The Christmas holiday season is a great time to get snug indoors and curl up or venture out in the cold in a toque and parka. The Scandinavian word “hygge” speaks to the idea of cozy contentment amid the elements, and it’s an approach North Americans are wise to adopt in the winter months.
Here are a few ideas for winter fun for kids.
Online Coding Classes
Nearly all children love playing video games. Today, kids can learn to code online to build their own games and play with friends and family.
Look for a coding program that revolves around coding video games and uses gamification in the lessons. There should be a maximum of four students per teacher, so sessions are orderly and effective.
Finally, the leading programs teach kids how to code in Python, Java, JavaScript, C#, and C++. They’ll be ready for future classes and jobs and will have so much fun learning to code video games that they won’t even realize they’re learning.
Make a Fire
Building a fire is a wonderful thing to know in life, so it’s a great thing for kids to learn. It’s hard to think of another survival skill that is more fun and useful, whether you’re camping or vacationing one day in a chalet.
Try not to use a fire starter or even newspaper at first. Ignite dead leaves, tree bark, or very dry twigs. Once those are caught, gradually put in larger sticks until there’s enough heat to get a log on fire.
Children need to learn fire safety, too, not just how to build one. You may not have a working fireplace in your home or backyard, but there are city parks with outdoor fire pits you can use. You’ll probably need to buy some firewood. If you’re in a pinch and you need to burn wood covered in snow, you can always shave the outer layer off with a blade to get to the dry, burnable wood.
Toboggan
A snow-covered hill and a toboggan are all you need to have endless fun outdoors. It doesn’t need to be a giant hill. Just make sure that there’s enough snow on the ground and nothing to crash into, so it’s safe.
Layer up and get into your warm clothing. The winter isn’t cold when you’re properly dressed. Get exercise outdoors by going up the hill, then have a thrilling ride down — that’s a nice and balanced approach.
Snow Fort
Embracing the outdoors in the winter can yield all kinds of fun. If there’s enough fresh snow where you are, make a fort with your kids. Pile blocks of snow on top of each other into a type of structure, almost like Lego.
If there isn’t that much snow on the ground, you can always make a snowman.
The sun might be setting earlier this time of year, but winter doesn’t have to feel dark if you keep the above tips in mind and lean into the season.
