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As the cheer of holiday season ends, the cold and dreary months ahead can seem long and bleak. Both kids and adults usually feel the urge to retreat to a cozy couch where big and small screens beckon us. We then wait out the winter with hot chocolate and other sugar-laden goodies that trick our brains into feeling happy! While this may be a great time to catch up on TV shows, the dark and cold winter months can trigger feelings of sadness, isolation and loneliness. There is also a tendency to gain weight in the winter (even for young children) since we eat fewer fresh fruit and veggies and we’re less active. Despite this bleak picture, it is possible to ensure your family a happier, healthier winter—by following a few simple suggestions.

#1: Make it easy to keep warm: Even in the winter it’s important to get at least fifteen minutes a day of sunlight as well as fresh air. Doing so is likely to inoculate you and your child from the ‘winter blues’. You can make it easier to get this minimum amount of sunlight by ensuring that hats, gloves, boots and coats are always stowed right by the door. Be sure to replace lost items as soon as possible, so that you don’t have to always be searching.

#2 Embrace winter activities: Getting enough physical activity might be more challenging in the cold months, but enjoying an active winter is the very best way to enjoy, rather than resent this time of year. Make a commitment to try a few new winter activities as a family—ice-skating, taking a nature walk and building a snowman are just a few ideas that will get you and your child moving even when the temperatures drops.

#3. Make indoor time an adventure: Keep a small stash of new games, toys and art supplies on hand for days on which you can’t possibly venture out, even for a few minutes. If you are really creative—or just in the mood for a kid-friendly adventure--you might have a theme day with your child, such as a beach party—everyone wears bathing suits and goes for a ‘swim’ in the bathtub, followed by a ‘summertime’ dinner of hot dogs, french fries and ice pops. A movie marathon is another fun winter-day activity (complete with popcorn in bags!)

#4: Maximize conversation and creativity: During the winter, it’s easy to allow yourself and your child to increase the amount of time spent watching TV or on the computer (and other screens). However, since screen time is typically a passive activity and is associated with reduced conversation and interaction, you might sense that your child is feeling the winter blues. Too much screen-time can also cause a feeling of isolation during a time of year that is already isolating. Therefore it’s important to keep screen-time at no more than two hours (total) a day and to encourage your child to spend all other indoor downtime playing creatively with siblings, friends and of course with you.