Tag Archives: winter activities

Embracing Winter Wellness: Nurturing Your Immune System Naturally

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Winter invites us to slow down, savor cozy moments, and prioritize our well-being. Amidst the chill and festive celebrations, it’s crucial to pay special attention to our immune system, ensuring it remains robust to ward off seasonal challenges. In this guide, we’ll explore a holistic approach to winter wellness, incorporating self-care, relaxation, and the importance of quality sleep—wrapped in the comforting embrace of your favorite pajamas.

1. Harness the Power of Hydration: As the temperature drops, it’s easy to overlook hydration. Yet, staying well-hydrated is a simple yet effective way to bolster your immune system. Opt for soothing herbal teas, warm lemon water, or nourishing broths to keep yourself hydrated and cozy during the winter months.

2. Immunity-Boosting Nutrition: Fuel your body with nutrient-rich foods that support immune health. Incorporate a variety of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains into your diet. Explore the vibrant array of winter produce, such as citrus fruits, sweet potatoes, and dark leafy greens. These not only provide essential vitamins and antioxidants but also add a burst of flavor to your seasonal meals.

3. Embrace the Winter Outdoors: While it’s tempting to stay bundled up indoors, getting some fresh air is invigorating for both the body and mind. Engage in winter-friendly outdoor activities like brisk walks, snowshoeing, or even a friendly snowball fight. The crisp air and natural light contribute to overall well-being and can enhance your mood.

4. Cozy Self-Care Rituals: Create a winter self-care routine to nourish your body and soul. Indulge in a warm bath with aromatic bath salts, pamper your skin with hydrating lotions, and savor the comfort of plush blankets. These rituals not only enhance relaxation but also contribute to stress reduction, a key component in maintaining a strong immune system.

5. Quality Sleep in Pajama Comfort: Adequate and restful sleep is a cornerstone of winter wellness. Prioritize a consistent sleep schedule and create a calming bedtime routine. Slip into your favorite pajamas, crafted for comfort and warmth, signaling to your body that it’s time to unwind. Quality sleep supports immune function, making it a crucial element of your winter well-being strategy.

6. Mindful Meditation: Integrate mindfulness practices into your daily routine to manage stress and promote mental clarity. Whether through meditation, deep breathing exercises, or gentle yoga, these practices contribute to a sense of calm and balance, positively influencing your immune system.

7. Connect Virtually: Stay socially connected, even if it means virtual gatherings. Social interactions contribute to emotional well-being, and maintaining these connections during the winter months can help alleviate feelings of isolation. Schedule online game nights, virtual movie marathons, or simply catch up with loved ones over a glass of wine or cup of hot cocoa.

8. Seasonal Aromatherapy: Explore the aromatic wonders of essential oils to create a cozy and inviting atmosphere. Scents like cinnamon, eucalyptus, and lavender not only add a delightful fragrance to your space but also boast potential immune-boosting properties. Consider diffusing these oils or incorporating them into your self-care routines.

Winter wellness is a harmonious blend of nurturing your body, mind, and spirit. By adopting these holistic practices, you can create a foundation for a resilient immune system and embrace the season with vitality and joy. So, snuggle up in your coziest pajamas, savor the winter moments, and let the warmth of well-being envelop you throughout the season.

Active Indoor Game Ideas for Kids

10 Best Indoor Games to Get Kids Moving

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Many of us are looking forward to a 3-day weekend but for parents, a long weekend translates to three days with the kids and it’s easy to feel like a cruise director. January is an exceptionally chilly, blustery time of year and both kids and adults are mostly stuck indoors on the weekend. Whether you’re hosting a sleepover or a family game night, these fun indoor games will help your kids burn some of that excess energy. But don’t worry — no sneakers required. Your coziest flannel pajamas, as always, are perfectly acceptable attire.

Best Indoor Games for Kids

Jump around in these ‘Stay Cool’ pajamas by Big Feet.

Active Indoor Game Ideas for Kids

1. Race to the Finish. Use masking tape or painters to tape to create “lanes” on the floor. Create flashcards with different movements such as hop, skip, or crabwalk. Get creative and let the kids come up with ideas too. For example, one card could read “walk like a chicken” or “swing like a monkey” and have participants come up with their own interpretive movements. Draw a movement card from a hat at random. Players participate in a silly “race to the finish” with the chosen wacky movement.

