We are loving winter so far, with snow to play in and forts to build. The key, I have learned, to loving this darkest season is to keep things cozy. Here are four fun ways we’ve found to brighten the nights that begin as early as 4 p.m.!

First, we had an extra string of Christmas tree lights, and I gave Travis permission to hang them in his room.

He loved that these had the option for flashing or steady modes, and he could control it with a button.

Next, we made glow-in-the-dark paintings. Your kids can be deliberate or artsy with this activity…

…Or just blob on the paint, as Travis did. He wanted maximum glow!

Next, we made a campfire. We scribbled brown marker on paper, rolled the paper up, and taped shut for quick “logs”.

All our battery-powered tea lights in the house provided the perfect glow for reading Christmas stories and singing carols. A winter camp out!

While we were at the “campfire”, we made sure to act out stories with shadow puppets, too.

In sum, we’re staying cozy and happy, and excited for dark nights to come.