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Winter’s on the wing and with the combined effects of the pandemic and — depending on your geographical location — the actual weather, it can be particularly difficult to engage your kids in any kind of homeschool lessons. Whether you just want to make your child’s homeschool day fun, are at your wit’s end on what to do with your teenagers, or just want some activities that don’t involve the outside, here are some winter homeschool activities for your household to consider this season.
Beat the homeschooling blues: Winter kid crafts and other indoor activities
Since I despise the outside even when it’s not freezing (leave this California girl alone — nature conspires against me in the form of allergies and being without wifi), I particularly love kid crafts and indoor activities. If they can also teach the kids something, I’m ecstatic.
1. Gingerbread houses
Whether you use real gingerbread (you can also bake your own gingerbread), graham crackers — or if you hate the mess, there are even laser cut wood gingerbread houses — decorating (and maybe eating) gingerbread houses are a time honored winter craft that can keep both little and big hands busy during those long winter homeschool days. You can make it a STEAM activity by incorporating lessons about architecture, structural stability and design into the craft, too.
2. Poetry Tea Time
Nothing like cozying up with hot drinks and snacks during the winter and then calling it school by discussing books or poetry. “I like to incorporate Poetry Tea Time into our homeschool each week," writer and homeschooling mom Marie Bentley Shaurette told Mom.com. "In winter that means reading a lot of Robert Frost poetry with hot cocoa and delicious snacks.”
3. Instant snow and sensory bins
While teaching kids about the science of snowflakes, you can use instant snow in complementary activities and winter themed sensory bins.
“Every few years we learn about the science of snowflakes and Wilson Bentley's contribution to photographing snowflakes,” said Shaurette. “When my son was younger we used instant snow for fun sensory bins since we're in South Carolina where it rarely snows.”
4. Visit your local libraries
Depending on your local area, your libraries may still be open to the public — or may have many online classes and activities for their patrons. “Make sure to check out different libraries you have access to because different ones offer more or have different learning stations set up,” mom Larisha Bernard suggested to Mom.com “For example, one local library only has toys while another offers coding, robotics, and a silhouette machine.”
Take it outside: Outdoor winter activities kids will love
Sometimes, kids just need to go outside to burn off some energy. If you do go out, keep in mind that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends you only gather with people within your household.
Even when gathering with members of your household, keep yourself safe whenever venturing outside. Spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Dr. Steph Lee told Mom.com that everyone should “keep hand sanitizer and wipes handy and find good-fitting masks that fit snugly over the nose and the mouth.”
5. Take a nature walk
Go out with the kids and walk around the neighborhood or local park. Print out a winter scavenger hunt list for kids to identify local flora and fauna. Give kids old phones to take pictures of what they find interesting or pretty.
6. Birdwatching
Grab some binoculars, print out an online guide from Audubon for your local region, and build up your kids’ powers of observation and listening skills. Your kids will learn more about birds, why they are important to ecology, and get more connected to nature.
Winter family activity ideas to brighten up your homeschooling days
One of the main benefits of homeschooling is spending so much time together as a family. Well, family time can also be educational.
7. Baking or cooking
Whether your kids still need your help and guidance, or if your children are old enough to bake or cook by themselves, this activity is useful and tasty!
Homeschooling mom Laura is planning on adding more baking days this winter with her four boys. “The boys already have to cook dinner each week. However, baking tends to be more fun for them,” she shared. “With cooler weather, I do not mind heating up the kitchen. A bonus is when they have to alter a recipe that requires math to get the final amount they want.”
8. Sledding
If you are lucky enough to live where there is enough snow, take the day off from homeschooling to go sledding. You can discuss the physics of sledding such as Newton’s first law of motion, friction, potential energy, and kinetic energy.
