My little family had lots of fun ringing in 2022. There was popcorn, noisemakers, and dancing. After my son went to bed, my husband and I enjoyed champagne followed by a bedtime before midnight. I guess we’re officially old! Before sadly passing out around 11, we did chat about family activities that we plan to try during long New England winters. Here are our favorites!
1. Indoor Healthy Family Activities
New England weather isn’t exactly predictable or kind during the winter months, leaving parents looking for alternative ways to stay healthy. When it’s too cold to play outside, I have a few favorite activities that my son loves.
See if your town has an indoor jump park. We go to an indoor trampoline park called SkyZone, where we can jump together. Rather than watch my son exercise, we get to jump together. It’s a wonderful workout and there are other young children he can socialize with as well.
Another great option is an indoor playground. I’ve found that older playgrounds are often dirty and outdated, but our town has a new play-space that doesn’t disappoint. There are slides, tunnels, ball courts, and imaginative play areas. Google both your town and surrounding towns to research your options. I also like to Yelp places to see what other parents have to say about their experience.
2. Outdoor Healthy Family Activities
We are big believers in fresh air! If it’s at least 40 degrees outside, we try to spend 30+ minutes enjoying the outdoors. Our favorite things to do: a short bike ride, drawing with chalk (weather permitting), throwing snowballs into colored pails, using food coloring in the snow to make art, and collecting nature items like sticks and pinecones for art projects.
3. Family-Friendly Cooking
Our son loves to help us with any task. Now I will admit, cooking with a toddler is messy, so start small and bring your children into the kitchen to prepare a meal one night during the week. Homemade pizza, tacos, or paninis are easy recipes to try together. Make it fun by letting them wear a cute apron and giving them their own set of cooking tools.
Weekends are easier to meal plan and work as a family. We are big fans of making breakfast together. My son loves using cookie cutters for things like pancakes, cookies, and sandwiches.
4. Repurposing Outdoor Toys
Try bringing in outdoor activities that can be used in a garage or basement. We set up our trampoline in our garage so we can all burn energy when it’s too cold to get outside. We also have a treadmill and weights in our basement. We gate this area off and have a dedicated play area for our son to use while we workout. Our water table and sandbox sit on top of a few cheap shower curtain liners and offer great entertainment!
5. Old Fashion Fun
Think basic – kids love and need to move. Focus on getting your family to move and you’ll be surprised how the simple things are often really fun.
- Turn on pandora and have a dance party
- Chase and play tag
- Build forts with pillows, animals, and blankets
- Use a Wii for friendly competition
Cheers to a happy and healthy 2022!
Source: Family Education
