Winter may bring the cold-weather blues and grays, even to those who live in mild climates. To keep the days full of warmth for the whole family, here follows a list of winter activities that are sure to have you looking forward to getting out from under those cozy flannel sheets:
Broaden your horizons: Winter is a magical time of year for cultures across the globe. Take time out to explore other winter traditions; celebrate the winter solstice, teach the quality of giving on St. Nicholas Day, play a game of dreidel or learn about cross-cultural Christmas celebrations. Top off the day by taking a nighttime drive through a local park or neighborhood to admire the beautiful holiday lights.
Add a little local flavor: Keep it close to home by perusing the local farmer’s markets or u-picks for scrumptious in-season produce. A great resource for everything locally grown is www.localharvest.org. Not only a great way to support local farmers and artists, but many markets are held on weekdays during non-traditional hours and often incorporate live music, kid’s crafts and petting zoos.
Rotating park play-dates: State and city parks and playgrounds are a great and (usually) free way to spend beautiful winter days outside in nature. Set a theme – chose a different historical park each time or a specific play theme, such as trench digging, sand castle building or wagon rides.
Potluck lunches: Adults and kids alike love to get together to share in good food and fun with friends. Mid-day snacks in the park, or just a friend’s front yard make for happy, full tummies. Theme the snack to go with the park play-date, or forgo real food entirely by planning a handmade felt food exchange.
Break out the new/old toys: Packing away underused toys and bringing them out just a few weeks later makes little ones feel like they are receiving them all over again. Finding “new” treasures on a cold, rainy winter day makes for happy inside play.