If you’re anything like me, it’s the middle of February, and you’re getting tired of bundling up every time you go outside only to still have the cold air bite your face. It’s hard to spend much time outside with your kids, which means lots of time inside, and you’re getting tired. When will spring come?
Wishing may not be able to make spring come sooner, but I have an idea for how to make winter drag on less. It’s—drumroll, please—a weekly family fun night! It doesn’t matter what indoor activity you choose, planned regular time together can help you beat the winter blahs. Read on for why a weekly fun night might be just what your family needs this winter.
Learn New Skills
We often hear about the benefits of trying new things, and a weekly family activity offers plenty of opportunities for kids to learn and develop new skills. The possibilities are endless. After all, a weekly family fun night can be any activity that sounds fun to your family. Whether it’s making crafts, learning a few words in another language, practicing footwork for soccer, or learning to bake a new dessert together, kids (and adults) can have fun expanding their skill sets and getting out of their comfort zones.
Any time we use our brains in a different way to try something new, we grow, learn to use our brains differently, and learn to adapt to change—skills which we will all need throughout our lives. So gather your family together one night this week and try something new for all of you!
Create Something to Look Forward to
The months of October to December seem to go quickly for many of us, right? It makes sense, because every few weeks, there’s a major holiday to look forward to. As soon as Halloween is over, we’re in the thick of Thanksgiving and Christmas preparations, and that takes us through until New Year’s Day. Once January comes, there are fewer big holidays, school breaks, and family time to break up the weeks.
The good news is that we can create our own highlights and things to look forward to! Think about your weekly schedule. Is there something there that you always feel excited about? Maybe it’s a yoga class; a healthy, delicious breakfast; or time to read before bed. Whatever it is, if there’s something you enjoy and can look forward to regularly happening, you’ll have a guaranteed bright spot that’s always coming up in your day or week.
The same thing will apply with a family fun night! It’s an opportunity to create mini family holidays that will give kids something safe and wholesome to anticipate.
Strengthen Relationship
One of the best reasons to schedule a weekly fun night for your family is to strengthen relationships with your kids! Built-in family time is guaranteed to strengthen those bonds. You’ll get to know each other better and be able to try new things, learn, and laugh together. You and your kids will appreciate time together without any pressure or expectations besides to have a good time.
And really, the more quality time, the better. As you schedule regular family activities, you’ll be bonded by new experiences and happy times.
Activity Ideas
So what should you do for this family fun night, you ask? Really, it can be anything your family enjoys doing together. But if you need ideas, we’ve got some great ones:
- Make a family bucket list: Head to Troomi’s downloadable resources page to find low-tech activities for every season, book recommendations, and a template to write your own family bucket list.
- Try mental health activities: Practice mindfulness activities together as a family, or try other activities that can help strengthen your kids’ mental health.
- Learn about the arts: Paint with watercolors, make Play-Doh sculptures, or learn about art history. There are even plenty of apps that help kids explore the arts.
- Stay indoors or try outdoors: There are plenty of indoor activities (like playing a board game or baking a treat), but just because it’s winter doesn’t mean you have to stay inside. You could try making snow castles—like sand castles but in the snow!
No More Blahs
These late winter months when we’re stuck inside can blend together into one long stretch of gray, and we can all agree we don’t want our kids to default to passing the time mindlessly scrolling on their phones. At Troomi, we believe technology should be a tool, not a tyrant, and this applies whether your weekly family fun night includes tech or not!
Sure, it may be easier to think of family activities in the summertime (hiking, swimming, outdoor sports, picnics, etc.), but there’s plenty to do inside in the winter too, and creating a family fun night for everyone to look forward to will make these long winter days pass more quickly. It doesn’t have to be complicated either. Any simple activity you do together counts! So start organizing some family fun nights and make these indoor months a little more bearable!