Although there’s light at the
end of the Covid tunnel, with effective vaccines in the pipeline and a second
relief bill on the way, it’s all in the distance, and quite a distance at that.
Standing between the end of
the pandemic and us is a long winter, one in which families will be forced to
be more housebound than ever. How to keep ourselves, and our loved ones, from
going stir crazy? How to stay healthy and active?
Writing for Fatherly, Emily Kelleher has some refreshing optimism and offers quite a few helpful
hints on how to have fun this season, despite it all. Although her suggestions
feature rules and guidelines, she’s quick to stress: “Just remember
that unstructured play is also really good for kids. These winter
activities are great, but don’t be afraid to tell them to go play outside or
let them get bored.”
READ MORE: Ways to Adventure At Home
Her list runs the gamut from
regimented to wacky. Here are some activities I can personally vouch for:
Marshmallow Fun
Put a marshmallow in the
microwave and watch it quadruple in size. It’s amazing, and, once it cools off
you can still eat it.
Gooey Maple Syrup
Make maple syrup snow
candy. It’s easy: boil down some maple syrup and pour it onto snow to cool and
harden. It’s delicious.
Best Book Read
Read The Snowy Day by
Ezra Jack Keats. A perennial favorite from my childhood, and my
now-twenty-two-year-old son’s.
Snow Trek
Take a walk through the snow,
stepping in the footsteps of the person in front of you. See if you can get it
to look like only one person was there. This can be a lot more fun than it
sounds.
Track the Light
Observe the return of light
and the lengthening of days by having kids log what time the sun sets each
night. Even if they do it once a week they’ll be able to see how much time is
gained.
I recommend this the most, in
part because I recently realized a startling number of adults don’t actually
understand that winter is the time of lengthening days. Even in the Hudson Valley,
which is more rural than most regions. Impress upon a child what’s actually
happening in the world around them – and beyond them – and they’ll always
know.
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