Winter is hard. The months are long, the days are short, and it just so dang cold. But it doesn’t have to be terrible. You can survive winter with your kids, and dare I say, it can be fun! There are so many things you can do in the winter months to make the time pass a little faster, and it not feel like you are wasting your days inside being slothful. Winter can be a really great time of year and a time of year that you look forward to! (or at least not dread so much!) You just have to get in the right mindset and set yourself up for success.
First Snow Day
Make the first snow day of the year super special. You can choose to make it special wether or not school is called off, or wait until the first official no school snow day. You can do a variety of things! Snowman pancakes are super easy, and would be a great breakfast idea! You could make monkey bread! You could have all the ingredients on hand to make snow cream. Or you could do something non-food related and watch Frosty the Snowman! Anything to make the first snow day fun. Make the anticipation for snow extra fun.
Winter Solstice
Winter solstice is the end of fall and beginning of Winter. It is also the longest night of the year, and the point in the year where the sun starts to stay in the sky a little longer every day. While a lot of people link winter with cold, the first day of winter is actually the first day to seeing more sun in the sky. A fun way to celebrate Solstice is to enjoy a warm drink. To celebrate the warmth coming back! Some ideas would be hot chocolate or warm Wassail or Apple Cider! Or you could enjoy a yule log cake! They are super cool, and would be a great fun activity. You could also make the night really fun by watching a fun summer movie to celebrate warmer days!
Baking/Cooking
Winter is a wonderful time to teach your kids how to bake or cook. With the weather being so chilly it is a great way to get your kids thinking and moving while indoors. Kids are totally capable of baking and cooking a lot of fun things. They will love being included and I have found that it makes them better eaters at the end of it all. My kids enjoy helping me make muffins, cookies, and bread! They also love to help me chop. They have their own knives and will joyfully help me chop everything for dinner! Figure out some meals for them to work on and start letting them help out in the kitchen.
Bundle Up and Head Outside
Just because it’s cold, does not mean that you have to stay indoors. Grab your weather gear and get your kids outside. There is nothing wrong with letting your kids play outside in the cold. If your kids are properly dressed and warm there is nothing dangerous about playing outside. We have a plethora of winter gear that we utilize for the varying temperatures of winter. I also have gear so I am comfortable outside. Don’t forget to dress yourself well because if you are miserable your kids are too!
Crafting
I am writing this post in the middle of winter. It is cold, and about to get colder. If you could see my table. It is covered in arts and crafts supplies. We have all the art kits, all the art supplies, all the pencils and crayons. My kids are so far into the crafting world that they could open up a gallery. It keeps them thinking and active all day long. I buy art stuff all year long, because my kids love it so much. They are my go to for any season and winter is no different. There are so many great winter crafts for your kids to do. If you are in a rut, cover the table and let them go to town.
Gross Motor Skill
Winter is a great time for Gross motor skills! Set up an indoor obstacle course. Play the floor is lava. Set up a nugget slide on your stairs. All of these are great ideas for this time of year! But you can also take this outside. Sledding, building a snowman, snowball fights, and so many other snow activities are also gross motor skill building. Winter is just a great time for some really great play!
But all of this to say, Winter doesn’t have to be miserable. Winter with kids doesn’t have to be miserable. I know we are trying to avoid the cold and the germs, but there are still lots of ways to get out and about and make the most of it. Your whole world doesn’t have to end for a few months every year, while you survive winter. Go out there and thrive in it. Warmer months are coming!
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