Go to Non-Screen Options for Dark Winter Days
Parenting through the winter months in the Midwest can be a draining task. The weather is cold, daylight is limited, and you have the letdown after the build-up of the holiday season. Now, we’re in the winter trenches until springtime starts to bud. A couple of years ago, I created a list of activities for myself to use as inspiration and pinned it up in our kitchen for easy reference. This handy-dandy list helps with entertaining our children during those days when it’s too cold to even consider bundling the littles and venturing outside, or during those dark, never-ending evenings when bedtime seems hours away.
Today, kids are lucky to have all-day PBS Kid’s programming, as well as know how to work Netflix and Hulu better than we can. And although a lot of great educational programming is available, kids need a break from staring at a screen. They love it, they want it and it’s the ever-present Easy Button for us parents, but it’s up to us to show them the fun of actually playing and using their imaginations. But how do we keep them interested and avoid the eventual cries of “I’m bored. There’s nothing to do!”?
One idea is switching out bins of toys periodically to keep your children’s interest. Another idea is to allow access to certain toys only in the car or when Mommy exercises. In that same vein, perhaps a toy schedule or daily themes would be helpful during this winter season. You can find plenty of ideas for daily summer schedules, so use those as inspiration and create your own for the colder months as well. Most kid (and SAHMS) like structure and the way it can give an order to the day. A parent feels more productive, as well as looks forward to what’s coming up. So even though the digital babysitters can be handy, here are some options to get kids engaged and playing together and on their own.
Building
Blocks, blocks and more blocks! Many different types of blocks are out there, such as Legos, cardboard blocks, Magna Tiles, wooden blocks, translucent color blocks (wonderful for window or light box play), gear blocks, Tinkertoys, Lincoln Logs and more. You even can raid the recycling bin or pantry to see what can be used for building play. Blocks make a great trading toy with another family so each can build with a different type of block for a few days. You can create different building challenges such as tallest tower, using only yellow blocks or using all the blocks in the house to build the biggest creation!
Crafting
Encourage those creative juices with arts and crafts. This could be as simple as working on coloring skills or preparing a specific craft discovered in a magazine or online. Other options are to simply leave out a bunch of various materials and see what your child imagines, or give kids a jumping-off point. We designated one basket “The Creation Station” at our house, and it has been a big hit. The container is full of random ribbons, fancy colored pencils, felt and stickers. Add a pile of construction paper, scissors and tape, and kids should be set for quite a while!
Try making a book together by writing a story and drawing illustrations. Older children may work on a book for a few days, or you even can encourage them to make their own series. My 8-year-old daughter recently wrote stories about all the dogs she knows. This could also be a great time to create a picture, card or letter to send to faraway friends and family. Mailing special notes is a fun way to keep in touch, and it gives kids the fun of looking forward to perhaps receiving something back!
Kelly Smoak, mother of two, suggests an easy idea: “We love decorating amazon boxes on rainy or cold days.” Sara Schaefer, mother of three, says, “I buy all the crafts at Michaels after the holidays when they're 90 percent off. They could do crafts all day long.”
Baking
Yes, I know, baking sounds lovely but will most likely be messy. But baking together is a great way to spend some time and create special memories. Kids learn about ingredients, how to measure and pour, as well as the science involved to make that batter into something you can eat. I suggest mentally preparing, lowering your expectations and having as much patience as you can muster to enjoy this time with your littles, because how cute are they when they get to lick the spatula? As kids get older, let them read and follow the recipe themselves and see how proud they are with their end result.
Sensory
Spend some time working with those little hands and fingers with play dough, dry pasta, dry beans or water beads. Amanda Wetterson, mother of two, makes snow days fun. She says, “We like bringing the snow inside! Each boy has a Rubbermaid bin we scoop snow into and play with sandbox toys and Matchbox cars. They also love making ‘snow-canoes’ by burying a cup two-thirds of the way in the snow and adding food coloring, baking soda and vinegar. They can do that for a long time!” Joellyn Nauman, mother of three, offers a wise suggestion: “We like to set up stations where they rotate through different activities. This is a great option for when my children can't seem to get along!” Special baths are also fun with color tabs, shaving cream, bath markers, extra bubbles and fun bath toys like race tracks and fountains. Don’t forget the lotion to prevent winter drying!
Wiggles
The above-mentioned ideas are fun, but children do have boundless energy and need to get their wiggles out. If it’s possible, bundle up and head outside for a quick walk, or playing in the snow is a great option for at least a little while each day. The sunshine, fresh air and exercise are great mood-boosters and will wear kids out for a good nap or quiet time afterward. If the wind chill is just too chilly, Rose Miller, mother of four, has a suggestion: “To get some energy out, we wrestle, have a dance party or jump on a mini trampoline. The trampoline in the living room has been a lifesaver during long winter months. We use it instead of time-outs when they are crazy with energy, and they often use it on their own.” A living room obstacle course and pretending the floor is hot lava and jumping on couch cushions are fun too. Although play places can be breeding grounds for all the winter germs, sometimes a quick trip to Chick-fil-A or the mall is what Mommy needs to regain sanity. A fun bath afterwards doesn’t hurt.
Games
“We play a lot of games too. Exploding Kittens, Monopoly Jr. and Ticket to Ride Jr. are a few of my kids’ favorites,” Tate says. Time-tested games Smoak’s family enjoys are Hungry, Hungry Hippos, Hi-Ho Cherry-O, Pop the Pig, and Lucky Ducks. Lendy Hicks, mother of five, says, “Definitely hide-and-go-seek! My boys think they are so sneaky! We also love to make up new games to play, such as the Color Game. We each take turns saying a color, and we learn our colors by finding toys of that color and bringing them back to the group. It’s always been something they enjoy! Sometimes it becomes a race situation.”
Books
I have always read to my children before naps and before bed, but sometimes curling up with a pile of books for an extra story time can be extra-special. Either grab a stack of your favorites, let your kids choose their three favorite books or bring home some library books to enjoy more stories with your children. “We love stocking up on library books, including reading them a family chapter book,” Nauman says. You may have more time to act out stories or ask more questions than you normally would. Audiobooks are also a marvelous option and magically make your house quiet! We’ve had a handful of times where my older two are listening to Playaways while I listen to my podcast or audiobook and our youngest naps. It’s a funny but delightful break for everyone. Heading out to the library for story time is a great option too.
Outings
Speaking of heading out, take advantage of those annual passes to Wonderscope Children’s Museum, the Museum at Prairiefire or the Kansas City Zoo where in the wintertime it’s less crowded and you spend more time in the indoor areas that may be overlooked during the summer months. Also keep in mind playdates with friends or swapping childcare with a friend for a morning off while your little one enjoys some peer play.
In the article “Ignore the Flashing Screens: The Best Toys Go Back to the Basics” found at AmericanAcademyofPediatrics.org, "The best toys are those that support parents and children playing, pretending and interacting together." Alan Mendelsohn, MD, co-author of the report and associate professor in the pediatrics and population health departments at NYU Langone Health, says, "You just don't reap the same rewards from a tablet or screen. And when children play with parents, the real magic happens, whether they are pretending with toy characters or building blocks or puzzles together."
Stephanie Loux is the mother of Layla, 8, Mason, 7, and Slade, 3, and tries to soak up as much sunshine as she can on the mild winter days.