It's Winter, What Do We Do Now?

The holidays are winding down and the days are getting shorter and colder. In many areas, there is most likely a thick layer of snow frozen to the ground by now. The kids will be home for a couple of weeks for Christmas and New Year’s and will need something to do. I have 6 activities for your children (and parents) to chase away those post holiday blues.

1. Go sledding. Find a good hill that has been packed down by other sledders and take your children there to go sledding using tubes, tobbagons, and sleds. Your kids will have a good time and it is also a great time for parents to spend uninterrupted quality time with their children. Make sure to get bundled up real good and make hot cocoa at home when you get done.

2. Go to the Movies. The winter time is the best time to go to the movies. When it is snowing and cold outside there is no better place to be than the movie theatre. Take your kids to a Disney movie and order hot popcorn and candy and enjoy the show.

3. Make homemade cookies or brownies and take to neighbors. Your kids will love making chocolate chip cookie dough and then smelling the aroma as they cook in the oven. You can have them eat some cookies and milk and then take some of your warm treats to your neighbors.

4. Play board games with your kids. Kids like to play games and love to play with their siblings and also their parents. Set up Candy Land or Chutes and Ladders and play a few games with them. If you have older children try other games like Yahtzee, UNO, Phase 10, or Racko. This is a real fun activity even if you don’t have kids. Take some time to play different games and you will have a lot of fun. Be sure to pop some hot, buttery popcorn to enjoy while you play.

5. Put together a puzzle. Puzzles can be fun for both kids and adults. For children try smaller puzzles in the 20 piece range. You can get on the floor and help them and teach them how to put them together. For adults, try 500 or 1000 piece puzzles and spend a little time each night working on it. I have done this with my wife several times and we have always had a lot of fun working on it and talking with each other.

6. Shovel your neighbor’s driveway or sidewalk. There is nothing that makes a person feel better than when they are doing service for someone else. Take the time to clear your neighbor’s drive and have your children help by spreading ice melt or using a smaller shovel to push the snow.

Winter time may be cold, snowy, and hard to be outside for very long, but there is plenty you can do inside and with your families. Make this winter time fun by choosing any of the activities above and spending quality time with your family. The fun that you have will warm your hearts all winter long.

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