# 9 Things to do This Winter to Boost Your Child's Development

Winter is a great time to support your child's development! These activities can help you to boost and support your child's development during the winter months!

## Make a paper chain

This classic, fine-motor-skill-boosting activity isn't just for the holidays; it's also an excellent way to count down to a birthday, an upcoming family trip, or another special event. Cut paper into strips about 1 inch by 5 inches, one strip for each day you want to count down. Show your child how to make paper chains by looping the paper strips around each other and gluing or taping the ends of each strip together. Hang the chain up in your home and use it to count down to an important event by removing the links, one day at a time.

## Bundle up and enjoy the outdoors

When the weather is cold, it can be tempting to pull on your comfiest socks and stay inside. But whenever you can, make time for outdoor activities that give your child's motor skills a pick-me-up. Choose activities that involve both gross motor skills (throwing snowballs, sledding, climbing a snowy hill) and fine motor skills (putting a face on a snowman, collecting and sorting objects).

## Create a winter-themed sculpture

Kids love maps—and making one together is a great way to sharpen their skills! Partner up with your child to make a map of your neighborhood. Zip up your coats for a walk, take down notes, snap pictures of where streets, buildings, parks, and other landmarks are, and then make the map using paper, scissors, labels, photos, and any other creative materials you have on hand.

## Play a game with new toys

Did your child receive some fun new toys as holiday gifts? Help them hone their problem-solving skills by playing games with their favorite treasures. Set five small toys in a "lineup" and give your child time to look at the group. Then hide one of the toys and ask, "Which one is missing?" (You may have to give a few clues or hints at first.) Once your child guesses correctly, hide a different toy. Then give the child a turn to hide a toy and try to trick you!

## Toss some indoor snowballs

Here's a fun indoor winter activity that gives kids good practice with gross motor skills. Cut a few 8- to 9-inch holes in a big piece of cardboard and decorate the cardboard to look like a tree or a snowman. Give your child some "indoor snowballs" (beanbags or soft foam balls) and encourage your child to throw the snowballs through the holes on the target. Have your child start very close to the target and then move back a few feet to make it a little more challenging.

## Carve out time for chats

Make time at the end of the day to connect with your child. Talk about your day and what will happen tomorrow. Ask them simple questions about how their day went: "What was the best part?" "Were there any hard parts?" "How did you feel?" (You may need to give some gentle prompts to help them get started with the conversation.) Listen carefully to what your child says so they know their thoughts and emotions are important to you. Even if your child can't answer all your questions yet, they're listening and learning critical social-emotional skills.

## Read together every night

On cold winter nights, snuggle up for some shared reading, one of the single most important activities you can do with a child. Choose some winter-themed books and engage your child while you read: ask them what happened at the beginning, middle, and end of the story, or have the child act out the story with you and pretend to be different characters.

## Do a quick check of their milestones

One of the most important things you can do this winter is check to see if your child's overall developmental skills are on track in all the areas mentioned in this article. You can do that for free in about fifteen minutes or less. Fill out an online ASQ questionnaire to see what your child's biggest strengths are, uncover new milestones to celebrate, and reveal any areas where your child may need extra support in the new year. You can access the free research version of the questionnaire at www.agesandstagesresearch.com.

***Friendly reminder: Don't forget that activities should be supervised by an adult. Any material, food, or toy given to a young child should be reviewed for safety!***