Beat the Winter Blues With These Nine Ideas

Every mom knows there are two halves of winter: the first, with all the holiday festivities to look forward to, and the second. The second half of winter is cold, dreary, and difficult — everyone is trying (and, at least in my experience, probably failing) to get back into a good routine that involves more structure and more vegetables. 

And after an exhausting few weeks trying to keep spirits bright and make holiday magic, the thought of riding out the second part of winter can be exhausting. In some cases, when the weather doesn’t cooperate, it can be downright impossible. So, I’ve compiled some of my favorite tips, tricks, and fun family activities for cold weather to help you beat the winter blues this year.

Rules for Fighting the Winter Blues as a Family

First things first: Let’s set the stage for success. As a midwesterner, I’ve had to find fun ways to keep kids entertained in winter. We have a few non-negotiables in our house that help set this stage:

1. Everyone must go outside for at least 15 minutes every day. Even if it’s absolutely freezing, we make a point of getting fresh air at least once every day. Kids get moody in winter because of reduced sunlight exposure, so stepping outside can help reset everyone’s mood.

2. Be purposeful about screen time. I’m by no means a screen-free parent, but I try very hard to save it for times when I need it. And even then, I try to opt for activity-based shows (hi, Danny Go!) or to set practical routine limits.

3. Air out your home. Open the windows for at least 10 minutes to bring in fresh air and life. You’d be surprised how much this can empower our ability to fight the winter blues as a family.

4. Don’t be so hard on yourself. At the end of the day, winter is only a season, and a bad day doesn’t mean a bad life. Do what you have to do to keep yourself and everyone in your family happy (even if it means digging back into your Halloween candy stash!) 

Featured Styles: Winter Favorites

Fun Things to Do With Kids in Winter

*These activities are meant to inspire — always use your best judgment, supervise your kiddos, and adjust based on their age and abilities.

Now that we have the rules out of the way, let’s get onto the exciting part: fun family activities for cold weather. Here are a few of my favorite ideas for how to beat the winter blues with kids. 

1. Build a Fort

‘90s kids know all about the fun that can be had in a fort. Grab your couch pillows, floor lamps, and blankets, and build a fabric castle for your kids to explore. Bring in fun lights, music, or books to make it feel extra special. 

You could also put on your Little Sleepies, bring in a laptop, and watch your favorite movie together. Building forts is a core memory for me, and I love sharing it with my kids. 

2. Host a Dance Party

Put on your favorite party dress, queue up some hits (my son LOVES “We Will Rock You” by Queen), and rock out. Use your couch as a stage to make it extra special. Let your kids see you be silly and have fun with them, because it will encourage them to do the same. Plus, you may all find a new favorite song together!

3. Tap Into Your Inner Scientist

Science experiments can be a mess, but they’re also a great way to help your kids think outside of the box (and outside of the four walls of your home). Some easy projects include:

• Exploding colors

• Lava lamp

• DIY bubbling slime

It’s good for your kids to see you be curious about things and learn something new alongside them. Plus, you probably already have all of these ingredients in your pantry or medicine cabinet.

4. Make Homemade Snacks

One of my tried-and-true ways to keep my kids entertained in winter is to stuff them full of snacks. But this activity doesn’t last long, so I’ve started including them in the prep. Actually, I wrote a whole other blog about it to help inspire your inner chef! Whatever recipe you choose, make sure it’s accessible for your kids and low-energy for you. 

5. Undertake an Ice Excavation Rescue

This one does take a bit of planning, so give yourself a head start if you want to tackle it. But if your kids love animals or cars like me, it’s sure to be a hit. All you need for this are a few of your kids’ favorite toys (dinosaurs, legos, cars, etc.) and a container. Add the toys to the bottom, pour in some water and freeze overnight. The next morning, give your kids spoons and a spray bottle and watch them go to work unearthing their frozen items. 

We love this one because it’s free, easy, and simple to replicate again and again with different items so it always feels like a new experience. It also helps your kids work on motor skills and embrace the winter season. 

Note: This activity is best suited for kiddos over 10. Always make sure to supervise when tools are involved.

6. Run a Truck Wash

The best part about this one is that it lets your kids create a mess and clean it up. Ask your kids to get their trucks or monster trucks as dirty as possible, either with mud or cocoa and water. Then, set up a truck wash station with soap (dawn power wash is very fun here), water, toothbrushes, and cups for pouring water (we like to use our water table in the shower!) 

If your kids aren’t into cars or monster trucks, consider the same concept but as a salon for dolls. Either way, this activity is such a fun way to engage your kids in cleaning and learning how to pay attention to see whether something is clean or not. 

7. Create a Winter Walk Bingo Sheet

To make a walk more interesting, create a scavenger hunt of items to look for. Ask each kid to come up with 2 or 3 items to add to your list, then use them to create a scavenger-hunt bingo sheet. Depending on where you live, these items can include things like birds, squirrels, rocks, clouds, feathers, pinecones, leaves, and more. 

I like including my kids in the planning because it helps make them excited to get outside. Plus, it creates an engaging (and, if you choose, a competitive) walk that encourages everyone to take in the winter beauty around them. 

8. Ask Them for Help Cleaning

My boys love to help around the home, especially when I give them specific tasks. One of my favorites is “washing the windows.” Armed with a squeegee, a towel, and a water spray bottle, my 4-year-old will spend up to 30 minutes cleaning all the glass in my home. 

Do I need to go back and re-clean it myself afterwards? Sure. But it makes him feel like an important part of our family team and teaches him skills he’ll need later in life.

9. Play Indoor Explorers

For Christmas, my boys got flashlights, binoculars, and magnifying glasses. They love to use these items to be “explorers” in the house, looking for things like buried treasure, ghosts, or mice (their choices, not mine). Look for similar items you may have lying around and ask your kids to see what they can find with them. You’ll be shocked what random household items can do to spark creative play for kiddos.

Some Final Seasonal Blues Tips for Parents

For me, success during winter starts by setting low expectations. Sometimes, we can get wrapped up in doing something perfectly or in a way that feels worthy of social media. But the goal here really should be laughter, memories, and, well, limited meltdowns. 

In a few weeks, winter will be a distant memory, so focus on soaking it up as much as possible and finding small little glimmers that help you stay positive during winter months with kids. 

What’s an activity your family loves during the winter? Share in the comments — we gift one commenter a $50 LS gift card every month.