In association with Cineworld
Last winter it seemed as if we were about to start a new ice age rather than find ourselves in the clutches of global warming, but in general is winter a different experience for our children than it was for us?
Five centimetres of snow might sound a lot but it’s nowhere near as thick as five inches, and pre-metric weather forecasts seemed to herald harsher conditions. Is it just nostalgia that makes the winters of our own childhood seem a lot harder than those we have today, or have things really changed to make a difference?
Cinema
Luckily, going to the cinema is something that is still as exciting for kids today as it was when we were all children. In fact, with recent developments such as 3D on the big screen, it can really bring movies to life for all the family.
Of course it is important to choose the right film to go and see that will keep your kids attention but also stop you from dropping-off for quick forty winks.
Luckily, most family films today are made with several generations in mind, and often have subtle adult jokes which will go over the heads of the little ones but make sure that there is enough for all age groups to enjoy.
Indoors
For older generations it is a fact that homes used to be a lot colder in the past, and perhaps even some of us grew up in houses that weren’t fully equipped with central heating.
Going from room to room would have been a mad dash from one warm part of the house to another, but for almost all kids today it isn’t something that they will grow up knowing. In fact nowadays most households are so warm that kids can run around indoors in summer clothes even though they are actually in the middle of winter.
As well as the vast majority of homes in the UK now having central heating, the other most important home improvement against the cold is having double glazed windows fitted to virtually every property. Most importantly, they act as insulation which keeps the warm air in and the cold out.
Outdoors
Perhaps most winter childhood memories are related to being outdoors. It’s a fact that kids seem to love the snow and although as we get older it can be tempting to try and stay in the warm as much as possible, getting out and about in the cold months is as important for kids as it is in the summer.
In the UK it isn’t as though we get six months of beautiful crisp, clear snowy winter weather. In fact, it is far more likely than it will just be a constant damp drizzle.
So whilst the picture postcard idea of sledging down a snowy hill or having snowball fights can be a great way to spend some time with your kids out of the house, it really isn’t something that that you can plan on taking advantage of very often.