5 indoor entertaining ideas for the winter

If there's a storm howling and you're stuck indoors, the following five ideas will have you loving the hermit lifestyle in no time.

Now is the time to have a crack at that artsy project you never seem to get around to completing. Dabble in some watercolour painting, or grab some jewellery-making supplies, and start on some pretty bracelets or necklaces. Try decoupage, and make yourself some gorgeous ornaments and knick knacks to place around your home. Kids will love this, too, since they can try activities like finger painting or simple pottery. They can even make their own sock puppets and put on a show for the rest of the family.

Instead of moaning about the cold, embrace winter and all it has to offer. Think about setting up a roaring fire in the fireplace, making s'mores and hot chocolate made from scratch, and getting comfortable on the couch with a good movie and some soft blankets.

You don't need fancy equipment or beauty products for this at all. Start by soaking your feet in tubs of warm water that has been lightly scented with essential oils. Next, take turns painting each others' toe nails. You could also give each other shoulder massages or even simple facials. Take it one step further by getting everyone to wear bathrobes. You could also make your own body and foot scrubs: simply mix two parts brown sugar to one part coconut oil, and add a few drops of essential oils.

Bake something fun and creative, like cute cake pops. These little treats look great and the assembly of them can involve the whole family. Get someone to handle the ball-rolling station, someone to dip the pops in chocolate or icing, and then someone to insert the sticks into the pops.

Make a treasure map, and then hide a few fun prizes around the house. Take things one step further and concoct some riddles about where the prizes might be hiding. A scavenger hunt works for kids and adults alike: simply tailor the prizes to suit each group.

You might find that after a few hours of one of these activities, you're not even thinking about the weather outside.