NHA Expert Shares Strategies to Maximize Time Inside

During winter, as temperatures dip below freezing, students across the country will spend more time indoors. For parents wanting to make the most of this time, National Heritage Academies (NHA) Special Education Supervisor Laura Katerberg shares ways to keep children active when colder weather may force them inside.

Get Crafty

Materials for craft projects can be found throughout the house and putting them to use is a great way to engage children, Katerberg says. Craft projects might include making slime, creating friendship bracelets, or painting pet rocks. Typically, these types of crafts are easy-to-plan-for projects using common household items.

She also recommends keeping a supply of coloring books, sticker books, or doodle books on-hand. One way parents can spice up a coloring activity is to provide a prompt and instruct children, as artists, to draw and color their own picture.

“These activities are a great way for children to show off their creativity and artistic ability,” she said, adding that crafting can help improve fine motor skills and this, in turn, can improve reading comprehension.

“Everything that we do comes down to fine and gross motor skills,” Katerberg said. “All of these activities engage those skills. They’re doing something fun, but they’re also learning skills at the same time.”

Read

Katerberg recommends children read for at least 20 minutes per day, noting that any kind of reading is beneficial. Setting aside this time improves reading comprehension levels and grows vocabulary. For younger children or developing readers, Katerberg shares that listening to a book or reading along with a parent also is a helpful way to further develop reading skills.

If parents are able to prepare before a day indoors, Katerberg recommends heading to a local library. They have great resources with some even offering interactive audio books, she says. And, one of the biggest ways to engage children in reading: find out what your child is interested in and select books on those topics.

Transform Your Space

The best play area can be in your own living room, with everything needed to build a fort or even a home movie theater right at your fingertips.

Using couch cushions, pillows, and blankets, kids can construct their own fortress she says, adding this activity is great for children because it allows them to embrace their imagination and is something they can use all day. This also can be a collaborative effort. When siblings or parents are involved, building a fort teaches teamwork.

Families also can host their own movie nights. Inviting this time to connect can help grow relationships between children and their parents.

“When we have really strong relationships and connections, kids feel safe and secure,” Katerberg said. “When they feel safe and secure, they’re going to be able to engage in school activities and do the things they love. They’re going to be happier, and they’re going to be in a place where they can learn.”