14 Tips for a Successful Winter . . . Montessori-Style
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Winter can be a tough time of year. With short days and low temperatures, it can be hard to get out and get that all-too-important Vitamin D. Add a kid or a few to the mix, and some days it just feels impossible.
(Sidenote: Remember when we started our school year in a snowstorm? What a wild beginning to an already crazy school year!...Thankfully we’ve had a beautiful autumn and a few extra months before easing into all that is winter.)
But Montessorians need not fear. We can embrace the Norwegian saying, “There’s no bad weather, only bad gear!”
This winter, make it a goal to embrace winter as a worthwhile challenge. We’ll definitely be doing this at school, because even - and maybe especially - in the winter, kids need to move and be in nature.
Here are a few ideas we’ll be implementing this season at school. Pick one or two to help you at home too.
Gear and Clothing Tips
Gear and clothing are probably the first things parents think of when considering all the difficulties that winter brings. But really, these are just Montessori opportunities in disguise.
Invest in good gear.
The Norwegian saying holds a lot of truth. Good gear can make or break winter. Ask around or search second-hand stores for quality gear at an affordable price.
Montessori coat flip trick
Have you seen this in action before? We’ve got students as young as two practicing this, and it’s mind-blowing. It will take a lot of practice and patience, but the independence and confidence will be worth it. Have your child:
Lay out her coat open on the ground
Stand at the top/hood
Bend down to stick her arms in the sleeves
Keeping her arms in the sleeves, have her flip her arms (which are in the sleeves) up and over her head
Stick arms the rest of the way through the sleeves and zip
Plan for extra time...and slow down.
This is big. As the adults, we have to be the ones in charge of remembering that this transition will take much longer. It’s our job to work that time into the schedule so we can relax, be patient, and slow down while helping our child.
Only help when asked.
This is tough. Allow your child the time and space to build her skills. Let her fumble through until she’s too frustrated to do it herself. And teach her to calmly ask for help when she gets to this point. But until then, trust and respect her ability to try.
Have pictures to help young children.
Visual cues can be especially helpful for our youngest children. As they begin to try for themselves, they may need prompts about which piece of gear goes on in which order.
Have hooks or hangers at child’s height.
This final tip may require a bit of creativity in your home. But allowing your child to select and put away her own gear is a big independence developer. A simple basket or tray on the floor can easily house hats, mittens, boots, etc. A hook or two at her height can hold her coat and snow pants. This allows her to be a part of the entire gearing-up process.
Outdoor Winter Activities
There may not be much snow on the ground yet, but rest assured, it will come. And we want you to have these ideas (we like to think of them as a bucket-list) in your back pocket when it’s piling up.
Build a snowman
Gross-motor work and maximum effort for the win! Let your child pick out the materials you use to put the finishing touches on your winter friend.
Skiing
Again, big gross-motor work as well as an early start on a lifelong hobby. Save a buck and skip the slopes. Borrow, rent, or find used cross-country skis and just try it out in the backyard.
Sledding
This is an easy win. Most effective with hot cocoa afterwards.
Build a fort
Embrace the child in you and stay home for an easy afternoon of fun. You’d be surprised what counts as a fort for a young child.
Melt snow
This is a fun science experiment (as well as a lesson in eating snow). What might be in the snow when it melts? How long will it take to melt? Does melted snow collected from different places have different debris in it? What do you notice about the debris in the melted snow? Can you identify any of it? Can you find and melt any perfectly pure snow?
Look for tracks
Give your winter walk a specific purpose. Take pictures or bring a field guide book. Can you find any tracks? Can you identify them?
Shoveling
Another big maximum effort work. This chore can be thoroughly enjoyable for a young child if she has a child-sized shovel of her own to work side-by-side with her adults. And again, starting your child young can lead to a true helper in a few years time.
Ice - or boot - skating
Schedule a playdate with friends at the City Park rink or find a frozen puddle. It doesn’t take much for a child to have fun skating. This is a great way to develop body coordination and strength.
Montessori Mindset for Winter
Possibly the most important thing of all to keep in mind is maintaining a positive attitude. Children feed off the attitude of their adults. If you decide to embrace winter and all its extra work, children will largely model after that same attitude.
It can be really helpful to keep in mind how developmentally-friendly all these extra steps are for children. Think of all the fine-motor skills your child is building simply by helping get herself dressed! She’s learning to button, zip, tie, wrap, and more.
Enjoy the idea of how physically exerting it is for your child to simply walk with all this extra gear on. That is some great maximum effort work plus a good dose of sunshine.
Embrace the delayed gratification of introducing new winter hobbies and sports to your child. It feels 100% like work now, but down the road, you will have a go-to winter recreation buddy.
Most of all, a positive mindset will help you to recognize this winter season for what it truly can be:
❄ A slow season to embrace quality family time.
❄ A season of rest and joy.
❄ A time to patiently allow the lull to embrace you.
❄ A time to hold those you love close.
❄ A time to make memories.