This winter has been brutal across the US. In Minnesota, it’s been downright oppressive! The best part? We have a solid two or three months left of winter. Oy! We’ve got to get through this winter without going batty, but how? Here are some ideas to keep the mind and body fresh, allowing for school work to chug along and avoid a winter drag.
Routine
During the summer, it’s easy to just run to the park or library when the kids get a little bored and stir crazy. When it takes 20 minutes just to get everyone bundled up, it takes a lot more motivation to get going. I’ve found if we don’t have a routine, Little Miss asks to watch TV all day. It drives me nuts, she gets frustrated, and the day unravels. It’s not as easy to deflect the situation by just saying, “Let’s go to the park!” when she starts to break down. Getting her bundled up and ready to go to said fun thing while she’s losing it? Yeah right. Kids have to know what to expect (some more than others), and what is expected of them. At least if we have a plan of breakfast, then teeth brushing, then activities, then TV, it’s not as big of a fight.
Scheduled activities
Am I the only one that needs someone else to set the schedule to get a fire under my bum sometimes? Oh, the plans I have for 9am before 9am comes… and then the task of getting snacks, clothes, diapers, and bundling up kids? 9am comes and goes if I’m not expected anywhere. So, instead I sign up for one or two things we go to each week. It is fun for Little Miss, and it gets us all out of the house. Plus, if I take the littles out, Care Bear can work on school a lot easier with a quiet house!
Indoor options
I’ve heard Minnesota has more options for indoor play than most states, but I’m sure there are many options no matter where you are! Museums, malls, and indoor parks abound where we are. We even have an indoor park that is much like an outdoor playground rather than a McDonald’s PlayPlace! Check with other moms in your area for what’s available. Even our city community centers have a tot gym time where they setup a gym with balls, hula hoops, scooters, and little cars. Fun!
Outdoor sports
We have to find ways to be outside sometimes! Now, with a child under 1 year old, it’s very hard for me to take part in this, so for this year at least, this is do as I say not as I do. New to the north and not sure what options are out there? Try snow shoeing, skiing, snowboarding, tubing, ice skating, hockey, or sledding. Not a big sports fan? Sign the kids up and get them out of the house and active! Introducing your kids to various activities is a great way to foster a healthy lifestyle. They may even find something they find interesting and want to explore further!
Overnight vacation
Find a place with a pool, and if you can, a fireplace and a whirlpool tub! Take the family out for one night (or more!), and enjoy a feeling of a vacation. You don’t have to go far. Even a one hour drive feels like you’ve gotten away from home, and you can spend some time relaxing, and enjoying the amenities of the hotel.
All of these are fun ways to recharge when the days are short, and we get outside far less due to the cold weather. It’s easy for school to start dragging during the winter, but we like to try to buckle down during the cold, winter months so the spring is ready for us to go out and enjoy it!
What do you do to get through the winter months?
This post is part of the iHomeschool Network blog hop. Check out the other fantastic posts about how to get through the winter blahs!
This post is linked up across the web!
We used to love going with my dad when he had a business trip a few hours away and getting to stay in a hotel with a pool.
Wow! The indoor park sounds great. We were eating lunch on a trip the other day and one of the moms in the play space said they’d been there for 3 hours with her little not yet 2 year old. I guess it works for burning off energy.
Maine has had a pretty brutal winter as well – i mean we live in Maine, we should expect it. To add to our issues, we are a one car family, so we are not able to just get out and go many places. But, the things that we have been doing for activities are letting the kids take long baths, going through seed catalogs, and we are going to start seeds soon as well. Mainly, I am letting them make a lot of mess – paints come out a lot, as well as lots of different experiments. I let them take the lead, otherwise my kids are looking for the TV too, and that just makes everyone more cranky. Daily I am asking when spring will be here…and trying to forget that it won’t start to warm up until May 🙂
Seed shopping sounds fun! You can just imagine the beautiful garden you’ll have in the coming warmer months!
Great tips! We have been getting a little stir crazy this winter! I found this post through the hip homeschool hop. I think it would be a great addition to the Anything Goes link-up I co-host at Joy Focused Learning (.com)!
Thanks for pointing me to your link up! I have it on my link-up calendar now!
Fantastic tips! My husband is a fan of the last one, and daughter has been asking to “swim” all winter. My recommendation is to join a hotel or travel service “points” membership system, and rack up points during summer vacation. Then use them in the winter for some R&R! We usually earn enough for at least one free night.
That’s a good idea! We’ve found places with water parks are pretty deeply discounted in the winter, too, and they’re still warm and fun!
Oh, I love the pool idea! My kids were just talking about our last visit to a hotel with a pool.
And what’s great, is even more budget-friendly hotels have pools! 🙂
Love your ideas. I choose your post as one of my favorites from Thoughtful Spot Blog Hop!
Fantastic! Thanks so much!!
These are some great ideas! Winter is definitely a challenge. Luckily, my kids love being outside, even if it is way too cold and wet or snowy. We also have an unfinished basement where they can run around. I’m counting the days until spring!
Thanks for sharing at Family Fun Friday!