7 Budget-Friendly Ways to Have Winter Fun with Your Little Ones
Parenting
Audio By Carbonatix
5:31 AM on Monday, January 19
By Peyton Garland, Parenting
1. Create Icicle Bird Feeders
In a silicone popsicle tray, add about an inch of bird seed. Consider adding dried fruits, like cranberries and orange peels, to the mix. Fill the remaining part of the silicone mold with water, then place a string inside. (You might need a clothespin to hold the string in place.) Ensure the string is submerged in the water and has excess length outside the mold (for hanging the feeder).
Once the water is frozen, gently remove the icicle bird feeders from their molds and tie them in your yard. Consider tying them to tree branches as close to your windows as possible.
Then, practice a smidge of patience until birds notice their new snack. They enjoy chipping at ice, and they will certainly enjoy the tasty treats!
(The colder the temperature, the better for this activity. However, if winter is warm where you are, after you’ve hung up your bird feeder, guess how long it will take for it to melt! The birds will still enjoy the seeds and fruits once they’re on the ground.)
2. Do Some Cozy Cooking
Psychological studies have proven the overall health benefits of having your children prepare and eat meals together each evening, so why not honor this healthy habit by cooking cozy winter meals to keep everyone warm? This is a great way to involve each child, no matter their age.
If you’re making homemade chicken noodle soup, let the toddlers use their safe, Montessori-style utensils to cut and dice veggies. Have an older kid pour and warm the broth in the oven while another butters rolls or sets the table. Granting children the responsibility to contribute to the household is not only important for establishing their maturity but also for creating bonds that enhance communication.
(Whether cooking or baking, the options to get your whole family involved are endless! Consider asking your children for their thoughts on the weekly menu.)
Photo credit: ©GettyImages/PeopleImages
3. Buy Off-Season Tickets
If you have a little wiggle room in your budget and want to get away for Martin Luther King Jr. Day or President’s Day, don’t miss your chance to purchase off-season tickets to many big-name parks for ridiculously low prices.
My two-year-old son loves Elmo and Cookie Monster, so when I saw that Sea World not only has a Sesame Street section but is offering multiple adult tickets with free meals at almost half the price of standard in-season tickets (no free meals included), I knew this would be a fun way to have a change of scenery this winter without going broke.
(If you aren’t up for big traveling or don’t live near any big parks, consider checking with local museums, nature centers, botanical gardens, and historical tour sites to see what discounts are available throughout the winter.)
4. Host a Thrifted Campfire Night
Let the kiddos (no matter their age) visit the local Goodwill or thrift store to pick out a new piece for their winter wardrobe, whether a puffy vest, scarf, gloves, hat, etc. That night, after dinner, have a campfire in your backyard so everyone can sport their new winter style. Use this time to connect with one another through meaningful conversations, asking your children to name one thing they are grateful for, one big prayer request they have, one new trick, skill, or hobby they’ve learned, etc.
If you live in a more rural area, consider stargazing. See who can find the most constellations!
(Bonus points if you add s’mores, hot chocolate, and other toasty treats to the event!)
5. Build an Indoor Igloo
No matter your children’s ages, they all love a good fort—the older ones just might not care to admit it—so why not make an indoor igloo to amp up the winter feel? When the weather is bitterly cold or you’ve exhausted outdoor play, have everyone come into the living room and help build a giant indoor igloo. Grab some white or light blue sheets, chairs, etc., and see how big you can make your igloo!
Once the indoor igloo is complete, have everyone grab a favorite book or song and take time to enjoy what everyone brought into the fort.
(If you have competitive kiddos, consider hosting an igloo-building challenge to see who can make the biggest, most sturdy, most creative, etc., fort. Let everyone in the family vote!)
Photo credit: ©GettyImages/O2O Creative
6. Start an Indoor Snowball Fight
My mom hosted an indoor snowball fight at last year’s Christmas event, and it was truly a treasure to see great-grandmothers cackling and having a blast. Everyone gets a thrill from an indoor snowball fight, especially when the snowballs aren’t wet and icy. You allow everyone twenty seconds to hide, build a fort, create a shield, or strategize however they please. Once the timer goes off, it’s a winter version of dodgeball! Last one standing wins.
You can buy faux snowballs on Amazon, and some even light up when you hit them! This makes for a load of thrills if you host your indoor snowball fight at night.
(This might be a great add-on to your indoor igloo night. Everyone will have pre-made igloo forts!)
Photo credit: ©GettyImages/Maskot
7. Make Homemade Snow
Nothing says winter fun like snow, but you don’t have as many stuffy noses or dripping wet clothes when you can make your own snow indoors! There are lots of homemade snow recipes out there, but to create the most realistic snow that lets kids mold it and build snowballs or mini snowmen, you only need two ingredients (that are common household staples, woohoo!).
All you need is 2-3 cups of baking soda and 1/2 cup of hair conditioner (preferably white so it doesn’t dye the snow). Place the baking soda in a mixing bowl and add the conditioner. Massage the ingredients together until the desired snow texture is achieved.
Consider creating a winter sensory bin for older toddlers and preschool children. This might come in handy for any homeschool studies on habitats, weather, tundra animals, etc.
If you have little ones who will likely eat the homemade snow, there are safer, “more edible” recipes online.
(Safety note: Baking soda is generally safe in measured quantities, but large amounts can be toxic. Supervise children while they play with this mixture.)
8. Write a Winter Story
As parents, most of us want to minimize screen time as much as possible, but at the same time, we often need personal space to wash dishes, fold laundry, call the dentist, or simply enjoy the quiet. One way to get the best of both worlds and boost your children’s creativity is to get a giant piece of white or brown bulletin board paper and tape it up on an empty wall in your home. Divide the paper according to the number of children and give everyone a winter-themed story prompt. Have each child write their own story and share it with everyone.
A few winter-themed prompts could include being stranded on a mountain in a snowstorm, taking a winter hike and running into a pack of wolves, skiing with friends, hiking to the top of Mount Everest, and so on. If your kids want to go rogue, let each of them create their own prompt and see just how wonderful their imaginations are!
(This could make for a great homeschool activity for an English/literature class!)
When Winter Drags On
When winter drags on, I pray you take time to create intentional, memorable, relational activities that will bring your whole family together. Not only will this make the cold, dark days go by faster, but you will also be building relationships and creating memories that will last a lifetime for you and your children!
Related: 15 Activities to Get Out of the House with Your Kids This Winter
Photo credit: ©GettyImages/Oleg Breslavtsev
