As the pandemic continues and we’re all sheltering in our home bubbles, Winnipeg families are missing the informal, casual interactions with our neighbours that we used to take for granted.
Here’s a way to re-connect that also gives us some outdoors time and something new to do: use the snow to send friendly greetings to your neighbours as they walk or drive by.
There are a few ways you might do this:
1) For little ones, collaborate with parents to create snow-people to represent each member of your family on your front lawn, where they’ll be visible to passers-by. Does Dad usually wear a ball cap? Then Snow Dad should, too! Have fun personalizing the snow-people so the kids can recognize themselves and the other members of the family. If you can, have the snow-people waving (using sticks, maybe?). You can even set up a sign with your snow family (which you make indoors on a piece of cardboard from holiday gifts) with a friendly greeting for your neighbours.
2) For older children, in addition to the snow-family described above, they can offer to make snow-families or snow-people for neighbours who don’t have kids at the age to do it themselves. Wouldn’t it be fun to have a bunch of yards on the street, all with their snow-families out at the end of the lawn waving hello? Just remember to ask permission first.
3) Create snow-people on an elderly neighbour’s yard (with permission, but without ruining the surprise!). Have the snow-people facing the neighbour’s front window, with a friendly greeting sign just for them. It might help brighten long lonely days to see those friendly snow-faces out the window… and be a warm reminder of neighbours who care about them.
No matter how you do it, have fun. And don’t forget to include the family pets! Please share your snow families and tag us @brightling_academy on Instagram or Brightling Childcare Academy on Facebook.