2014 the Year of Your Family

5 Easy Ways to Make 2014 the Year of Your Family!

As we begin the long cold stretch from January to March, most of us hunker down and resign ourselves to the inevitable dreariness of indoor living. With limited outdoor activities and close quarters, it’s easy to feel sluggish—and to get a little cranky. Add a handful of kids to the mix and wintertime becomes a recipe for family bickering and colossal fights for the remote.
Chilly weather ups the quantity of our family time, but turning that quantity into quality takes creativity. Here are 5 sure-fire ideas to create quality time, beat the winter blues, and (above all) keep the peace.
1. Get active in the great indoors – Just because the temperature drops doesn’t mean your family’s activity level has to. Hit the local bowling alley for some friendly competition or find your nearest skating rink and get moving. All that exercise will boost endorphins (hello, stress reliever!) and wearing out your brood makes bedtime a snap. Win, win.
2. Get creative in the kitchen – If the roads are icy and travel is low on your list of bright ideas, get back to basics with creative kitchen activities. How about a hot cocoa bar with all the fixins? Find your favorite cocoa recipe and let the kids select their own additions (marshmallows, cinnamon, candy canes, etc.) for a custom cup that’s sure to please. To make the activity even sweeter, use these printables from Jessica Weible Illustrations. Kids will love adding these adorable labels to their cups!
3. Get nostalgic with a family movie night – Enough with those tired movies that everyone has seen a hundred times. Why not take a walk down memory lane by sharing one of your childhood favorites with the family? Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, Goonies, and My Girl are crowd pleasers and kids will enjoy getting a taste of yesterday’s classics. Retro is “in.”
4. Get back to nature at the aquarium – Bears may hibernate in the winter, but fish? Not so much. When it’s too cold for a walk in the wilderness, I recommend a walk underwater. Many zoos include an aquarium and there are some great stand-alone options too. Your family will love exploring the deeps and they just might learn something too!
5. Get your fort on – When all else fails: build a fort. Do I really need to elaborate here? Nothing cures the wintertime blues like a good, old-fashioned, living-room fort. It will keep kids entertained for hours. Enough said.
And here are our Sweet Relish favorites for kicking quality time into high gear:

Piggyback Rider. Transport kids in comfort with this innovative toddler carrier. The comfy foam core and backpack adjustments distribute your child’s weight at your core for easy movement and allow kids to stand as they ride. The classic piggyback ride just got a whole lot cooler.