Winter in New York City can be hard. Children are more likely to be stuck inside. Snowstorms and other winter weather can significantly decrease the amount of sunlight that your child gets.  They may miss out on social time due to snow days and winter breaks. The winter blues are a real thing and can make your child feel tired and sluggish. Winter blues can even cause sleeping issues or a lack of appetite. Winter in NYC can be long, so it will be important to have ideas to help your child stay positive and active over the winter months. Consider the below ideas to help your child forget about NYC’s winter blues.

Do Outdoor Winter Activities

Spending time outside can improve both mental and physical health, even if it is cold out. Instead of seeing winter as a time where everyone needs to stay inside, take advantage of the weather to do fun winter activities! Go to a nearby skating rink, find a sledding hill, or build a snowman in the park. Simply playing in the snow can be a fun, active thing for you and your child to do together. It’s true that it may take a little more effort to find some of these activities in the city. But you can show your child that winter can be a uniquely enjoyable time of year, and they can still enjoy spending time outside.

Encourage Social Time

Ensure that your child stays emotionally connected to their friends and peers. Schedule play dates, zoom meets, or phone calls with your child’s peers and friends. It will be important to help your child maintain social time. If they are feeling down, it could lead to them wanting to be antisocial. They may not have the energy to initiate play dates for themselves. If you connect with one of your child’s friend’s parents, schedule a time for the four of you to do something together.

Increase Indoor Activity

Children need to play, move, dance and jump. Adults do too! Even if you are stuck at home, we strongly encourage family movement time. You can do yoga or get a trampoline. The range is endless, and you can even take turns where your child is the “fitness coach.” The key may be taking “exercise breaks” throughout the day to boost dopamine and adrenaline.

Spend Time in the Kitchen

One of the best indoor winter activities is baking and cooking. This can be especially fun during the holiday season. You can keep getting creative in the kitchen all winter while it is still cold outside. Spend time making healthy meals, which is a key to combating mood slumps! Also, offer to make your child’s favorite dessert. Include your child in the decisions made in the kitchen as well as the actual cooking or baking so they feel involved and purposeful.

Have Board Game Nights

If you want to keep your child engaged and minimize screen time, consider having a weekly board game night at your house. This can be just with your family or you can invite friends to join. Board games can stimulate a child’s brain and keep them distracted from the winter weather outside. It can also serve a social function as it normally requires at least a couple of people to play together! Let your child pick some games they want to play so they really enjoy the night.

NYC Child Care

If you are searching for affordable childcare in the city, turn to Wonderschool. We have a variety of childcare centers that are state-licensed and safety certified. We believe that every child should have access to high-quality child care services, and we strive to reach that goal with our child care in NYC. Please visit our website at https://corp.wonderschool.com to learn more about our services.