From a homeschool activity to a normal Oregon spring rainy day, the Danish concept of hygge has always been a big influence on our homeschooling, our home, and our family overall. Here’s one way we put hygge to use in our homeschooling and our lives.
Hygge homeschool video: How we poetry teatime
What is hygge?
Hygge, pronounced “hoo-gah,” is creating a space and atmosphere of warmth, togetherness, and calm:
”Hygge is often about informal time together with family or close friends. Typically, the setting is at home or another quiet location, or perhaps a picnic during the summer months. It usually involves sharing a meal and wine or beer, or hot chocolate and a bowl of candy if children are included. There is no agenda. You celebrate the small joys of life, or maybe discuss deeper topics. It is an opportunity to unwind and take things slow.”
What is hygge?
Poetry Teatime: How we bring hygge into our homeschool
A couple of times a month, usually after lunch, we clear the table, light candles, and make coffee and cocoa. We spread out a few poetry books. Some of them are ours. Loved ones gifted others. And still others were checked out from the library.
Gentle music, usually something classical, gets turned on low. We turn off the other lights and open the curtains on our large front window, letting whatever daylight we have into the front room. The kids pick out sweets for us to enjoy with our poetry. They set out cookies or other treats on a small plate for each of us.
The four of us gather at the table. Turn by turn, we each choose poems and read them to one another.
Poetry teatime has become one of our favorite hygge homeschool activities. Especially on rainy days in Oregon, this gives us a chance to be in the moment, together, with a slow-paced activity. There’s no rush. No demanding task. There’s simply a family of four, chatting, reading, and enjoying.
During challenging days, this activity brings us calm. It helps us re-center and recharge with one another’s love and support. The warm candle glow brightens up the gray days outside. And the poetry livens up our hearts and minds, and has us thinking about the world in different ways.
When your family needs something to help you slow down and appreciate not only the moment but each other, give a bit of hygge a try. Maybe pull out a few poems, put on a pot of tea, and light the candles. Sometimes, the only world you need is the world of family, a room aglow with candlelight, and a hot beverage on a chilly day.
