It isn’t Buffalo, but it is a lot colder and wetter than most parents want to send their child out to play.

One the other hand, just having your child or you sit in front of a screen for too many waking hours can get a bit tedious.

This is a time of year that you need to be creative. What ideas do you have that will keep your child occupied and that are not just a waste of time?

Let’s take this from the littlest to the biggest. When you have toddlers, you still need to be creative. This is the time to bring out the paper and crayons as one activity. It doesn’t have to be a coloring book but just a blank piece of paper. Have her draw a picture to give Grandma and Grandpa for Christmas. You are encouraging her creative skills. Don’t direct what she is doing. Let her figure it out.

I am impressed with a mom who works with me and brings her toddler with her. She has a bag of goodies for 4-year-old Maia which Maia gets into right away. It has paper, a puzzle, a doll, several books and a couple of treats. Maia also knows where some toys are at the office and she heads there within a few minutes. Maia knows how to take care of herself. You could even say Maia has the beginning skills of what is known as executive function.

Executive function is the skill that allows individuals to be involved in goal-directed or problem-solving behaviors. People who have good executive functioning skills understand how to set goals and identify problems, develop a plan, have the ability to execute the plan and evaluate or monitor their progress toward the plan. We need our children to develop good executive functioning and it all begins in play and begins with a child Maia’s age.

Early ages

By the time your child is in kindergarten and the early grades of school, you want to have some good ideas of what they can do during their spare time in the winter. Hopefully, your child has some creative ideas of his own but you can help. Help him make a fort with a blanket over a table. Get him started making frozen juice popsicles. Bring out any blocks you have and see what he can build. What kind of skills does he have in writing a note to Grandma and Grandpa for the holidays? See what he comes up with on his own before you step in. Have him learn organizational skills by learning to sort silverware, separate small and large drinking glasses and also to set the table.

Later elementary children can do many creative things in the house. Bring out the board games. They probably would prefer something on the computer but see what new interactive skills she uses when she plays board games with a friend. These games teach people skills. How to win and how to lose and how to be a good sport are all people skills. The food your child can cook at this age is far more creative than what younger children can make. Let her pick out a recipe and make the surprise treat.

Older ones

In middle school, you have new challenges. Encourage him to clean out his backpack. He may even be surprised at what he finds. Have him write a story to include in your holiday mailing to relatives. Let him choose the topic.

This is an age where you have to figure out where you back off even more. That never means that you shouldn’t be involved. You should. You just need to pick your times. When you suggest that he should clean out his closet, you aren’t likely to have an enthusiastic response. But when he learns to put the socks in one drawer and his underwear in a separate drawer you are teaching him organizational skills. At the same time, this is a great winter activity.

Along with cleaning out closets during this time of year and keeping your child busy, include some things you need to have done. Do you need to clean out a cabinet? Ask for help. Do you need to polish furniture or silverware? Ask for help. Does the cat’s box need changing? Do the leaves need to be picked up off of the front porch? Do you need some things organized in the garage?

Ask for help. This is teaching him helping skills which are an asset for anyone to have.

You probably may not get an eager response but maybe this is an activity that you may want to encourage to help your child earn some money for the holidays. Giving gifts when you are a teen usually takes some money.

That is a good way to help your teen out while encouraging him to be a help to you. Teens need to learn about handling money. This encourages him to build his financial skills. We all need to learn about that skill.

Cynthia Martin is the founder of the First Teacher program and director of Parenting Matters Foundation, which publishes newsletters for parents, caregivers and grandparents. Reach Martin at pmf@olypen.com or at 681-2250.