Cold Weather Bucket List

Cold Weather Bucket List: Making the Most of Cozy Nights Inside

With Winter being the longest season, it can feel as though time stops during these months. This time of year may bring gorgeous blankets of snow as well as a sense of peace as everyone begins their hibernation away from the cold. As the days go on and temperatures drop further into single digits, your family may start to stir as they spend yet another night inside.The fun you spend together doesn’t have to be cancelled on account of the weather. Here are some ways to help them make the most of their wintery nights braving the cold!

Make your home a cozy paradise

In order to feel cozy- your home needs to look cozy. Encourage your household to play the part and incorporate some serious cold-weather vibes into your home. If you have a fireplace, get it going to warm things up and throw on your favorite chunky knits and sweaters to protect yourself from the coldest of Winter nights. No fireplace? No problem! Light candles throughout your home (keep them in areas with the most traffic so you can easily keep an eye on them) and turn off all but one or two lamps for a dim ambiance. Keep your chunkiest knit blankets in arms distance for when your family is ready to truly bundle up!

Cook a hearty family meal

Nothing says sweater weather like a hot, home-cooked meal to warm you up from the inside out. Fire up your stove and make some quick, hearty meals that are sure to bring comfort into your kitchen. This is the perfect opportunity to not only share a meal as a family but also cook one! Allowing your children to be hands-on with family meal creation brings about many health benefits, including the promotion of wholesome eating patterns and strengthening your familial bond.

Cozy up with a movie marathon

Sure, the snow can be a blast to jump around in, but by nightfall, your family is going to want to stay inside and safe from the elements. Just because the sun has set, doesn’t mean the fun needs to be over. Put together a movie marathon to give your family something that beats cabin fever while simultaneously providing downtime. There are so many fun Christian movies for your family to enjoy together! Hunker down on the couch with your warm blankets and sweaters, and dish out some binge-worthy movie snacks to bring the at-home theater experience to life.

Send letters to your loved ones

Whether done before, on or after Valentine’s Day, there isn’t really a wrong time to let the people you love know how much you care. Get blank notecards and spend time writing out messages to your friends and family. Challenge your family to get more personal with their messages, striving to customize each one and truly articulate how appreciative they are to have the recipient in their life. They’ll feel good knowing they reached out and you’ll love that they received a lesson in empathy and giving back, even if in a small way.

Build a reading fort

Sometimes the perfect pairing on a snowy day is a hot drink and a good read. Make the reading experience more exciting by building a fort out of sheets and blankets. Sting up white lights in order to keep the environment soft and comforting, and whip up a batch of stovetop hot chocolate to sip on as your family gets lost in stories. If you have little ones, make the experience interactive and read their favorite story books aloud!

Have a picnic

Who says you need to be outside in order to have a real picnic. If you have a blanket, some good food, and even better company, you’ll have everything that you need! To make the occasion really feel like the perfect picnic, place all of your food in a basket or tote bag and eat off of paper plates. Opt for kid-friendly finger foods 

 and mess-free snacks to minimize clean up.

Sleep under the stars

Before you tear down your family’s magical reading fort, make the most out of your tent and white lights by spending the night under the stars. Indoor camping provides the best of both worlds: you get to still have the adventure of snoozing in sleeping bags and chowing down on campfire treats but without the bitter temps that nature can bring. Put on a sound machine to bring nature into your very own living room and unplug for the night in order to keep your household present as they spend time together.

No matter how you choose to spend your time, your family will have a blast simply spending time together!