Celebrate the Winter Solstice with children with these cosy winter craft and activities.
How to celebrate the winter solstice with children
The winter solstice occurs on December 21st this year for those of us in the northern hemisphere. (Readers in the south can find ideas to celebrate the summer solstice here.)
The word solstice comes from the Latin words sol, which means sun, and sistere, which means to stand still.
Pieter Bruegel the Elder – Hunters in the Snow (Winter) – in the public domain
The winter solstice is our shortest day, when we have fewer hours of daylight than on any other day of the year.
It’s when the tilt of the Earth is most inclined away from our star, the sun, and it marks the beginning of winter.
The solstice has been an important ritual, across cultures, for thousands of years.
The winter solstice is celebrated worldwide with feasts and festivals.
It is a time to rest, get cosy, and renew yourself for another year.
Many people use it as a time to let go of things that no longer serve them, and to make new plans for the new year.
It is a great time to focus on the natural world and re-connect yourself with the planet.
Here are some ideas you can use to learn about the sun and celebrate the winter solstice with your children.
Make winter lanterns to bring light to these short, dark days
Use these ideas for themed winter nature walks to encourage yourself to get outdoors
Celebrate the season through art with these winter art projects
Make a nature calendar for the new year
Fill your windows with sunshine with this suncatcher craft
NurtureStore Supporters can download this free sunshine mandala colouring printable
Download my Seasons School guide to a comfort and connection, with a gentle 21- day program of winter activities
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