Fight Winter Break Boredom

Do you remember when you were young and how much you looked forward to winter break? Two weeks off from school, with nothing to do?

Well, if you are now a parent, you may not be looking forward to it as much as you used to. You now know from experience how un-fun it is to be around bored kids for two weeks straight! Well, first grade teacher to the rescue!

Here are some ideas to keep your kids occupied during their time off:

• Handmade thank you cards: You can keep your child busy for an afternoon AND teach them some manners by encouraging them to create handmade thank you cards for the gifts they received over the holiday season.
• Play outside: If it isn’t too cold, have a family adventure outdoors. You can go sledding, skiing, ice skating, or just enjoy a walk in the brisk air.
• Have an indoor picnic: Pretend it’s summer for a day and throw an indoor picnic. Throw a blanket on the living room floor and serve sandwiches and other picnic foods. For an extra dose of fun, turn the heat up and have your kids put on their summer shorts and tank tops!
• Throw a family slumber party: One night after dinner, have the whole family change into their pj’s, throw some blankets on the floor, pop some popcorn, and watch movies till you fall asleep.
• Field Trip: Take the kids to a museum during their break for a lesson in art, science, or history.
• Clean house: If your children received an abundance of holiday gifts, this is the perfect time to clean out their rooms and donate the toys and clothes they’ve outgrown to charity.

When students get back to school in January, I barely ever hear about the toys they got on Christmas. I hear the about the experiences they had, who they were with, and what they got to do, so be sure to spend some good quality time with your children while you can.