Being stuck indoors during the winter is never fun, but there are some ways to stay entertained this winter.

Trying out new activities, or learning more about the one you love can keep you entertained all winter long.

You can also try a winter to-do list with friends and family, planning fun activities to keep you busy from November until March (depending on where you live)!

Drawing: A good way to enjoy indoor time in the winter is to draw, as you can be as little or as creative as you want. You can draw from scratch, on paper, canvas, pottery or you can just buy some coloring books and how-to drawing books. It is also the perfect time to start making gifts for birthdays and holidays. By making a personalized gift versus giving out money or gift cards, it can hold more personal value.

Diamond Painting: A new trend this year is diamond paintings, similar to paint by numbers, you are supplied with a sticky canvas, small gems and a tool. You apply the gems to the canvas on the correct colors with the gem tool, giving the image a 3D and glittery effect. You can get nearly any size canvas, allowing you to spend a lot of a little time on every image. Though it is not real painting, it ends up with a very beautiful result. 

Paint by Numbers: Paint by number is a classic way to be artistic even when you may not be creative. You get to pick an image you like, with numbers across the image to tell you where and what color you need to paint. Your end result hides all the numbers and it looks like you painted it by hand with no help!

Knitting: A fun activity that doesn’t require paint brushes is knitting. Though it is not as common as it once was, there is no better gift that a gift that can keep someone warm. There are many methods of knitting, and you can find tutorials online or visit your local craft store and find a book on knitting.

Wine & Painting: A common activity nowadays is wine and paint nights. You can find them locally and will only have to pay around $40 a person. The painting location will offer a handful of beverages (they don't have to be alcoholic) and then will follow an instructor to paint an image your group has chosen. This is a great way to get out of the house and enjoy time with friends and family!

Writing: November is National Novel Writing Month, so get started on a novel you have always wanted to write. Not only can writing help you express thoughts and unwind, it can help you process emotions and feelings you may not have known you were struggling with.

Reading: Reading allows you to escape to another world and relax when you feel stressed in your world. If it starts to snow, opening a book about the holidays to get into the spirit or even a tropical location can help you escape reality for a little bit.

Book Club: Starting or joining a book club can make the winter go by faster as you spend time with others. Not only do you get to emerge yourself in a book, you can share your thoughts and chat with others.

Cooking Classes: Cooking classes can allow you to learn how to make a new meal, as well as new skills in the kitchen. This is great to do alone or with friends and family, and the teacher should be able to give you tips and trick of cooking with O2 as well.

Cake/Cookie Decorating: When it starts getting cold, we are getting closer to the holiday season, which is a perfect time to start cookie and cake decorating. A fun way to give to others is in the form of tasty treats, by baking some yummy cookies and decorating them for the season you can give a fun gift to those around you.

Volunteering: Find a local soup kitchen, or an event in your town to volunteer for. Not only will this get you out of the house in the winter, but it will make you feel good by giving back to your town. You can volunteer at a local craft fair or find a holiday event to enjoy others' company at an event you support.

Pottery: Many community centers have a pottery room, which can often be used for a low cost or even free. You can take a class or just wing it and learn how to do pottery on your own. This can be a fun gift to give those you love, as it is handmade with love and can be useful to hold flowers, food, or jewelry.

Senior Citizen Centers: Many cities have locally and state funded community centers that have dance rooms, game rooms, craft rooms, libraries, swimming pools and exercise rooms. You can take advantage of your local center with no cost to you, and it is a great way to get out and meet with those similar in age to you.

Green Thumb Indoors: Don’t let the cold weather prevent you from gardening, as you can still garden indoors. Not only will it allow you to do something you enjoy, but indoor plants can help with air quality. Dedicate a space for your garden and make sure there is ample light for your plants, even if it is artificial light (compact fluorescent lights, high intensity discharge (HID) bulbs or fluorescent lights). Temperature and humidity also matter depending on what you are trying to grow, so do your research and make sure you have the right environment for the plants you want to grow.

Movies/Museums: One way to get out of the house without having to go outside is to go to a movie or visit a museum. Both are indoors but allows you to be away from your home and go out and enjoy your city. A movie can let you sit and relax while you get to enjoy a movie, or you can go to a museum and learn about things you may not have known before.

Travel:

Though it can become more difficult to travel as we age, it doesn't mean you have to stop traveling. All that is required to travel when you are older is preparation, in order to make sure everything will run smoothly on your trip. A good way to do this is to travel with a travel group so that they can make sure there are no hiccups along the way. If you live somewhere that gets cold in the winter, think about heading to a warmer climate. 

Conclusion:

The winter season should not prevent you from keeping busy, but it can still happen.

By planning fun activities with friends and family, you can keep yourself busy throughout the cold winter months.

Staying in and making gifts for your loved ones or going out to explore what your nearby city has to offer can help you feel better than sitting inside when the weather is gloomy.

Simple activities can be fun to do, alone or with friends and family and can help you from feeling the wintertime blues plus it can be fun to try a new activity or even find a new hobby!