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With the autumn flown past us and the winter in full swing, the ratio of time spent inside and outside changes quite substantially. So instead of bundling up in the impossible amounts of scarves we don’t own, we stay inside cozy and toasty with the heating on.
So then we have a bit of a conundrum. It’s an unspoken truth that a holiday in between term times can sometimes be a bit of a downward spiral. Our kids can slouch on the sofa a lot, or keep to themselves when outside activities don’t quite cut it any longer.
Do Something Together!
Of course, family activities are a staple of the holiday weeks when the kids are young and they have a lot of energy to expend. Drawing and painting, games of rounders in the garden, and making up our own bedtime stories all foster great development and creativity skills. However, some families just don’t spend enough time together as they should! As a result we end up with some couch potatoes for the month, and that doesn’t work out well for anyone!
Often we think we need to put a lot of time and effort into making a good day for everyone we love, but doing something together can be literally anything! You don’t have to get up super early and drive miles for a day out at a castle or activity centre to make something matter as a family. Quality time comes in all shapes and sizes, so stick to staying inside and then opening up a board game or some charades, or even break out the tarpaulin sheets and the twister mat and a bit of paint!
For something a little more hobby orientated, you can include your kids in your own activities and turn a session in the kitchen into a bit of a masterclass. Make cookies and chocolate cakes together, or chop up some vegetables to make a messy salad. On the other hand, considering we have more energy at the beginning of the holiday than the end, there’s a huge chance you’re already got through all of these. If you have, or you know your family won’t be up for getting their hands dirty (we all have our quirks!), check out these 10 activities for all the family, as there could be an idea here you hadn’t thought of yet.
Let Yourself Relax
Often you can turn your boredom into something more productive for our own time and energy levels. Or maybe you’re the kind of person who gets bored with all the activities you could (or should) be getting up to. Well either way, you can use this to your advantage and have a lot more fun with your time with a few awesome techniques.
If you’re a bit of a busybody, this is the time for you. Open up Netflix or buy a couple of DVDs you’ve never considered before and put them on; getting interested in a new series and invested in its characters can take us to emotional heights that have never seen boredom before in their lives! Similarly, if lounging around just isn’t for you, having a good sort out and clean through is a great way to be productive with your time and literally wipe the stress away. It’s quite good to put your mind to something totally mindless; it encompasses all of the senses at once after all!
Occupy Your Mind with Learning
This is the perfect time to pick up a new hobby, as the year is almost out and sticking to it could be a great resolution for you (and one you can actually see through for a good few months!).
So you could open up both your travel and career prospects with learning a new language, as this is the number one asset a person can have to their resume. And let’s face it, it’s just nifty to have another language up there in your mind alongside English! Having another language in your Wernicke’s area capacity means you can enrich your cultural understanding as well; just think of all the French and Italian film masterpieces you’ll now be able to understand.
You could also put your hands to good use and pick up a hacksaw and cut some wood up for your new carpentry hobby. This is easy to get into as it’s a physical activity, and procedural memory is a lot easier to hold onto!
There’s plenty for you to do during these holidays!
Photo by rawpixel.com on Unsplash
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