Winter Break is upon us! This is the first year that we are homeschooling… but we still have a two-week break from school. Just like many of you… it has me already thinking of how I am going to structure my childrens’ time and keep them busy so they don’t bicker incessantly, and beg for screen time {wink, wink}.
Part of the great joy of Winter Break, is knowing that you have some much needed down time where you don’t have to contend with packing lunches, getting the kids out the door on time, and rigid schedules. Although it always sounds good in your head to wake up to lazy pajama days every morning… I can almost guarantee that a few days in, you’ll be wanting a bit more structure {and a plan}, to keep their little minds learning, exploring, and creating. Here are a few easy tips to help your Winter Break go smoothly with a few additional links for great ideas and activities!
1. Maintain a Flexible Morning Routine >>> Go ahead and sleep in! After all, soaking up some extra zzz’s is good for everyone! After a tasty breakfast and a leisurely morning, plan to get everyone dressed and out of the house for a mid-morning adventure {weather permitting, of course}. It really doesn’t matter what you do… as long as you get out! Fresh air is good for everyone! Here are some fun ideas for exploring the great outdoors:
- Go on a hike! Check out this fabulous Hiking Scavenger Hunt Printable!
- Go on an outing to your local library, park, bowling alley, or ice skating rink!
- Depending on where you live… have a winter beach day exploring the tide pools, pack a picnic to take to the lake, or spend the morning bundled up sledding and making snow angels!
- Get outside and have some fun painting your windows!
- Make a batch of cookies and deliver them to a neighbor, friend, local senior living home, or fire station.
- Let the kids pick a local destination to research and then explore… such as a mission, museum, or historical site.
- Check out these 11 winter activities to keep them busy!
- Go on a family bike ride or walk through your neighborhood, collecting natural treasures as you go {here are a few more scavenger hunt printables}!
- Be tourists for the morning in your own community. Let the kids video or photograph what they see from their perspective.
2. Lunch Followed by a Little R & R >>> Wouldn’t it be fun to either meet friends for a lunch date or let the kids help you prepare a lunch of their choice at home? Most days of the week, our little ones have a prepared sack lunch or hot school lunch to eat. What about letting them pick the meal, help you shop for it, and then prepare it with you? Also, in my opinion… everyone could benefit from a little siesta after lunch! Unfortunately, my four kids don’t agree! If your kids don’t snooze in the afternoon either, this is a good time to play board games, work on puzzles, or use these cute gingerbread or snow globe mats when playing with play dough!
3. Afternoon Activities >>> Are you looking for something educational, artistic, physical, or imaginative? Here are some of my favorite ideas:
- Do yoga with your kids! There are so many benefits! This is my favorite CD to s-t-r-e-t-c-h out to with my little ones! If you want… you can even download one of these cool kids yoga videos!
- Engage in one of these meaningful crafts with your kids to promote closeness and bonding. Or how about making this darling snowman, or coffee filter snowflakes?
- {My husby recently did this with our four}… Have your children design their own miniature golf course inside your home! Encourage them to be creative and use things around the house {such as legos, blocks, your yoga mat, tupperware containers, etc.} to design their unique course. This fun activity promotes learning in so many areas!
- Make your own gingerbread house, candy train, or Christmas tree made out of stacked cookies! Allow your kids to help mix the frosting colors and decorate their creations using fun icing tips! {This is a good science experiment in mixing primary colors to make secondary ones!}
- Encourage your kids to put on a play, dance, puppet show, or play “feelings charades” with you {acting out emotions – like happy, sad, surprised, etc.}.
- Create this Arctic Ice Bin and let them get lost in their imaginations!
- Make an educational packet for your kids by printing out age-appropriate worksheets designed by teachers {some are free, while others usually cost a small amount}. This is my favorite site!
- Create a visual chore chart with your kids. At this point in the school year, you probably have some areas that you think the kids could help with, to make each day run more efficiently. Having them be a part of creating the chart, will hopefully make them more eager to follow through with their chores {especially if they’re reinforced in positive ways}!
- Work together to make an indoor obstacle course! Here are a few grand ideas!
- Get in the kitchen and bake something together! Muffins are one of our favorite choices because they’re easy to make and can be made healthy with a few simple substitutions {a couple favorites… try this recipe, or this one}. They also bake quickly, providing you with the perfect afternoon snack!
Many of you also have vacations or road-trips planned over Winter Break. This can be so much fun, but at the same time… you’re away from your home, your typical activities, and your routine. Try keeping a travel journal for each of your kids! Let them write and draw pictures about the things they see and experience! Another helpful tip… whenever we travel, we always look up the local Children’s Museum. Most major cities seem to have them! We’ve had great luck in the past finding day activities to keep our little ones busy!
Whatever your plans are for this Winter Break… I sincerely hope that you are able to find joy in the simple moments of each day with your kids! The time together is truly a gift!