January 28, 2026 – What to Do on Restless Winter Days

Mercy Every Minute

Deborah Wuehler, TOS Senior Editor

Restless Winter Days Unit Study

I’m sure you can find a myriad of ideas for family fun on those restless days; however, if you are just trying to survive, try this: just find joy in the day. Smile at your children. Find joy in whatever productive or creative thing they put their hand to. Learn to smile in the midst of whatever life brings. Those little ones will be big ones tomorrow, and they will either be frustrated and impatient like us, or full of joy like us. The choice is ours on which to model today. 

Restless Winter Days Unit Study

Bible: Study Colossians, chapter 3 together. Here are some applicable verses:

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him” (Colossians 3:16‑17).

Copywork: Memorizing Scripture together can take time, so an indoor day is a great day to work on copywork and repeating the verses. 

Math: You can learn math concepts with LEGOs®  

Writing: Ideas for making writing enjoyable. 

Art and Literature: Get out the paints, polymer clay, sketch pads, stamps, or coloring books and get creative while listening to a classic read-aloud or audiobook.

Science: We have grown crystals, raised sea monkeys, made bird feeders, and done fun experiments during these months. 

Games: Provide great educational value. 

Manners: Teach manners while providing cookies and tea. 

Whatever you decide to do, find joy in those restless winter days—rejoice that you are all home comfy and cozy and together. 

~Deborah

Here’s something you can do with the kids! Host a “Homeschool Winter Retreat Day” found here: Home Education: Is It a Pursuit or a Passion?

(Copy this link to share this article with a friend.)

GUEST CONTRIBUTOR

Creating a Fun and Educational Tea Party!

What to do on restless winter days? Can I suggest that doing something creative is the best solution to enjoy staying in? I recently went to a really fun tea party where every table had a different theme, including a railroad tea party table with an electric train. Let your kids help create an educational tea party and come up with a theme. The combination of studying a work of literature, cooking special yummy treats, listening to music or reading poetry of the time period, and, of course, doing something artistic related to the theme is a great idea.

I wrote a series of twelve themed parties before Covid hit. One theme was “Tea Party in the Jungle” correlating to The Jungle Book and Tarzan in literature and Henri Rousseau in art, where creating a picture of a tiger hiding in the grass and making a mandrill monkey mask are all part of the fun. A “Boston Tea Party” event concentrates on reading George Washington’s Rules of Civility, looking at master artist Peale’s painting of the first natural history museum, listening to drum and bugle music, making a miniature portrait, and much more. Themes such as a “Narnia Tea Party,” a “Through the Looking Glass Mad Hatter Tea Party,” and a “Singing in the Rain Tea Party” are on my free YouTube channel: Art Creativity and Fun for Everyone. The complete list of tea parties is in my book, Visual Manna Master Artist Tea Parties, available on my website, or better yet, let your kids create their own theme. You can google literature, music, and the history of the time period and have fun. There is something truly delightful about having a very creative and educational tea party. 

Access real writing tips and classroom activities from the New York Times bestselling author, Stuart Gibbs! https://stuartgibbsmissionwrite.com/ 

Todd Wilson

Do What You Think Is Best

Hey, Mom, the question is asked: What should you do on restless winter days? The homeschooling answer: whatever you want.

If you want to take the day off and go to the mall, do it.
If you want to bake cookies and play games, do it.
If you want to stay in your pajamas and watch videos together as a family, do it.
If you want to read, work a puzzle, or play outside in the snow, do it.

You get to decide when you need a break because the gray days of winter are getting you down. And the reason you get to decide is not that the state allows it or that you have done enough according to your curriculum. You get to take breaks and do whatever you want because God made you the mom, and you know what’s best for your children and family.

In fact, if you know what’s best for your family and then don’t do it because you’re afraid of what others might think, then you’re wrong. God gave your children the mom they needed for a reason. So do whatever you think is best . . . whenever you want to do it.

Be real,
Todd

(Copy this link to share this article with a friend.)

