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You are here: Home / Daycare Operations / Educators – How to Stop the Winter Blues NOW: Bring Life in Your Classroom

Educators – How to Stop the Winter Blues NOW: Bring Life in Your Classroom

January 18, 2025 By Suzette Salmon

Educators, let’s face it—winter can feel long and gloomy, but your classroom doesn’t have to! It’s time to say goodbye to those winter blues and create a warm, lively, and inviting space for you and the children. Here are some simple, impactful ways to refresh your environment:

flowers at a grocery store

Add Flowers for a Pop of Joy:

Winter might lack blooms outside, but your classroom can still flourish! Add fresh flowers to your space (even a small bouquet can brighten the room). If fresh flowers aren’t an option, opt for high-quality fake ones to remind you of the warmer days ahead.

Plants Need Friends Too:

Your classroom plants do a great job adding green to your space, but flowers can complement them with vibrant colors. For a lively room, pair your plants with flowers.

flowers added to home childcare environment

Let the Light In:

Natural light is a mood booster. Open the blinds, and let as much daylight in as possible. For spaces in the basement or rooms with limited light, try adding warm lamp lighting to create a cozy glow that mimics the sun. Trust me, it makes a difference!

Add Some Uplifting Tunes:

I am sure you love music, and oftentimes the children’s songs are not what you want to hear all day, so do yourself a favor and transform your space with some music. Create a playlist of soft, happy tunes or calming nature sounds to set a positive, relaxing atmosphere that uplifts everyone in the room.

Get Outside:

Take the children outdoors for winter sensory exploration. A quick run in the yard, a stroll through your garden, or just playing in the snow, nature can refresh the spirit—even in winter. Don’t forget to grab your coffee or tea and enjoy a moment for yourself, too!

home childcare backyard and children playing in alot of snow

Think More Art Activities:

Engage the children in creating colorful art projects. Think process over product! Let the children paint, color, and create freely, making colorful messes that brighten your classroom (and their spirits). It’s a wonderful way to keep the boredom away.

children art with colorful wooden blocks

Sprinkle in Some Color:

Dress in bright, cheerful colors—you’d be surprised how much it lifts your mood! Rotate in colorful toys like a flower garden fine motor toy, or add colorful blocks to your light table. My motto is small steps to beautiful transformation – it doesn’t take a lot to make your space feel more energetic and fun.

Don’t let the cold, ice, and dark days take over this winter. With a few simple tweaks, you can transform your childcare space into a cozy, cheerful environment that supports you and the children you care for.

colorful sensory play at the light table - home childcare

Here’s a quick download to help you transform your home daycare.

Five Steps to Transform Your Home Childcare

Remember you are in control of your feelings

Until next time, I’m Miss Sue—right in the trenches with you. xoxo Miss Sue 

Filed Under: Daycare Operations, Creative Learning

Previous Post: « Walking in the Woods A Healing Gift
Next Post: A Day With A Play-Based Home Educator With Mixed Ages »

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Oct 7

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Here’s an example of our cleanup process. The bell goes off for lunchtime and the children automatically start singing and cleaning up (I don’t usually sing but they do). Some are singing only for the song while others are busy cleaning up like ‘the  little red hen.’ A beautiful example of when you work alone and the children are your teammates. 
Yes, they’re my little learners and teammates - all hands on deck. We have a wonderful symbiotic relationship harmoniously working together for the good of the environment.
It makes this work enjoyable and it also helps all to learn and appreciate each other - especially when you have a yard this size. 
#earlychildhoodeducator 
#naturebasedlearning 
#outdoorclassroom 
#homechildcare 
#edulallie

Here’s an example of our cleanup process. The bell goes off for lunchtime and the children automatically start singing and cleaning up (I don’t usually sing but they do). Some are singing only for the song while others are busy cleaning up like ‘the little red hen.’ A beautiful example of when you work alone and the children are your teammates.
Yes, they’re my little learners and teammates - all hands on deck. We have a wonderful symbiotic relationship harmoniously working together for the good of the environment.
It makes this work enjoyable and it also helps all to learn and appreciate each other - especially when you have a yard this size.
#earlychildhoodeducator
#naturebasedlearning
#outdoorclassroom
#homechildcare
#edulallie
...

8 0

lilbebeacademy

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Oct 3

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Beautiful slow approach to my early years classroom. I work alone and it’s very important that we all enjoy the space. Children are allowed to move materials, gather, play, learn and then clean up after. 
- A small mixed-age ratio provides many opportunities for discoveries, play and lots of hours outdoors. 
-This was a rainy day, we also harvest rain for their unending play. 
#playbasedlearning 
#mixedagelearning 
#outdoorclassroom 
#naturebasedlearning 
#edulallie

Beautiful slow approach to my early years classroom. I work alone and it’s very important that we all enjoy the space. Children are allowed to move materials, gather, play, learn and then clean up after.
- A small mixed-age ratio provides many opportunities for discoveries, play and lots of hours outdoors.
-This was a rainy day, we also harvest rain for their unending play.
#playbasedlearning
#mixedagelearning
#outdoorclassroom
#naturebasedlearning
#edulallie
...

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Sep 30

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Nature gives children something real to think about. Listen to the children - bumblebees and butterflies like nectar too.
🍃
#naturebased
#natureschool 
#learningforlife 
#inhomechildcare 
#edulallie

Nature gives children something real to think about. Listen to the children - bumblebees and butterflies like nectar too.
🍃
#naturebased
#natureschool
#learningforlife
#inhomechildcare
#edulallie
...

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Try this if you’ve been trying to get your children outdoors!

Try this if you’ve been trying to get your children outdoors! ...

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