2. Twister. The classics never fade. Twister is a still an uproariously fun game to play during a sleepover, family game night, or just a fun night in with friends! You’re more likely to topple over from laughing than from loss of balance. Just be prepared for your kids to mock your attempts at agility for the rest of the weekend!

3. Indoor Bowling. Stack plastic cups into a large pyramid. Stack them high and stack them deep. Use a 5-8” toy ball, or even a tennis ball, to roll on the floor at the pyramid. Players get a point for each “pin” they knock down. Just like bowling, the game becomes more challenging as more pins are removed.

4. Limbo! Remember this one? Limbo is a game best played in a group, so it’s a great choice for a sleepover. Grab a broom or mop and see just how low everyone can go! Remember, ‘Limbo’ is one part game and one part dance party, so have the kids help you come up with a killer playlist that everyone will enjoy.

5. Balloon Waddle. A less messy version of the egg-and-spoon race, Balloon Waddle is a silly game that’s perfect for little kids! Blow up some balloons and see if the kids can “waddle” from one end of the room to the other with the balloon between their knees, without dropping it. If it’s too easy or the kids are a bit older, set up a few obstacles for the kids to move around or hop over.

Active Games for Sleepovers

Sleepover-ready in these super comfy dinosaur pajamas by Big Feet.

6. Musical Chair Dance Party. A great group game that can be fun at any age with the right tunes! Simply gather a number of chairs that is -1 of the number of participants and arrange them in a circle, seats facing outward. Play upbeat music. The group must dance (not walk!) around the chairs until the music stops, then it’s a scramble for a seat! Whoever is left without a seat when the music stops is out. Subtract one more chair and keep playing until there’s a winner!

7. Charade-ercise. For the athletically-inclined crowd or a family of sports enthusiasts, create a game of charades that involves a little more movement than most. Create your own categories such as sports, sports-themed movies, and athletes (remember, swimmers, skiers, gymnasts, and dancers count!). Using flashcards, write down your own sporty subjects for participants to energetically act out.

8. *Lego Hunt. Treasure hunts are for more than backyard birthday parties. Perfect for sleepovers or busy little kids, create your own “lego hunt” inside your home. This game is a little more like an Easter Egg Hunt and less involved than a Treasure Hunt where you have to create clues. Simply hide Legos, or Duplo blocks for little kids, around the house. Assign each player or team a color to locate. Hide the same number of pieces for each color. See who can find all their pieces first. Play again and again to see if the kids and beat their best time!

*This game could be played a variety of ways if you don’t have Legos or Duplo blocks. Think about any toys that can be divided into categories, such as animal figurines (mammals vs. reptiles), action figures, cars, and dinosaurs (cars vs. dinosaurs, for example).

9. “Dunk” Competition. This one is surprisingly simple, yet amuses kids …and some adults… of varying ages. You can host an indoor “dunk” competition that doesn’t involve mounting a basketball hoop to your living room wall. Simply set an empty garbage can across the room and see who can make the most shots, either in a row or best out of 10. The perfect activity for a simple, sporty family game night.

10. Hide-and-Go-Seek. Don’t forget this one! Similar to a treasure hunt, a good old fashioned game of hide and seek will have kids running around the house for hours as they take turns being the “seeker.” This game is still a great hands-off way to tire out any child!

We hope these game ideas inspire you to get your family moving this weekend. For more tips and ideas for entertaining kids during these cold winter months, check out The Pajama Company Blog at thepajamacompany.com/blog.

family activities winter break

15 Fun Indoor Activities for Winter Break

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Winter break is fast approaching. Depending on where your kids go to school, winter break could be a few days or up to two weeks! If you or your partner have made arrangements to be at home with them during this time, there’s a lot of pressure to find ways to entertain younger children. Here we have compiled a list of simple activities that will keep them busy and keep you from becoming the household cruise director.

best matching family pajama selection

Holiday-ready with matching family pajamas from Munki Munki!

Simple ideas for family fun during winter break.

1. Bake for friends and family. Even if “baking” means decorating easy slice-and-bake cookies from the store, this is a fun seasonal activity that can double as a Christmas gift. Bake and decorate cookies, scones, or quick breads with the kids then wrap them up as gifts for family, friends, or neighbors.

2. Make Christmas ornaments. If you’re the Pinterest type, go ahead and find a fun tutorial. As an alternative, you can also find unfinished white porcelain ornaments at most craft stores. The kids will love painting them and hanging them on the tree!

