The winter crazies. Every parent has experienced them at some point. The kids are homebound because of the weather or, as during the past two years, extended periods of remote schooling. They're bored yet brimming with pent-up energy. Restlessness often leads to roughhousing, bickering, emotional outbursts, and hurt feelings.

Playing outdoors is always an option during the spring, summer, and the relatively mild autumns we typically enjoy here in Hampton Roads. But that option fades when the days are short, damp, and cold. Stuck inside, kids often stare zombie-like at the TV, plug into some handheld device, or argue with one another. What is a parent to do?

Indoor sports are always one option. Schools, churches, and the local YMCA sponsor such activities year-round. Given that childhood obesity is at an all-time high, physical activity of any kind is a positive. Team sports can help promote a sense of community, cooperation, and mutual respect. Children who are less competitively inclined may enjoy individualized activities such as gymnastics, indoor running, yoga, or dancing.

When sports and athletic programs outside the home are not available, a parent can always choose this easy, inexpensive in-home option: exercising together as a family. These days, there are plenty of online options for getting people up and moving in the cozy comfort of their living rooms. An online search can quickly lead one to countless exercise videos produced specifically for children and families. Gathering in front of the computer or TV, and exercising together can not only benefit everyone's health (remember, adult obesity is also at an all-time high), but it can promote family bonding. This is especially true if the family has been less physically active. Initially struggling with specific exercises together as a family could help break down barriers between parents and children and foster a sense of "being in this together."

For generations, families have bonded through playing games together. Though the classic box games that our great-grandparents played (such as Monopoly and Scrabble) are still enjoyed by millions, digital technology has revolutionized game playing. There are personal game apps that can be downloaded onto a cellphone and games that can be streamed on the family TV. There are also new fun digital game venues outside of the home. With a new location in Norfolk, New World V.R. is a virtual reality arcade offering more than 100 games. With multiplayer arenas, car racing cockpits, flight simulators, and a party room, New World is a virtual playground where families can create memories to last for years to come.

The kitchen is another space in the home where lasting memories can be made-and not simply by eating together as a family. Give the kids a cookbook to look through, and let them pick out a recipe for a dish or dessert that the family has never tried. Then make that dish together as a family. Showing the kids how to prep vegetables for a recipe (or learning how to prep vegetables with your children) promotes family unity and fosters self-sufficiency by teaching children an essential life skill-how to feed themselves.

Helping children grow into self-sufficient adults is a central goal of parenting. Also essential to the well-being of a child-and society generally-is cultivating empathy for others. Nothing does that more profoundly than stories and storytelling. Human beings connect by sharing stories of themselves with one another. Reading stories in books and watching stories being acted out in movies or on TV gives us insights into human nature.

Watch a TV show or movie together as a family and, afterward, discuss the story. Ask the kids which characters they related to the most and why? Have them explain why they think the various characters did what they did? Talk about the events in the story, and have each family member share what they might do if they were in a similar situation. Such discussions stimulate the imagination; they encourage children to consider and empathize with the experiences, perspectives, and feelings of others.

Opening a child's eyes to the world's natural wonders can begin by simply looking through the window into the backyard. One of the blessings of living in Hampton Roads is the variety of birds inhabiting the area. Learning to name the species fluttering around the yard and understanding their habits can be a joyful experience for anyone, particularly younger children. Wild Birds Unlimited-a retail store specializing in bird feeding supplies, with three Southside locations-offers free educational workshops for kids. The January workshop will focus on feeding birds in the winter. In February, kids can learn how to attract Blue Birds to feeders in their yard. The subject of March's workshop will be gardening for birds with feed and native plants.

Musical training-whether learning to play an instrument or taking voice lessons-is a fun activity that gives children lifelong benefits. Recent studies found that the brains of older adults who had music lessons as children responded faster to speech than their counterparts who did not study music when young. The more musical training a person receives when young, the faster their brains respond, even if they haven't picked up an instrument in decades.

Listening to music together as a family-and listening to different kinds of music-can nurture powerful bonds between generations. Nothing can help children connect to the past faster than listening to and learning about the music that their parents, grandparents, and even great-grandparents enjoyed. So when the weather outside is bitter, and everyone is homebound and bored, why not listen to music together and, if feeling really adventurous, sing along and dance together?

Regardless of when or why a family is homebound, a world of fun activities is waiting to be found there.

After all, home is where the heart is.