Survival
Tricks for Long Winter Nights
12 Creative
Family Activities
Remember
the days when daylight lasted late into the evening and your children
played outdoors leaving them tired and ready for sleep? Most parents
with small children dread long evenings indoors when sibling rivalry
and teasing are at its worst – “He took my brush,”
“She broke my car,” “He cheated on the video
game!” No doubt, these words are all too familiar to you.
If ever there
were a time for creative parenting, post holiday weeks demand
it. How creative must a parent be?
The larger
the family and the more energetic the children, the more bags
of tricks and games a parent must have on hand. So, if your children
are haunting you with whining “I can’t help it, I’m
bored,” or “So, why can’t I play outside after
dark, I will stay right near the house.” Heed the following
suggestions for creative home activities on the long winter nights
indoors; of course as age appropriate for your children.
Creative Home Activities
Keep plenty
of board games on hand. Board games offer a great way for family
interaction. Usually, if parents have enough energy left to play,
for sure the children will settle down sufficiently to enjoy a
unique experience with mom or dad.
Checkout Video
or DVD bargain surprises. Peruse the dollar stores for bargain
videos or DVDs, they truly exist. Even grocery stores at times
carry cost-effective video surplus bargains from time-to-time.
So, anticipate a last minute crisis moment at home and have the
newest video ready to save the moment.
Challenge
your child’s own creativity. Yes, children are endlessly
creative but all they need is some direction. Set aside a night
a week where each child (and parent) must conduct a “tell-and-show”
activity. Each one takes a turn to show their latest creation,
be it a drawing, a song, a poem or even a Lego building that is
unique.
Challenge
with an interactive games. Remember the days (when you were young)
and might actually sit outside and count the next red or blue
car that passes and the one who gains the most counts wins? Well
that sort of distraction still works. So tap into your memories
and use your surroundings to engage children into games like:
- I’m
thinking of… As each takes turns focusing on an item in
the room, each family member or each child takes turns trying
to guess what it is.
- Whisper
the story to each one in a circle… and watch how the perception
of the initial story changes.
- Hold a family
tribune. Let each family member tell of a problem or stressful
event that happened to them. Then each one suggests a helpful
or alternative way of handling such a problem.
- News events.
Let each child, if old enough, capture headlines from a newspaper
or magazine that concerns them. Let him or her discuss what is
troublesome about the headlines and then each one offers alternative
ways of handling the problem.
- Stump the
family. Develop oral quizzes on words or biographies of interest.
Have each child pick a word, place or person that interests them.
Then for the coming week, data must be collected about that point
of interest. When the family meets a week later, each member must
try to elaborate or recite something about that point of interest.
Once each one attempts to define the same, the originator fills
in family members with an actual brief report or definition of
the game.
- Word Source
Games. Parents provide a word of challenge each week, age appropriate
of course, and siblings must look up the word and return with
a full description of spelling, word use, or word source. Variations
of this game might include picking a word from a bowl of ‘parent
picked’ choices. Make it like a contest and offer a special
reward for the one who supplied the most unique or the most elaborate
presentation.
- Offerings
in the community. (This one is one of my favorites.) Have each
child consider a community problem is of concern such as elderly,
homeless, or parentless children. Then, have each member come
up with a list of ways to improve the situation. This game encourages
critical thinking skills, encourages a sense of helpfulness along
with raising a consciousness of his or her world.
- Queen or
King for a week. Have each family member get a turn at being the
‘chosen one’ for a week of extra attention from all.
Then each alternate family member has to provide a way of helping
him or her such as doing their chores, writing them special letters
of thanks, drawing a special sketch or preparing a special meal.
The Chosen One, gets to chose meals for the week, activities,
for the week, or has control of all television viewing for the
week. Each family designs this activity in any manner appropriate
for all.
Well, that
is it for now. I hope your winter evenings remain peaceful and
your family remains involved. It renders good health and a sense
of belongingness in all. Good Luck.
F. Felicia
Ferrara, Ph.D.
Psychology Services
The Consultation and Evaluation Center
813-259-0303
www.CECconsultants.com
2004 © Ferrara
