Spring is here! Well, at least the concept of Spring is here. While there is still the possibility that we might wake up to a few more snowy mornings here in Alberta, our mindset is beginning to shift toward summer. In my house, there’s one tried-and-true signal that this long-awaited season is upon us: puddles!
My son and I had dabbled in geocaching over the past few years until last Spring when it suddenly became the most brilliant outdoor activity in the world. We didn’t have to leave our neighborhood during COVID restrictions, we were able to physically distance from other people while we rambled off the paved pathways searching for treasure, and we didn’t have to drive anywhere (a quick search revealed that we could find over 50 hidden caches without leaving our neighborhood)!
Typically, kids spend several hours a day immersed in low-sensory, pixelated landscapes rather than outdoors playing in the mud, climbing trees, examining bugs, rolling down hills, or making up games. As a consequence, kids are less focused, get frustrated more easily, and struggle with more advanced social skills like negotiation, problem-solving, and conflict resolution.
During the winter months, parenting can get a lot more challenging. You are stuck inside more often, and it gets dark early. Here is a list of activities you can use to entertain your children during long, bitterly cold days.
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