In the summer, it’s easy to head to the playground or out for a walk for an easy family activity. We can enjoy time outdoors together without spending a fortune, or without getting cabin fever from spending too much time indoors at home. Wintertime offers plenty of magical activities for children, but it can be hard to budget for them all, and even more complicated if you welcome foster children on short-term placements. Here are some fun winter activities that you can enjoy with foster children of all ages.
Pumpkin Decorating
It’s technically still autumn when pumpkin-based activities are at their peak, but it’s still cold enough to consider it a winter activity. Either go pumpkin picking or buy pumpkins to take home. Spend some time either carving patterns or decorating without carving if you want them to last for longer. Just bear in mind that not all children enjoy Halloween, and some might prefer to avoid scary designs, opting for more colourful or cute pumpkins.
Sledging
In snowy weather, there’s little more fun than sledging down a snow-covered hill or bank. Make sure you’ve got sledges (cheap ones will do) and winter coats and shoes for children who might not have their own. Second-hand options from Vinted or charity stores are great as long as they are waterproof.
Ice Skating
You can, of course, ice skate all year round at big indoor rinks. But over winter many smaller pop-up rinks open for the festive season, and there’s something really magical about skating outdoors in the wintertime.
Remember some foster children might never have been skating before, so take things slowly, and try to make it fun.
Baking
Baking is a great activity to enjoy with new foster children, who might find crowds and loud spaces overwhelming. Baking is comforting, safe and a great chance to bond. Look at Halloween or Christmas recipes for some fun bakes that are easy to do with kids of all ages.
Movie Afternoons
Movie afternoons offer a great way to bond with new foster children, all sharing your favourite family movies, snacks, and drinks, and talking about which Christmas films you look forward to. If you want more advice on bonding, head to thefca.co.uk. But making family movies a regular occurrence is a great place to start.
Christmas Crafting
Festive crafts are fun, easy, and a great way for foster children to know that they will always be a part of your home, or that they’ll have something to take with them when they leave you.
Winter Hikes
Winter hikes can be beautiful, and a great way to enjoy the season without spending too much money. Explore your local area, take photos, and have a go at a winter scavenger hunt to keep things interesting.
Wintertime can be very expensive, but it doesn’t have to be. Instead of trying to head to all of the big attractions and events, prioritise those that you really love, and otherwise, enjoy creating some wonderful family traditions at home, keeping things simple so that you can recreate the experience with different children in years to come.
