When School Closes: Learning Still Happens (Promise)

Every time schools close because of weather, I see the same concerns start bubbling up. What are we going to do? What about school? Are they going to fall behind?

And every single time, my mind flashes back to the government shutdown almost six years ago.

Back then, so many of my friends took to social media in full-on panic mode, spiraling over what to do with their children’s education. In an effort to calm the waters, I made what I thought was a fairly harmless suggestion:

Take a break. Build a blanket fort.

You would have thought I suggested canceling education altogether.

People I know in real life — including several sorority sisters — absolutely lambasted me online. (Two months later, those same people were buying IKEA frames for elaborate, aesthetic blanket forts… but I digress.)

So, at the risk of being ridiculed once again, I want to offer a few ideas for learning at home when school is closed. Take ’em or leave ’em. Modify them for different ages. Use what works, skip what doesn’t.

At the end of the day, the choice belongs to the parents.

Ideas for Learning at Home (In No Particular Order)

Read.
Read to or with your younger children, and let your teen read something that actually interests them. The “level” doesn’t matter (that arbitrary label is a discussion for another day).
Ranger’s Apprentice for the millionth time? Great.
Automotive, gardening, or fashion magazines? Still reading.
The goal is engaging the brain with the written word — nothing more, nothing less.

Cook together.
Cooking is one of the best learning activities out there. Math, science, reading, and even history can all make an appearance with a little curiosity. It’s also a life skill and a way for kids to contribute to the family — which makes it a favorite around our house.

Research a winter historical event.
Turn it into a “Have You Ever Wondered” game: What would we have done if we’d been there? It sparks imagination, discussion, and critical thinking without feeling like an assignment.

Go birdwatching.
This is a great time of year for it. Keep it simple or make it academic — your choice.
Younger kids can identify birds or count how many they see in a short sitting. Older kids can do deeper research. No bird feeder? Scatter seed on the ground or make one with pine cones, pie tins, peanut butter, and birdseed.

Lean into Valentine’s Day.
Younger kids can practice fine motor skills cutting out hearts (no fancy supplies needed — old magazines and Amazon box paper work just fine).
Older kids can learn what a sonnet is and try writing one. Feeling adventurous? Research the real St. Valentine. (Parents, preview first.)

Never underestimate play.
So much learning happens through “just playing.” Always has. Always will.Talk about civic virtue — then act on it.
Have a discussion about good deeds and responsibility, then find a neighbor who needs help digging out.

Explore a foreign language.
In our house, one child fluent in Spanish enjoys speaking it to his sibling who takes French. She’s finally learned enough to respond back, with me interjecting in English so no one gets too annoying.
If you’d prefer less sibling chaos, YouTube is a great place to learn something like ASL together.

Help with the grocery list.
Budgeting, math, and economics all wrapped into one very practical life skill.

Do household chores together.
Even toddlers can help. Responsibility, sequencing, motor skills — it all counts.

Presidents’ Day is coming up.
Read about Washington and Lincoln with younger kids. Older students can research lesser-known facts about either (or both).

Memorize something.
Quotes, Bible verses, poems, speeches — whatever fits your family.
Have competitive kids? Turn it into a challenge. Mine will memorize anything just to prove they can. Not competitive? Offer a reward that motivates them.

Play games and do puzzles.
Board games, cards, puzzles — pick your family’s favorites.
Remember what I said about being competitive? Around here, you could lose a finger playing Dutch Blitz. Trivial Pursuit is currently king, and the college student and I text daily about how we did on Connections and Wordle.

There are so many options out there for games that are fun and mentally stimulating.

Winter Olympics project.
Have your student create a modern-day scrapbook. I still have parts of the one my 7th-grade English teacher assigned.
It can include stats (math), athlete backgrounds (language arts), country flags (geography)… the possibilities are endless.

One Last Thought

Let these ideas inspire you to come up with some of your own. Most of all, let them take the worry off your mind about a few days away from “school.”

Learning is still happening.

You’re keeping their minds engaged just fine. 💛

Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. That means if you click through and make a purchase within a certain time frame, I may earn a small commission—paid by the retailer, not you. It’s one of the ways I support this little business of mine, and it allows me to keep writing, sharing, and chronicling life here at Ginnyhoo. As always, I only recommend things I truly use, love, or would happily tell a friend about across the kitchen table.

Slow, Steady, and Still Moving Forward: My Weight Loss Journey

I’ve never been the overnight success type.

If weight loss were a children’s book, I wouldn’t be the flashy hare sprinting past everyone else. I’m much more a mash‑up of The Little Engine That Could and the tortoise — quietly puffing along, whispering “I think I can” on repeat, and refusing to quit even when the pace feels painfully slow.

And honestly? I’m okay with that.

Where This Journey Really Started

This journey didn’t begin with a goal weight, a dress size, or a timeline scribbled on a calendar.

It started with something far more basic:

I wanted the energy to handle everyday life without feeling depleted by noon.
I wanted to sleep better at night — real rest, not the kind where you wake up just as tired as when you laid down.

That was it.

No dramatic before-and-after photos. No lofty promises. Just a quiet desire to feel like myself again.

The 14-Day Reset: My Jumpstart

Enter the 14 day reset.

I didn’t expect miracles. I wasn’t chasing fast results. I simply needed momentum — something to help me push the train out of the station.

And that’s exactly what it did.

The reset gave me:

Structure without overwhelm
Clear starting lines instead of vague intentions
Enough early wins to remind me that progress was possible

It didn’t change everything overnight, but it kickstarted my belief that slow and steady could still get me somewhere meaningful.

When Daily Hormone Essentials Took It Up a Notch

As my body adjusted and my consistency improved, Daily Hormone Essentials quietly stepped in and helped take things to another level.

Not in a loud, flashy way.
Not in a “blink and you’ll miss it” transformation.

But in the way that actually matters:

Better support for my body
More sustainable progress
A sense that things were finally working with me instead of against me
Oh, and did I mention how it impacted my marriage? (Even typing that has me blushing, so you'll need to message me for those deets - my southern lady roots won't let me post them here.)

The Wins That Matter Most

Here’s where I pause — because these are the moments that feel almost sacred to me.

💍 I can wear my wedding band again — for the first time in years
👖 Down two pant sizes
📏 30+ inches lost overall

None of these happened quickly.
All of them happened honestly.

Each one is a reminder that the tortoise was right all along.

What’s Next: Balance and Burn

I’ll be adding in Balance and Burn next — not because I think I have to, but because I want to.

I believe deeply in being able to give people an honest assessment based on my own experience — the good, the neutral, and the challenging parts too.

If I’m going to talk about something, I want it to be grounded in real life, real effort, and real results.