What is your best tip for keeping kids busy during winter break?
To help you keep your kids busy during the winter break, we asked business professionals and leaders this question for their insights. From organizing a scavenger hunt to developing a hobby, there are several ways to keep your kids busy during the winter break.
Here are eight tips for keeping kids busy during winter breaks:
- Organize a scavenger hunt
- Get involved in sports
- Head outside as Much as Possible
- Organize a book swap
- Get some art kits
- Develop indoor and outdoor activities
- Start a bedroom redecoration project
- Develop a hobby
Organize A Scavenger Hunt
If you are looking for a way to keep your children occupied during the holiday break, you can try to organize a scavenger hunt. You can make a list of things that the kids should find while they are on the go. There are many types of scavenger hunts, but the main idea is to get them out of the house and into the fresh air.
Chris Panteli, LifeUpswing
Get Involved In Sports
An easy way to keep your kids busy and make sure they’ll be tired and ready for bed at night is to get them involved with sports! There are so many sports that kids can try out that will help them stay active, make friends, and stay busy. Your kids will learn so many lessons and may even become good at the sport, opening up more doors in the future.
Jonathan Finegold, MedCline
Head Outside As Much As Possible
My daughter’s kindergarten teacher used to say, “Playing outdoors all year round is possible with the right clothing!” Since then, we’ve always prioritized getting our kids good cold-weather gear as children of all ages benefit from being outdoors. There’s enough space for big play and helps prevent cabin fever.
We love packing a picnic and hot cocoa and checking out a park. Going on hikes and finding “treasures” like sticks and unusual rocks or playing “I Spy” is also another family favorite. I never regret a day spent outside, even in the winter. Everyone comes home with their cheeks flushed, tired, and happy. Check out AllTrails.com or local parenting groups for kid-friendly trails and to discover parks you’ve never visited before.
Meryl Schulte, Markitors
Organize A Book Swap
Even the most avid readers can get bored with reading the same books over and over. Get a few families together to arrange a book swap, and your kids will have some new reading material to keep them entertained over the holidays. They might even discover a new series or genre that they love.
Just be clear on whether it’s a temporary or permanent exchange, and keep track of whose books have gone where if needed.
Amanda Napitu, Improving Your English
Get Some Art Kits
Buy ready-made art kits, like finger paint or watercolor sets, to keep them entertained (usually found at Michaels). Personalize the experience by encouraging kids to draw pictures of what they wanted for the holidays or their favorite things about the season. They can then assemble their art into a mini picture book. The result is an endearing little work of art that can become an annual tradition.
Claire Westbrook, LSAT Prep Hero
Develop Indoor And Outdoor Activities
If you want to help keep your kids busy over the winter break, get creative with activities everyone can enjoy together. These can be simple or more complex and involved, and having multiple activities of each kind ready can help everyone avoid becoming bored. If the weather isn’t too cold, you could venture outside for a winter photo scavenger hunt. You can look for birds, squirrels, pine cones, and other wintery things found in nature and snap photos of them. For a quiet indoors activity, you could work on a puzzle as a family while enjoying hot chocolate and snacks like popcorn or trail mix. For fun art activities, have your kids make holiday cards for friends, family members, and neighbors to spread holiday cheer and help your kids get creative. Most importantly, use this as an opportunity to connect with your kids and even take a break yourself.
Nathalie Walton, Expectful
Start A Bedroom Redecoration Project
The holiday season is the perfect time to inspire little ones to take on the task of redecorating their bedrooms in their own special way. A Christmas theme of choice — whether it is Santa Claus and his reindeer, or snowflakes and mistletoe — is a wonderful way to refresh their bedrooms, and keep their minds and hands busy.
Children are naturally creative and imaginative, and when given a free hand, can do wonders. Give them the go-ahead to experiment all they want and with minimal supervision and you won’t just have a fresh-looking winter-themed bedroom but neat-looking rooms just in time for Christmas too.
Krista Haws, Dripped Coffee
Develop A Hobby
I see that a lot of parents try to keep their kids busy during the holidays. However, if you have a kid who is a creative thinker, you should encourage her or him to develop a hobby that allows them to use their imagination. The best way to keep kids busy during winter break is to allow them to choose their own activities. Make sure you provide the tools that they need to develop a healthy hobby and offer your support as they explore their interests.
Becky Moore, GlobalGrasshopper
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