As soon as the clocks go back the evenings begin to stretch out before you, and it can seem like quite a long time between the kids going to bed and a time when it’s respectable for you to call it a night. BBC and ITV producers do their best to supply us with great autumn and winter drama series to get us through to the spring, but there’s only so much TV you can watch and enjoy.
So what can you do to pass the hours in the winter evenings? It’s so different to summer when you can be out in the garden until it’s really late. You need ways to be entertained to avoid getting cabin fever in the winter. Of course, most mums can always find something to do, there are always things you need to catch up on – like the ironing, the cleaning, etc. But doing chores isn’t something you necessarily feel like doing after you’ve got the kids to bed. This is downtime – relaxation time – so how can you spend it?
Play
Just think how lucky we are compared with previous generations! We have a world of entertainment at our fingertips, courtesy of the broadband connection that most of us have at home. We can go shopping, catch up on what our friends are up to on social media or play an endless choice of games. From social media games such as Farmville or Pet Rescue Saga to online bingo games, whatever game you have in mind, you can find it online or on your mobile. Games like bingo are ideal for those times when you want to play something but zone out at the same time as there’s no real need for you to do anything more than choose which game to play and how many tickets to buy. On many sites such as Winner, Cheeky or Heart Bingo, you’ll discover that there are lots of free games to play too, so it needn’t cost you a thing.
Craft
Of course, with Christmas just around the corner, there are plenty of crafting projects that you could get stuck into in the evenings. From making table decorations to sewing your family some Christmas stockings, there are ideas galore on the internet. No matter how limited your creative skills may be, you’ll find a project to suit you online.
Yoga or meditation
Sometimes after a hectic day, you want to unwind but find it impossible. Yoga or meditation is a great key to relaxation, but you may not be able to go off to a class in the evenings. Instead, try using one of the many different apps such as Daily Yoga or Yoga Studio that you can download onto a mobile or tablet and do a DIY class in relaxation at home. For meditation apps try Headspace or Sleep Easily Meditation.
These are just a few ideas of ways to get through the long winter evenings without going stir crazy, whatever you do, having a few different activities or projects on the go is always a good idea.
