Mansfield Mothers' Club: Ditch Winter Doldrums

Hitting the slopes this winter for skiing or tubing? Awesome! Please be sure to share in the comments section your favorite spots for bringing families with smaller kids.

If you are more housebound when the weather turns colder, we’ve got some suggestions to help focus your kids’ and your attention away from screens for a few minutes, hopefully teach them social skills like following directions and taking turns and definitely give them some smiles.

Why not take the time we’re held a bit captive inside to try to instill some healthy habits? This article from Parents Magazine archives is still one of our favorites for suggestions on why we should drink water, wear a helmet, get enough sleep, cover our mouth and a variety of other good habits. Follow the slideshow for crafty projects that teach your kids good lessons also.

Three words: “Hot Cocoa Cupcakes,” one of our favorite recipes from the Lick the Bowl Good blog.

Parenting.com offers up tips for cabin fever with projects called things like”The Human Canvas!”

Able to venture out a bit? Check out the Mansfield Public Library events, or go say “hi” to the critters at Petco in Mansfield Crossing or plan to visit a Petco event.

How about a making a house out of a brown paper bag? Stuff it with old paper and decorate the outside with markers.

You can create a simple board game using Legos, too. Make a simple trail and label the boxes with directions such as, Take 1 Lego, Take 2 Legos, Loose a turn, Give 1 Lego to another player, Put 1 Lego back, Put 2 Legos back, etc. Then use dice to see how many spaces you move your Lego character. The one with the tallest tower at the end wins.

Too cold to make a real snowman or not enough snow? Fill a white gallon trash bag or sturdy market bag with shaving cream. Add foam pieces cut to look like eyes, a carrot nose, and a mouth. Let your child squish the pieces around to try to make the snowman’s face.

Who wouldn’t want a jet pack to zoom around the house? This craft uses two painted soda bottles, some felt, and elastic to hold it around the arms. To make it more secure the soda bottles are glued to a piece of cardboard, which is where the elastic is also attached.

Break out the green and brown paint. Tissue boxes turned into monster feet is a fun way to use all those tissue boxes. Sponges make great toes!

Have other great ideas to beat winter doldrums? Please add a comment here!

Jessica Symonds is president of The Mansfield Mothers' Club, a non-profit organization aimed at providing support for local parents. For more information visit http://mansfieldmothersclub.com, email mansfieldmothersclub@gmail.com or write to Mansfield Mothers' Club, P.O. Box 831, Mansfield, MA 02048.