Mrs. Charlton's Weekly Bulletin
February 2, 2026
Dear Families -
This time of year can be SO hard to have a good attitude about doing anything. It can be a really blah time of year. You don’t have to be held hostage this winter by the Winter Blahs. Instead try one of these 10 tips to combat the Winter Blahs and enjoy schooling at home.
1. Get outside. Embrace Mid-Winter!
Getting outside can have a positive effect on state of mind, especially for wriggly kids. When deep snows fall, consider giving the kids a snow day off from school. Bundle everyone up and head out to play. There are plenty of low cost ways to enjoy the wintry weather.
- Clear the driveway. Hand out shovels and see who can clear their section of driveway the fastest. Sure, younger kids will probably abandon this task before long, but any help is better than none. Right?
- Go sledding. If you don’t have a hilly yard, head to the neighborhood sledding hill.
- Do you want to build a snowman? Of course you do! Make a whole frosty family while you’re at it.
- Have a snowball fight.
- Make snow angels.
All of this snow fun might keep little ones occupied for a while…well, long enough for you to make progress on the driveway anyway. When you’re done, warm everyone up with some hot chocolate.
2. Break out of the rut.
Experiment with switching around the order of your day. Do you usually kick the morning off with spelling or handwriting? Consider starting with a gripping read-aloud, maybe in front of the fireplace surrounded by pillows and blankets–even just for one day. Then proceed to your more intense subjects.
Make a naughty and nice list. Divide a piece of paper in half. On one side, list all of the things you loathe about your homeschool. On the other, list all the things you love about schooling at home. Obviously, you don’t want to change what you love, but take a look at what’s annoying you about schooling at home. Does math feel like it’s nothing but an unending routine of drill then lesson, drill then lesson? Try adding some fun math projects to the day. Make 3-dimensional shapes, solve a few puzzles, or explore some obscure patterns. If science has turned into a long list of reading assignments, add a few hands-on demonstrations of concepts or experiments to spice things up. In fact my kids used to love science kits. They’re a wonderful way to add educational fun to science. With a bit of thought and effort, you can ensure that the nice list far outnumbers the naughty list.
3. Plan vacation days into your schooling.
Plan for a certain number of vacation days. Use these days sporadically throughout the year to visit the zoo, the local museum, or even the local fun center. A day off here and there does wonders for beating the Winter Blahs and preventing schooling at home burnout.
4. Follow the spark.
As you allow your children more freedom, you may discover extra time here and there to follow their interests. Head to the library for an impromptu investigation or to the computer for some online research. It can also be rejuvenating to venture out on a field trip during the winter. Often places are less crowded since traditional schools remain in session. Take Frontrunner to Ogden or another nearby city and visit a new museum. Surprise your kids by taking them out to lunch for the day–call it a winter picnic. You’ll find everyone more excited about learning when you return.
During the cloudy days of winter, homeschooling has a tendency to fall into a routine that’s as blah as the weather. Complete math, English, history, and science. Check it off; call it done. I don’t know about you, but it’s an uninspiring routine. One that’s doomed to bring dread and fear into children’s hearts everywhere. Spice up an ordinary routine with fun activities such as mummifying a chicken, making a cell out of cake and candy, or reenacting historical events to snap everyone out of the Winter Blahs.
5. Let the kids teach.
There’s a rather funny phenomenon where teaching a subject forces you to understand it better. Take advantage of it by having your kids teach you for a day. Have them read through the lesson and explain to you what’s going on. Ask questions and ask for detailed explanations.
Encourage the kids to give a lecture, guide discussions, and lead the school for the day. You’ll be amazed at how much your children learn when they’re doing the teaching.
6. Look for something you can learn together.
Temporarily forgo the traditional “teacher/student” roles; join your children as a fellow participant in the learning adventure. Curl up on the couch and watch a documentary or gather around the dining table with a board game. Make cooking together an extension of the school day as you experiment with a new recipe for dinner. It’s important that our kids see us learning as well.
7. Keep believing in yourself.
Self-doubt often grips the hearts of schooling at home moms or dads this time of year. “Are we going to make it through the curriculum on time?” “Will James learn to read by the end of the year?” “Do I really know what I’m doing as a teacher?” These questions are normal, but don’t let them define your school work. Winter isn’t the best time to become overly introspective. So don’t let winter discouragement bring a dark cloud over your home the next few months.
8. The Comforts of Home
Sometimes the weather is just too brutal to get outside. In that case, it’s time to enjoy some cold weather comfort indoors. Even if you’re unlucky enough to suffer a power outage, these tips will help you endure until the lights (and heat) are back on.
- Light your Fire. Nothing spreads warmth and cheer like a crackling fire on the hearth.
- Books and Board Games. Gather the family (and some cozy throw blankets) and spend the day reading aloud, or having a checkers tournament.
- Soup’s On. Perhaps the most comforting thing about winter is the food. If you have a gas stove, even during a power outage you can put a pot of soup on to simmer away all afternoon. The aroma will fill the house, making everything feel a little cozier. If you’ve got time, make a loaf of homemade bread to go along with it. The hardest part will be making it last until dinner!
9. Take in Some Culture
Museums, plays, and movies are all available year round and can offer a nice, warm way to get out of the house and fend off cabin fever. Many even offer discounts for schoolchildren, so check the websites before you go. Make sure to allow time to carefully examine the displays or brush up on the plot of the play to get the most out of the experience.
10. Start a Unit Study
Has a particular topic caught your children’s interest? The winter months can be a perfect time to delve deeper into that topic. Build some time into your school day to devote to research. Check some books out of the library, or help your kids search for information online. Better yet, pack up the kids and some notebooks and head to the library for the day. Libraries offer a quiet place to study during most weekdays, and the change of venue will keep everyone more interested. Challenge the kids to put together a report or presentation on their findings. It could be the start of a lifelong interest or career.
Contact me...
Email: acharlton@utahonline.org
Website: https://sites.google.com/utahonline.org/mrs-charltons-class/home
Phone: (435)890-2712