End of Winter Bucket List for Families

By Sarah Humphrey

February can be a long month, even when it’s a short one! The days can be dark, and the ache for Spring starts to birth in us the desire for all things fresh and new.  Though it can be tough to keep kids motivated during the winter months, here are a few bucket list items that can spur you on in faith and fun.  They don’t cost much, and Spring will be here before we know it!

1. Make an inside-the-house scavenger hunt.  Create a few riddles or clues about things around the house that can lead you on a mini-adventure. A half hour of running around the house can lead to a freshly charged heart and a laugh or two.
2. Clean up the clutter! Have each of your kids fill up a garbage bag full of trash, tattered items, or things you don’t use anymore.  If you find some things in good working order that are no longer needed, make an extra pile of items to donate.  Whoever has the best bag of goods, gets $5!
3. Make a Friday Night ice cream tradition.  Each Friday night, choose a new flavor of ice cream to share as a family.  Make it a point to try flavors you typically would never buy!
4. Sibling arguments in close quarters? Have each child find a Bible verse that is encouraging or affirmative to each of their siblings. They may need some adult help, but it will be a joy to watch them support one another instead of squabble with one another!
5. Arts and Crafts time is always a favorite! Head to your local store and buy a new coloring book, fresh paint, or even nail polish for girls.  Take the time to enjoy color, creativity, and the simple fun of fresh crayons and coloring inside (or outside!) the lines.
6. Who doesn’t like to laugh? Google a few tongue twisters, and repeat them five–ten times.  Go faster with each repetition, laugh, and have some fun!
7. Take a trip to your local store and find a new board game for the family to play together.  It’s amazing how much you can engage with one another when you learn a new game. Memories like these last forever, and the tradition can be carried on for years to come.
8. Eat more cake! Baking together can be a sweet activity that includes following directions, learning about the ways of the kitchen, enjoying and expressing creativity, and also ending with a treat! Find a recipe that fits the age range of your kids, turn on a little music, and have fun creating something together!
9. Take a nap. Sometimes the easiest thing to do is the hardest thing to make time for. Watch an afternoon movie until you fall asleep on the couch, cuddle in bed and close all the blinds, or sprawl out on your fuzzy carpet. A twenty-minute power nap is God’s grace to us all!
10. Call a loved one you haven’t spoken to in awhile and check in! Hearing the voice of someone you love is one of the best things in life. During a time when people feel isolated and lonely, FaceTime and phone calls are such a gift.

Though we never want to wish away the time, winter can be tough.  Enjoy these tips to spruce up the last days of cold, and savor the sweetness of connection and comfort!

Sarah is a wife and homeschool mom to three kids while also working as an artist, author, and voice actor.  Her writing and doodling can be found in her devotional, “40 Days to a Joyful Motherhood” and her voice in several commercials, children’s books, and audiobooks. She loves encouraging women and kids to embrace self-care, utilize their gifts, and become leaders in the community around them.