The
hustle and bustle of the holidays will soon be upon us and there won’t be any
time to relax with the family. So,
before the holidays take over your life, plan a few family activities. These activities are important for
forming children’s identities, creating structure for children and shaping
social behaviors, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Take advantage of these next several
weeks of mellow aura to relax with fun activities.
Weekend Trips
Try an activity out of your family's
comfort zone or revisit a beloved place. Most pools are closed by November, so
consider an indoor aquatic resort. Make posters for your family's favorite sports
team and take in a basketball or football game. Visit an art gallery or museum.
Stay at a bed and breakfast, attend an auto show or see a play. Plan an early
Christmas shopping trip out of town for those special holiday gifts or
decorations. Designate the location and ask extended family members to meet
there.
Volunteer Work
Make November and December the months
your family completes volunteer work together. Come up with ideas as a family
about what you all care about. Perhaps your family has lost a family member to
cancer, or your town has a high homeless population. While the weather is still
nice, devote time raising money and getting in condition for a nonprofit race
or walk. Soup kitchens, pet shelters and hospitals need volunteers. Schools always
need volunteers.
Embrace
the Outdoors at Home – Even when it is Chilly
While the weather is still nice plan
a few family activities outdoors. Have a picnic at a park, or sleep in tents in
the backyard. Go on a bike ride or hike. Yard cleaning is necessary and will
create memories by raking leaves, covering perennials and winterizing gutters.
Grill an expensive dinner as a reward for hard work. Invite the extended family
for a pre-holiday gathering before everyone’s schedule is filled with holiday
commitments.
Indoors
at Home
Celebrate winter by keeping warm at
home. Gather the family for a game night, complete with pizza and snacks. Host
a card or board game tournament. Start the fireplace and organize pictures from
the previous summer, research your family genealogy or read a book aloud. Write
a short story together with some members writing and others illustrating.
Creating food is a bonding process. Find new recipes that require an
adventurous spirit through new spices or exotic ingredients.
Pitch a blanket and have a
picnic. Freezing temperatures can
ruin a picnic aster than an army of ants, but you can have a picnic on a
blanket indoors. S’mores can be
great in the microwave. Sitting on
a blanket instead of at the table is a fun change.
Have a camp-out inside. Unless your family likes winter
camping, pitching a tent inside and having a winter camp-out in the living room
is warmer and safer. Don’t forget
those microwave s’mores and, if possible, sit around the fireplace and tell
campfire stories.
If the weather does become frightful,
below are some activities we have come up with that will allow you and your
family to still have a blast this winter.
•Reread a favorite book from your
childhood
•Have a grilled cheese sandwich with
tomato soup
•Bake cookies and share them with
friends
•Make a big batch of chili
•Drink plenty of eggnog for the holidays
•Go ice-skating
•Hit the slopes
•Kick back in your family hot tub
•Cozy up in front of a roaring fire
and watch the flames
•Complete a jigsaw puzzle
•Donate food/toys/clothing to a local
charity
•Listen to the wind howl on a chilly
night
•Don’t forget the holidays and
decorate your home with festive lights
•Decorate a gingerbread house
•Take a drive to admire your
neighbors’ holiday lights
•Visit a holiday craft fair
•Throw a Super Bowl party
•When all else fails and cabin fever
sets in, clear the decks of breakables and have a pillow fight. Just don’t use your good pillows.
•Lastly, if you are thinking about
purchasing new flooring for your home for the holidays, be sure to visit Cinderella Carpet One. Bring the kids so they can help choose
the perfect flooring for your home.
We are conveniently located at 6 Rossi Circle in Salinas. Or contact us for a
Free In-Home Consultation.
We’d like to hear from you: What are your family’s favorite winter
fun-and-fit activities?
