Remember when getting bundled up to go outside was the best part of the day? When a few inches of snow could turn the backyard into an adventure, hot chocolate somehow tasted better after coming inside with freezing fingers, and staying somewhere other than home for a night felt like the biggest deal in the world?
Kids still love that stuff.
Winter can be a long season, especially once the holidays are over. The decorations come down, school is back in full swing, and suddenly the days can start to feel a little repetitive. That’s why we’re big believers in having something fun on the calendar to look forward to. A winter getaway doesn’t have to be a big vacation or require a ton of planning. Sometimes a weekend in a cozy cabin is all it takes to break up the routine and give the whole family a change of scenery.
Give Them Something to Look Forward To
There’s something exciting about knowing you have a trip coming up. Kids might start counting down the days, talking about what they’re going to bring and making plans for what they want to do when you get there. Let them have a little say in the planning, too. Maybe they pick the snacks, choose a board game to bring or decide which winter activity the family has to try.
And don’t worry if they insist on bringing half of their bedroom along. They’ll probably bring three stuffed animals, four pairs of socks and a toy they haven’t touched in six months. That’s part of the experience.
The point isn’t to plan every minute of the trip. It’s having something different to look forward to together.
Winter Has Plenty of Adventures of Its Own
It’s easy to think of camping and outdoor adventures as a summer thing, but winter gives families a whole different way to experience the outdoors. Depending on the weather, you might go for a snowy walk, build a snow fort, go sledding or simply explore and see what you find.
Then there’s the part everyone can agree on: coming back inside.
After a day outside, there’s something pretty great about getting warm and comfortable in a cabin, making a family meal and settling in for a movie or board game. You don’t have to rush off to the next activity or worry about making the weekend “worth it.” Sometimes sitting around the table together and doing absolutely nothing is exactly what everyone needed.
The Little Things Are What They Remember
As parents, we can put a lot of pressure on ourselves to make family trips special. We want to find the perfect destination, plan the best activities and make sure everyone has a great time. But kids don’t necessarily remember the things we worked hardest to plan.
They remember the funny stuff.
They remember who got snow down their jacket. They remember staying up a little later than they were supposed to. They remember playing cards at the kitchen table, making pancakes in the morning or arguing over which movie to watch. They remember the silly moments that weren’t part of the itinerary at all.
Those are the stories that eventually turn into, “Remember when we went to that cabin and…?”
And those memories are pretty hard to beat.
Parents Deserve a Getaway, Too
Of course, the kids aren’t the only ones who need a change of scenery. After a few months of school schedules, work, activities, laundry and trying to figure out what’s for dinner every night, parents could probably use a little break, too.
A cabin weekend gives everyone permission to slow down for a couple of days. You can leave the normal routine at home, spend more time together and maybe even get a little extra sleep. Or at least that’s the plan.
The best part is that you don’t have to travel far or plan an elaborate vacation to make it happen. A nearby cabin can feel like a completely different world when you’re stepping away from your normal routine.
Start Planning Now
Winter isn’t here yet, which means now is the perfect time to look at the calendar and pick a weekend. Maybe it’s a January getaway after the holiday craziness settles down. Maybe it’s a February weekend when everyone could use a little something to look forward to. Or maybe you just find a weekend that works for your family and make it your own winter tradition.
Because someday, the kids will be too busy to spend the weekend in a cabin with you. They’ll have their own plans, their own friends and probably a much longer list of things they’d rather be doing.
So while they’re still excited to go on an adventure with you, take advantage of it.
Plan the weekend. Bring the snacks. Let them pack too much stuff. Get outside, get cozy and enjoy a little time together.
Winter will be here before we know it. Why not give your family something fun to look forward to?
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