3. Host a board game tournament. Pick a few of your favorite board games to play and host a “tournament.” Depending on the age and competitive nature of your kiddos, you could even have small prizes.

4. Color — grown ups too! Get out the crayons, pencils, and markers and just spend some time together coloring. Help out younger children with their coloring or pick up a couple adult coloring books (that’s a thing now) so you can enjoy the activity too!

5. Build-your-own pizza bar. Great for lunch or dinner, grab a pack of mini-pizza crusts and a variety of toppings. Choose a variety of sliced meats, vegetables, and different cheeses. Let the kids build their own pizza. This is a great activity for picky toddlers — they’re more likely to eat their meal if they help make it!

6. Classic Christmas movie marathon. They don’t make ‘em like they used to! Give the hi-def CG a break this season and fire up the old holiday classics: Miracle on 34th Street (1947), How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966), Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964), Frosty the Snowman (1969), A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965), and Jack Frost (1979).

7. Take turns hosting a sleepover. If your pre-holiday to-do list is overwhelming, talk to other parents in your kids’ class and take turns hosting sleepovers over winter break. This will give you time to finish shopping, finish wrapping, get the house ready for guests, or just decompress. For winter sleepover ideas, check out our fun post on how to throw a ‘cookie swap’ sleepover!

8. Make post-holiday thank you cards. Have the kids design and create thank you cards to send to thank grandmas, grandpas, aunties, and uncles to thank them for gifts received during the holiday season. Not only is it a simple crafting activity, it’s a great way to teach them gratitude. Make the cards now and fill them out later!

Matching couples pajamas

Festive pajamas aren’t just for the kids! Check out this cute new thermal set from Munki Munki.

9. Build a gingerbread house together. Not only is this a creative, fun, delicious activity — it kills quite a bit of time! Gingerbread house kits are affordable and bake-free these days. Pick up all the holiday candies and let the kids build an epic edible centerpiece for Christmas dinner that doubles as dessert!

10. Write your own bedtime story. This imaginative activity may require some help with little kids when it comes to writing. After they’ve dreamed up their own bedtime stories, have them illustrate each page and clip or staple it together into a book. After the kids put on their pajamas, they’ll be eager to read their stories before bed!

11. Build a fort in the living room. Living room, their bedrooms — anywhere. It’s surprising, but once the kids have constructed their own space, they’ll want to eat, sleep, and play there. This is a simple way to entertain them and get a moment of peace while they amuse themselves in their new digs!

12. Have a spa day at home. Stock up on foot soaks, nail polish, eye masks, and magazines and host a winter spa day with the kids at home. The best part of this activity is that you don’t need to get out of your bathrobe!

13. Host a family book club. A fun activity for the book-loving family is to read the same book together! Get your own copies or borrow from the library. For younger children, maybe this means that the whole family participates in storytime before bed. The kids will love reading together with their parents and siblings.

14. Make homemade hot cocoa together. We know, we know — you can get the packets at the grocery store. Hot chocolate is actually really easy to make at home with just a handful of ingredients. There are a lot of simple recipes available online that you can follow. If you’re not a baker, this is also a simple holiday kitchen activity you can enjoy with your kids. The best part? Hot chocolate is so much more decadent when it’s homemade!

15. Family “sleepover” with matching family pajamas. If your kids’ friends are out of town for the holidays, have a family sleepover with matching PJs. Do everything you would do for the kids, but for your family. That means chips, pizza, candy, no bedtime, games, movies flashlights, and sleeping bags. Think of it as a mini-staycation before the holiday madness.

We hope you and your kids enjoy some of these ideas during your winter break. Looking for more ideas for family fun during the holidays? Check out The Pajama Company blog at thepajamacompany.com/blog.

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Snow Day Activities to Amuse Kids

10 Simple Snow Day Activities to Keep Your Kids Amused

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The temperatures may have temporarily risen here in the Northeast, but we know better. Mother Nature still has plenty of “winter fun” in store. Snow days are an inevitable part of parenting in many parts of the US, and yet every time they roll around we’re unprepared (like tax season, anyone?). Be ready for your next snow day with these simple activities that will keep your kids amused — for just long enough to catch up on your inbox.

Pancake Design Snow Day Activity

Pancake designs are a fun way to start the day, cozy in your flannel pajama pants!

Pajama-Friendly Boredom Busters for Snow Days Continue reading →