've got a wonderful variation on ordinary painting. The colorful glue, when dry, provides a unique relief that kids can enjoy in their drips and gobs. A nice change from regular paint.

Color My World: OK, go ahead. Break out the paper and paints. Big paper! And... no brushes allowed. Hands and feet only! Stand back! Then it's into the tub with soapy paints. It's all about color!

You Oughta Be In Pictures: Break out the camera! Take pictures. And not just mom or dad. Kids can experiment with this visual art form for hours. Thanks to this digital age, everyone can enjoy the luxury of immediate gratification and can see and print their own work in minutes!

Beginning Gardeners: Plant seeds in anticipation for planting in the garden in the spring. A small window sill herb garden is the perfect introduction to plants and growing and the results are visible in just a matter of a couple of weeks. A simple activity that encourages ongoing learning moments as everyone follows its progress.

Gaming: Always popular, particularly if mom or dad is playing, too. Matching and CandyLand are a couple of great choices with younger children and, as you must remember yourselves, there's nothing takes up a rainy afternoon like a rousing, good game of Monopoly, Clue, Checkers or Chess. If cards are the kids fancy, Go Fish, Crazy Eights, and Old Maid. The list is endless. If you aren't up on your rules and instructions for

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