The gray winter days of January can be a real let down for the mother/teacher, as well as the children/students, after the non-stop activity, anticipation, and excitement of the holiday season.
There’s just nothing to look forward to! It’s cold outside … and there’s a long stretch of winter ahead—or, as my West Virginia mama used to say, “a long row to hoe”—until spring.
So if your homeschool has a case of the winter blahs, here are ten ideas for shaking them off:
Schedule some inside playtime.
Just because the cold winter weather prohibits fun outside, doesn’t mean you can’t create some fun inside. It will feel especially delicious if you set the timer and take a break to play mid-morning or mid-afternoon—even before school is finished. Ideas:
- Set up a card table and do a jigsaw puzzle.
- Have a scavenger hunt.
- Make homemade play dough. (You’ll find a great recipe from Bridgitt here.)
- Put on some music and color.
- Build a fort out of cardboard boxes or sofa cushions.
Add morning exercise and stretches to the daily routine.
This will not only be fun, but it will launch some good lifetime habits for all. And everybody knows January is a great time to start an exercise routine. Crank up some upbeat music while you do it.
Do school in your pajamas.
Just because we can! And while you’re at it, serve hot chocolate with breakfast, too.
Take a snow day.
We tend to skip these when school is at home, but why not just enjoy a day off? You can just end school one day later come summer. Be sure to take pics of the awesome snowman you build.
Plan summer vacation.
Brainstorm about all the places you would love to go. Enlist the kids for their ideas, input, and Google skills to figure out where, when, and how. Then figure out what it would take to be able to afford the trip. After making your plans, encourage everyone to do some research on the history, interesting places, and options at your destination. (And maybe challenge them to start cleaning out their closets for a big garage sale come spring, to help beef up the vacation fund.)
Play the um-uh game at dinner.
The object of this game (which we often played while waiting for our food at a restaurant) is to keep talking as long as you can without a long pause or saying “um” or “uh.” Not only is it good for a lot of laughs, it will make the members of your family think quickly and also make them mindful of keeping “um” and “uh” out of their speech patterns. Each person is timed; the one who goes the longest is the winner. (You might be interested to know that this mama is the undisputed um-uh champion for our family!)
Launch bedtime story time.
Bedtime stories aren’t just for preschoolers. When everybody is ready for bed—teeth brushed, jammies on, etc.—they can all pile into mom and dad’s bed for a read-aloud. Even if they are teenagers, you will create some great memories. Some of my favs: Charlotte’s Web, Chronicles of Narnia, and Anne of Green Gables. (Check out my previous blog post here for more ideas on favorite read-aloud titles.)
Learn a new card game.
You need not invest a lot of money to enjoy the challenge of a new game. A simple deck of cards offers lots of options to keep us engaged, interacting, and learning new skills. Turn off the TV and gather round the table for some after-dinner fun this month. Let us know if you choose Crazy 8s, Pig, Go Fish, or something else!
Institute “funny Friday.”
Friday is deemed funny day—all month long. Wear something funny; the more mismatched the better. Everyone comes to dinner prepared with a funny joke or riddle to share. Mom and Dad share funny stories from their childhood, or funny stories about the kids when they were little. Mom can take it to a new level by serving “funny” combinations for dinner. Ever had green beans in your spaghetti? It might be a great way to clean out the pantry or the fridge, too.
Plan a home video night.
Take advantage of the long winter nights to pull out the home movies (or a fun family movie). Don’t forget the popcorn and root beer floats.
We would love to know how your family chooses to beat those winter blahs this month! Please leave a comment, telling us if you adopt one of these ideas or have one of your own to share with us. Let’s jazz it up in January!
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