“If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant: if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.”
-Anne Bradstreet
As autumn ends and winter begins, most of us start making arrangements on how we are going to survive the cold boring cold months. Getting holed up in the house for so long with kids will surely drive you looney. The kids will tend to get restless and bored. They will often try to take their frustrations on you. My boys have boundless energy and I definitely don’t always know how to harness it for the good. Then it all snowballs when the winter blues settle in and this adds to the frustration you will have. You will need to find ways to keep everything in check. There are many ways you can try to kill these winter blues with your kids without resorting to watching TV or playing video games all the time. I already wrote about screen time and our family rules, but I thought I’d expand and give you some helpful ideas with what to do screen-free.
Feel free to DM me on Instagram if you have additional fun ideas, we are always looking for fun new activities.
Art and crafts are always a good idea!
Christmas is approaching. Teaching children to make DIY gifts and about giving from the heart is a wonderful winter lesson. How about making the holiday special by engaging your kids in some DIY crafts? This will help them get rid of the boredom that may crop during this period. The gifts may be better appreciated because they will have a personal touch. You can let them come up with different art ideas or lead them in a fun craft to teach them to follow instructions.
Take a stroll in the neighborhood
Step out to take a well-deserved walk around the block. Cold weather does not cause illnesses, let me repeat this – COLD WEATHER WILL NOT MAKE YOU SICK. It could be very refreshing for everyone. Just make sure they are well dressed for the occasion. My kids love winter night walks (it gets dark so early in the winter, night starts at like 5pm). They love to see all of the pretty Christmas lights and inflatables. If it’s too cold, take a drive around the neighborhood with warm cocoa and christmas music to look at the lights.
Play board games
Board games are a great way to kill time during the winter season, especially for people who do not like the outdoors that much. It teaches fair play, competition and following directions. My boys are super into mancala lately. You could also always download some games online, print them and play.
Sing and dance
Turn on some Beyonce’ or Christmas music and dance! Singing and dancing is one of the most exciting and relaxing activities we do with our boys. When your kids become restless, you can always alleviate the mood with a good song and dance. Join them in a little dance and enjoy having fun together.
Let them help you around the house
Although this might not be one of the most popular activities for your big kids, my little kids love chores and helping out. Let them join you as you go about your duties in the house. They can help you with cooking, cleaning and other duties that will keep them active and occupied during the winter season. Some nights the only way I get dinner done is if I give them a fun chore to do while I’m cooking.
Teach them how to bake
Kids love cookies and such baked treats. I love cookies and baked treats. The winter season is the best time to teach them how to bake these cookies. Pinterest is full of fun easy recipes, try them out with your kids. A baking session is fun and educational one for everyone. Let them measure ingredients and set the timers!
Go on a treasure hunt
You can play the treasure hunt game both indoors and outdoors depending on your preference. Hide ‘treasures’ all over the house and let your kids go about looking for them. As they get older you can give them hints and puzzles to solve to be able to find these treasures. But my littles have enjoyed easter egg hunts all year. Give them a form of award or incentive to make the game seem more interesting.
Build a snow fort or in our case a pillow fort.
If you experience snow in your area, you may also consider building a fortress with your kids. Let them get as creative as they can. If the weather does not allow you to go outside, build this port right inside your house, with pillows and blankets as props. They will enjoy crawling inside this cocoon to play.
Camp inside the house
Camping is a common outdoor exercise but in winter, it sounds dreadful. However, you can still consider camping right there in your living room. Set up a tent and let the kids enact how real camping would be. S’mores and a fire in the fireplace make it so cozy!
Grow a garden
Growing a garden in winter might be a tough, especially if there is too much snow or if the ground is frozen. That is why we would recommend that you start a small garden indoors, in containers. Teach your kids how it is done and let them help you out. You can place these containers on your patio or balcony and get to enjoy the plants as they grow.
Engage them in a science experiment
It’s time to let the creativity of your kids flow by letting them engage in some sort of scientific experiment project right inside your house. Just make sure that whatever they come up with is safe. For instance, you can let them use a big magnet around the house to see what might stick and what does not.
Sledding and ice skating
It’s time to head out to your favorite local ice rink for some skating. You do not need to be professionals to enjoy skating. Just dress warmly and have fun. If you can find a sledding spot within your locality, let the kids enjoy some sledding. This is a good outdoor winter activity.
Build a snowman
Building a snowman is one of the most popular winter activities you can do with your kids especially during the Christmas holidays. Olaf likes warm hugs. Dress them appropriately and step out to play with the snow. You can even let them decorate the snowman with a hat, a scarf and all.
GOOD LUCK Moms & Dads, May the odds forever be in your favor!
