Staying Fresh in the Winter Months!

 

Can you believe we had our first snow of the year back on December 1st? It seemed a little unusual because around here it doesn’t usually get cold until January! According to the 10 day forecast it does look like Christmas Day will be 64 degrees as of now … Those are my favorite Christmas Days! 

One of the hardest things about the cold weather for me is being cooped up inside. Every December as we head into break I do my best to provide you with some tips to help keep you and your kids sane during the cold months, while also making time for some personal and family growth. I’m another year older and wiser, and hopefully this updated survival guide is helpful to you and your family!

                                   Tips for Surviving & Thriving the Winter Months

Tip 1: Play board games that you love while also learning some new ones. Board games are a great way to spend family time while working on basic academic skills and strategy. Some games involve deeper levels of thinking which allows students to conceptualize the skills they are learning. You can also challenge your kids to create their own board game with rules. That tricks them into creating and writing without thinking that they’re writing … The best kind of learning! Click here to read more about the academic benefits of board games from the latest Lower School Newsletter.  

Tip 2: Speaking of academics, I recommend scheduling a consistent daily time for academic work. 10-15 minutes is all you really need. Activities can range from reading, practicing sight words, math flashcards, puzzles for younger students and even Sudokus. You can switch up the activity each day to stay well rounded in each subject. Consistency is key, and doing it at the same time each day will ensure that it happens. So go ahead and ask Alexa to set a 10 minute timer and get to work!

Tip 3: As mentioned above about scheduling academic work time each day, try creating an overall daily routine for your family as well. Kids thrive off of knowing what to expect, and a routine will be helpful for you as well if you are with them for the day. It doesn’t have to be minute by minute, however you could have a set time for 3-4 activities throughout the day. This could look like academic time, quiet or alone time (hanging out in rooms), reading time, chores time, workout time, scheduled TV time, complete a bucket list activity time (see below), and of course bed time. That is a big list, but pick what is relevant and important to your family. Kids will be more likely to do these things if they know it’s part of their daily routine. 

Tip 4: Set a personal goal for yourself. This could include losing a few pounds, reading an entire book, completing some type of brain puzzle each day, starting a meditation routine, calling a family member each day, etc. Tis’ the season of resolutions, and coming up with 1-2 things you’d like to work on personally will keep you fresh and give you something to work towards for yourself outside of being a parent.

Tip 5: Set a family goal together. One of my friends once made a family goal to have 100 visitors come to their house for dinner that year. They took pictures of their visitors and put them on a wall in their house. What a neat idea! Talk together with your kids about a goal you can complete as a family, and make them feel valued in the discussion. That will create more buy-in for whatever goal you’d like to accomplish. Teachers do this when coming up with classroom expectations. Student input is taken when creating those expectations which allows them to take accountability in following them.  

Tip 6: Create a family bucket list of activities you hope to achieve over winter break and try to accomplish one per day. Mrs. Ziegler is really good about this over winter, spring and summer breaks! Talk to your kids about their ideas and add your own. Write them on a big poster and keep it in a visible place in your house. As you complete each item, simply cross it off the list. 

Tip 7: Set parameters on watching TV and spending time on screens. Set routines, as mentioned above, can be really helpful to keep screen time to a minimum. A little TV and tech is a good way to relax, but utilize timers and set scheduled tech times during the day to stay in control while encouraging your kids to have fun in other ways. 

Tip 8: Exercise together as a family. Follow along videos are great. Walking videos are also easy enough for most people to participate in. For those looking for more of a burn, participate in a plank, wallsit, pushup, or situp challenge to see who can hold the position the longest or do the most! As stated above, set a time during the day when your family will get up and do something active. Five to ten minutes after each meal might be an easy way to get it in too. I also recommend bundling up and getting outside as much as possible!

Tip 9: Visit the library when the weather is cold but the roads aren’t too bad. The local libraries in our area have had major facelifts in the last few years, and they are a great place for kids and adults to visit! Besides books there are plenty of toys, magazines, computer games and coloring sheets, and students can participate in scheduled story times that you can find on the MidContinent website. There are also a variety of free classes you can sign up for, which most people don’t know about! Check out the MidContinent website for adult and child classes offered. 

Tip 10: Visit the grocery store and create an academic activity as stated in one of my previous articles, which you can read here. Ask your kids to find the most expensive and least expensive items they see. You can also create a budget for your kids and have them make a log of items they could purchase within their budget. Create a party planning scenario for more fun. 

Tip 11: Play hide N seek, build a giant fort, or create a new indoor game. One of our favorites is the laundry basket game, which involves taking turns throwing the nerf football into the laundry basket. Each time you make a shot you move back to a further spot. You can also partake in a paper airplane competition and research the many different ways to make one. Playing indoor game classics and creating your own activities can make for some meaningful memories! 

Tip 12: My last tip is to make it a goal to call or FaceTime one family member or friend each day. That connection is important and always leaves you feeling better for taking the time to do it. It also makes the other person’s day, especially when it involves grandparents talking to their grandkids. Make a list, check it twice, and make some calls over break!

Hopefully you found these tips helpful for your family. I do not do all of these, nor should you, there’s not enough time in the day! I encourage you to pick some to try that apply to your family and let me know how it goes. Above all I suggest enjoying the spontaneity that comes with the holiday season while also creating structure for days you will be inside all day. That will help keep you and your kids happy and thriving!

Happy Holidays!