About the author

Todd Wilson is a dad, granddad, writer, conference speaker, and former pastor. Todd’s humor and down to earth realness have made him a favorite speaker at homeschool conventions, retreats, and churches across the country. As founder of Familyman Ministries and the Smiling Homeschooler, his passion and mission are to remind dads and moms of what’s most important through weekly e-mails, podcasts (The Familyman Show & The Smiling Homeschooler), seminars, and books and products that encourage parents. Todd, and his wife Debbie, still homeschool two of their eight children (six have graduated with four married) in northern Indiana. You can read more at www.familymanweb.com.

Teach Scripture through music! Seeds Kids Worship word-for-word Scripture videos help kids memorize God’s Word. Explore Video Collections: https://seedskidsworship.com/product-category/video-collections/

Adam and Dianne Riveiro

“Get The Kids Outside This Winter!”

While I was growing up in Florida, winter days typically meant running the AC and enjoying temperatures that were simply less oppressive than the dog days of summer. After a dozen years of living in Massachusetts, however, I’ve learned that the late sunrises, early sunsets, and frigid northern temperatures can leave people cooped up indoors for days at a time, rarely getting outside, and causing folks to develop a serious case of the blues.

Take some advice from someone who can be a bit of a stick-in-the-mud with the kids this time of year because I grew up in a warmer climate: let your kids go outside, even if it’s freezing. Getting them out of the house, even in the coldest weather, will do them (and you!) a world of good. Of course, warm clothes are a must. Like the old saying goes, “there’s no bad weather, only bad clothes.” It doesn’t need to be expensive; getting some gloves, hats, and heavy jackets from your local thrift store works just fine.

Sure, letting the kids go outside in the cold can be a chore—trust me, we live on the second floor of an apartment building. But as your kids grow older, you’ll be glad for all of those cold-weather memories you made over winters past.

And if you live in Florida, like I used to, just remember to mix in a light jacket with your bathing suit when you hit the beach in February!

(Copy this link to share this article with a friend.)

About the author

Pastor Adam and Dianne Riveiro live in Easton, Massachusetts, where Adam serves as the pastor of Liberty Baptist Church. Together, they’ve authored several books, including their newest book Ministering to YOUR Children with Special Needs, published by Ready Scribe Publications. Parents to four amazing kids—Bethany, Kaylee, AJ, and Peyton—the Riveiros are deeply committed to helping special needs families discover joy and contentment through Christ.

Shanxi Omoniyi

The Power of ‘Seasonal Adjustments’ to Your Homeschool

I think I subconsciously dreaded winter homeschooling until I heard from another homeschool mom who called it her “favorite season.” She set aside time to teach under warm blankets—sometimes enjoying snuggles from younger students!—while reading aloud on the couch. While our winter homeschooling doesn’t always go that perfectly, it certainly helped shift my mindset.

Maybe your more rambunctious students prefer to spend homeschool outdoors on as many “snow days” as possible. It may entail sacrifice to gather boots, gloves, and other accessories for the umpteenth time. However, it can also incentivize older children toward more responsibility (“get all your winter gear by yourself, and then you can go outside”)!

Sometimes the hours will seem too long to fill with a snow day, or you’ve exhausted all your read-alouds. In those cases, I find “home winter projects” can help. Perhaps you all tackle a junk-filled closet (ambitious family members can even set a timer if they like!) or clear out some bathroom cabinets. The projects don’t have to be fancy, but they help provide a change of pace.

Finally, I’d love to highlight an event created by homeschool moms, just for homeschool moms: “Encouragement Day,” intentionally scheduled for mid-winter. Wise Kansas City mamas knew this season could wear down even the most passionate homeschooler, so they put aside a few hours each year to remember, appreciate, and encourage one another to stay the course. Maybe you could initiate a similar event for your homeschool community!

(Copy this link to share this article with a friend.)

About the author

Shanxi Omoniyi is Midwest Parent Educators’ (MPE’s) online content director. A homeschool alumna who graduated with MPE, she now oversees the website and other online accounts, social media, and email marketing. She also directs her own digital marketing business. She is very grateful to have been homeschooled and now homeschools her own children!

Long winter days can make everyone feel restless, but they’re also opportunities for creativity, exploration, and cozy learning. On SchoolhouseTeachers.com, check out courses like Preschool Playground: Arts, Crafts & Music, Tinkers’ Club, and Sparking the Noggin: Creative Writing with Pictures. These courses will help transform indoor days into engaging learning experiences.