10 fun family winter activities to beat the chilly blues!

Winter is coming! It’s that time of the year when families get together for the holidays. It’s also four long lingering months when you’re confined to your homes with the kids, who let’s be honest, can drive you a Lil crazy. When the sun goes down for a big break, carve your own sunshine with the top 10 winter activities to spend quality time with your family and kids. From playful adventures in the snow to educational board games, there’s a pick for everyone!

Ice Skating never goes wrong

Ice skating is a winter classic and the rinks all over the country are opening up for family fun. It is one of those sports where you don’t have to sweat about looking stupid, you just let your hair down and let the snow sweep you off your feet. You burn calories, soak in the fresh air, and snap some cool pictures for your Instagram. What’s not to love, right?

Go for a sleigh ride, sledding or snow-tubbing

Do you find sleigh rides and sledding across the snow thrilling? Then, you got to try snow-tubing with your Lil ones. It’s all the more exciting to amp it up with inflatable pretend-animal tubes like unicorn, pelican, polar bear, or ice dragon. It’s a great distraction to the kids while you can sip your sangria watching the early sunsets.

Frozen Shenanigans

Embrace the winter chills like Elsa and Anna by turning your yard into a winter wonderland. Don’t let your creative juices freeze, let it flow with a cute Lil snowman, build snow sculptures, a snow fort, and even a snow castle. Not a fan of Frozen? Then, take the Game of Thrones theme and organize an immersive laser tag, go all-in with vests and blasters. This family activity is sure to bring all the warm fuzzies in the midst of winter. 

Cook your winter away

They say when you cook with your loved ones, the dish tastes better. While you’re locked up in the comfort of your home, why not make the best of it by being productive? Have a fun cooking sesh with your significant other or Lil ones and develop a new skill, all the while creating special memories. You find a ton of inspiration on YouTube, or you can also sign-up for a winter cooking class ­– with the Holidays right around the corner, it wouldn’t hurt to have a few recipes in the back of your mind. Your Lil ones can indulge in baking cookies, cakes, yummy and healthy soup, porridge etc.

Binge all the Flicks

All these are great outdoor activities? But what about the winter hotspots where your day is literally taken by storm? Movie trilogy to your rescue! Everything said and done, nothing beats being tucked comfortably in your couch with a piping hot chocolate and a classic movie/series to binge. While we’re at it, here are some suggestions – The Chronicles of Narnia, The Happiest Season, and for The Shining!

Pick up that book

Movies are great, but after a while, they wear off. Flicks just don’t have it in them to keep you engaged throughout the long winter nights. So, now’s the perfect time to go pick up that book that’s waiting for you on the shelf – the section you conveniently avoid while passing by. Once you fall in love with reading, there is no going back. Plus, it’s a great stimulant to keep the wheels of your brain turning. Here are some personal recommendations – Walking with Ghosts, Let Me Tell You What I Mean, Just as I am: A Memoir.

Play a board game together

Board games never go out of style, you can’t tell me otherwise! Are you a couple who just moved in? There’s Scrabble! Are you a single mom with hyperactive kids? There’s Jumanji to keep em’ on their toes. Are you a bunch of friends spending winter together? Then there’s Twister. See, there’s a board game for everyone to keep boredom at bay. You can effortlessly lure kids away from harmful and addictive technology, and amp up the family bonding time. What excuse is your kid gonna give? That they’re going to the park to kick a ball? Meh, try again, it’s winter!

Enrich your cultural experiences

Going out and having a blast doesn’t have to be limited to same-aged friend circles. Pack your winter gear and set out for short-spanned group outings to make the best of the winter view. Make memories when you can, kids grow up faster than you realize. There are a myriad of places one can visit during the winter – a scenic train ride could be a good idea, and an education excursion at a kid-friendly museum could do wonders, if you’ve got an artistic gene, you can also buy tickets to live shows. The best works of Broadway – Wicked, Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King – are aired every winter across the U.S. You can also visit sites like Ticketmaster or Stubhub to check out the latest live events of your choice. 

Create an Arts and Crafts Masterpiece

DIY feels like something someone with a lot of time on their hands would take up. But truth be told, there’s a special DIY project for everyone. Remember that scarf Phoebe knit? That was fun, wasn’t it? Most of the time, you can rummage stuff you already got at home and create beautiful pieces of art that you can proudly put on display, instead of feeling guilty every time you pass that highly-overrated painting in your hallway. The choice is yours! 

Nurture a new skill

If they love music, winter is the perfect season to try educational activities and introduce a new instrument — piano or keyboard, flute or saxophone, guitar or the drums. They’re all popular options for aspiring musicians, as is an at-home karaoke session for your little vocalist with the big pipes. Equally interesting and potentially even more useful: language lessons. For kids who are curious about faraway places and foreign travel, download Duolingo or purchase a Rosetta Stone subscription. They’ll be practicing their new Spanish skills while you plan the family spring break trip to Mexico. Or, if your kid is a budding photographer, investigate photography classes — or purchase an inexpensive instant camera.

See, winter doesn’t have to be all so bad, does it? So when the thermostat drops and snowflakes build up on your window, turn that frown upside down and bring your family closer than ever. Your days won’t be as cold as winter, if you know how to spend it the right way.