How to Hygge With Young Children

 

I must admit that the idea for this blog started through my own personal exploration into the world of hygge, as a survival tactics for a long winter ahead at home with my 3 year old and 15 month old boys, Oliver and Porter. The library has WONDERFUL resources available if you would like to dive deeper into the hygge world. And a fellow blogger at DBRL recently wrote about this concept too, so make sure to check out her blog as well.

Quick history lesson: the word hygge (pronounced hoo-ga), originates from a Norwegian word meaning “well-being.”  Explaining exactly what hygge is, that’s the tricky part. Regarded as a defining characteristic in Danish culture, hygge has been described “coziness of the soul,” “cozy togetherness,” and my personal favorite, “cocoa by candlelight.” Hygge is about an atmosphere and an experience, rather than about things. It is about being with people we love. A feeling of home. Hygge is the antidote to cold winter days and nights.

So what does all of this mean for surviving and thriving with young children during the long winter days and months? There are LOTS of ideas on how you can transform your home and mindset to reflect hygge, a balance of light within the darkness.

Here are a few ideas to get your family started:

Bring light within your home.

Open window curtains, letting in natural light during the day. Decorate with warm lamp lights and candles (battery operated options are always a plus). Or better yet, keep those Christmas lights out a while longer, building a cozy fort and adding twinkling lights is like pure magic for young children.

Cozy food and drinks.

Think yummy soups and stews, popcorn, berries and oranges, coffee for Mama and Papa bears, unlimited cocoa for the kids. You can even make fun hot flavored teas and see what your kids think of them. Peppermint is a household favorite of ours.

Activities.

Here’s a list of some cozy activities for your family.

  • Family read-aloud time in twinkle-lit blank forts
  • Movie and popcorn nights
  • Hot cocoa bar with whip cream and sprinkles
  • Board game and puzzle nights by candlelight
  • Bubble baths for the babes complete with mood music and cozy light
  • Bundle up for winter walks outside
  • Craft and bake together
  • Take the time to create calmer rhythms and rituals within your household
  • Join the Facebook community called “Creating a Cozy Life-Hygge Style” to fill your news feed with goodness from hygge-loving folks around the world
  • And of course endless amounts of warm cuddles
Books.

Want more hygge inspiration? Click on the book covers and you will be routed to title options within our library collection.

 

Joy of Hygge
“The Joy of Hygge” by Jonny Jackson and Elias Larsen
The Little Book of Hygge
“The Little Book of Hygge: Danish Secrets to Happy Living” by Meik Wiking
Hygge
“Hygge: The Danish Art of Coziness, Health and Happiness in Your Daily Life” by Brittany Wynonna Holiday
How to Hygge
“How to Hygge: The Nordic Secrets to a Happy Life” by Signe Hohansen
There's No Such Thing as Bad Weather
“There’s No Such Thing as Bad Weather” by Linda Akeson McGurk
Making Winter
“Making Winter: A Hygge-inspired Guide to Surviving the Winter Months” by Emma Mitchell

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