20 Activities to help a SUMMER girl survive WINTER

Taking down Christmas decorations is depressing. Once the trees, lights, and cheery décor are gone, I’m left with winter. And my heart craves summer. Yes, the occasional snow is a beautiful sight, but the older I get, the more I hate being cold. Only a cozy blanket and a warm fireplace – oh, and Vitamin D supplements – enable me to survive winter in the mountains.

Psalm 74:17 reminds me that God made all seasons, so I know winter must have some redeeming qualities. And as Aristotle once said, “To appreciate the beauty of a snowflake, it is necessary to stand out in the cold.”  I just don’t care to stand there for several months.

It’s vital to find winter things that warm my heart as well as my body. The warmth from a fireplace combined with a good book, blanket, and cuddly puppy often do the trick for me. It’s also important to plan fun things with my husband or family since our go-to outdoor games and adventures are not very appealing in the winter.

Covid taught us to be creative while stuck at home and reminded us of the joy of playing games and laughing together. So, I thought I’d share some of my favorite things to do with others during winter months when I start sliding into Netflix-binge mode or constantly complaining about the temperature:

10 Activities At Home

1. Popcorn and movie night – You can’t beat a Star Wars marathon and bowl of buttered popcorn.

2. Create your own pizzas, calzones, or packet meals. These are all fun meals the family prepares together.

3. Camping in the living room, complete with smores in the fireplace.

4. Game night!  Our family favorites have included Settlers of Catan, Scattergories, Skip-bo, Clue, Telestrations, Qwixx, A to Z, Ticket to Ride, Battleship, Twister, Connect four, Sequence, Blokus, Code Names, and card games like Spoons and Nerts. Two newer games we have added to our rotations include Skull and Hanabi. The latter is a game where you’re all on the same team, competing against your last score – an interesting twist…

5. Read a book aloud while drinking hot cocoa beside a fire – for optimal results, add a fleece blanket and snuggly puppy.

6. Minute to Win It competitions – google it – there are LOTS to choose from.

7. Watch old family movies or look at old family pictures.

8. Banana splits or a brownie sundae bar with fun get-to-know-you questions like these.

9. Work a jigsaw puzzle – preferably a challenging one over time (although the longer it takes, the greater the chance our dog has eaten pieces or knocked them off the table with his tail).

10. Cookie decorating contest – Bake and decorate them, then post on social media with various categories and ask friends to vote (most artistic, most creative, most use of design ingredients, etc). This doesn’t just have to be a Christmas thing – grab some snowman/snowflake/heart/puppy cookie cutters and have at it. Better yet, grab your gingerbread people cutters and try to create people in your family! 😳

And on the rare occasions we do feel like bundling up and heading out, here are more options:

20 Activities to help a SUMMER girl survive WINTER

10 Indoor Activities

1. Family photo scavenger hunt – (Submit your email below, and I’ll send you a free copy of the one our family did recently)! 

2. Indoor swimming pool – Find a friend or relative with a YMCA membership and put on your floaties!

3. Bowling – Our family has great bowling night memories, especially from when our kids were barely big enough to pick up a ball.

4. Skating (roller or ice) – Both are fun for any age. But if you’re my age, be prepared for soreness the following day.

5. Volunteer at a local ministry – Our family recently prepared and served dinner at a local recovery home for men who were SO appreciative. And what kid doesn’t need experience serving others?

6. Dinner and/or dessert out – I’m pretty sure eating out is my love language, and we don’t do it often enough for my liking. But when we do, it’s a super special time together.

7. Library – Everyone checks out a new book or two or three, then returns home to read them by the fireplace!

8. Attend a play or concert – Find a local theater or concert venue and check their winter schedule.

9. Museum – From nature museums to kids’ science museums and more, we have always tried to take advantage of these in all cities where we’ve lived.

10. Escape Room – This is our family’s current favorite. They can be pricey for a family of six, but well worth it for a family adventure we’ll all remember. We find that every member of our family ends up contributing something, so it’s an outing we all enjoy.

Most importantly – no matter what we are doing and where we are doing it – if we are laughing, the activity is a success. As Victor Hugo once wrote, “Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face.” I love that. And maybe it drives a little winter away from my heart as well!

What about you? I’d love to hear what keeps you going in the winter! Leave a comment and share your list with me!

Want a copy of these ideas as a one-sheet download? I got you! Just click on the picture below to survive winter! Enjoy!