SALT LAKE CITY — Whether it's rain or snow, bad weather can give children a case of cabin fever, which can make mom and dad crazy as well.

An easy default in these situations is to turn on the TV or let them play on a tablet, though the American Academy of Pediatrics highly recommends restricting screen time for children, especially when they're young.

The AAP suggests no screen time for the first two years of life and less than half an hour per week, not just per day, for children who are 2-5 years old. Too much time in front of screens can lead to attention problems, school difficulties and sleep and eating disorders.

There are a lot of activities that do not take a lot of effort but will keep kids at bay. To get you started, here are some toddler friendly, screen-free indoor activities.

Scavenger hunt

Depending on the age of the child, give them one or more items to find either by searching inside the house or out the window. It'll get their thinking skills working, and as long as you're excited about it, they will be too.

Build a fort

Pull out extra sheets and blankets and see what you can create with your child. Once it's done, you can play games inside.

Related:

6 fun things to do on a rainy day

With rain in the forecast for the next few days, outdoor-centric Utahns are stuck between fair-weathered and winter activities. Lucky for Utahns, the state also has some spectacular indoor options for occupation, including these six suggestions.

In the kitchenSometimes having kids in the kitchen can be nerve-racking since there are a lot of potential hazards, though there are some activities that are less stressful.

Let kids make their own ice cream with this easy recipe. They'll have fun shaking the bag and will be amazed at the "magic" of the liquid turning into a tasty treat.

Banana bread is also a fun thing to make. Kids will enjoy mashing bananas, flouring the pan and watching the bread come to life.

To go along with the banana bread, try homemade butter. It's easy to make and the kids can get rid of some excess energy from the shaking the recipe requires.

While it's not something you'd want to eat, the ingredients to make play dough are likely in your kitchen. Not only is it something that kids can play with, they can make their own ball of dough.

Draw a story

Pull out paper and coloring supplies and have them draw a story. It's a good activity to get their creative skills flowing, and they'll have something to be proud of to put on the fridge.

Dance party

Crank up some upbeat tunes and dance the wiggles out. It's lots of fun, and there is no planning required.

Hide and seek

Kids love to hide, and it'll be easy to find them since they hide in obvious places and giggle when they see you coming.

Indoor athletics

From setting up your own long jump to using socks as a bowling ball to knock over bottles, try some active activities to take care of the extra energy.

Race track

Use masking tape to set up a race track on the carpet. Kids can use little cars, plastic containers or whatever item they want to see as a car on the track.

What are your favorite bad-weather, screen-free children's activities?

Amanda Hollman is an intern at KSL. She attends Utah Valley University where she is studying journalism with a minor in digital media. She is the assistant life editor for the UVU Review. Follow her on Twitter at @HollmanAmanda.

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