Colder temperatures. Less sunshine. Longer nights. When you add to that the collective holiday stress and anxiety exuded by many of the grown-ups in their lives, young people can feel particularly lost this time of year.

We can learn a lot about real rest from observing what happens in nature during the winter season. Think about it: this time of year, nature simply slows down. Trees shed their leaves, animals hunker down, and the whole landscape seems to get quieter, conserve more energy, and just…exist.

Not to prepare for the next big thing, but to simply be for a time. Quite the juxtaposition to our society’s rhythm of ramping things up to prep for the holidays, isn’t it?

This holiday season, we want to challenge you to reflect on what it means to truly rest, how you can create and model safe spaces for the youth in your life to simply be, and what the winter season can teach us about healthy rhythms of work/rest in the cycles of life.

What is Real Rest?

In an increasingly over-scheduled world, full of notifications that demand our attention, it’s no wonder we all feel a little (or a lot!) overwhelmed—and why many of us are teetering on the brink of burnout at any given moment.

But what does “real rest” actually look like?

First of all, rest is so much more than physically calming our bodies to get to a sleep state. Rest also means getting to a state where our minds can reflect on, relax, and recover from daily stressors and anxieties.

The big question is: how do we get our nervous systems to calm down to a point where we feel true rest and relaxation?

Recent research backs up the need for, and the utter lack of, deep rest in our society. Dr. Alexadra Crossweel defines deep rest as: a profound psychophysiological state that rejuvenates both the mind and the body.

According to research conducted by Crosswell and colleagues, in order to access deep rest, two things must be present:

1. A physically and socially safe environment, i.e. a place that is inclusive, accepting, and free from threats.

2. A sense of psychological safety that allows an individual to move beyond unhelpful or harmful thought patterns brought on by chronic stress.

Key to note: in order to get to that second state of psychological safety, the first must be present – which is precisely what Camp Fire Central Oregon aims to do with our camps and out-of-school programming.

“At Camp Fire, we place an emphasis on kids bringing their full selves to camp. Maybe they don’t feel great about fitting in at school, but here they feel they can relax as themselves without judgment,” says HK Gilbert, Training & Development Manager.

A large part of creating a culture of inclusion and safety begins with getting the staff on board.

“We prioritize well-being and rest for staff, from the National Headquarters staff to the out-of-school-time employees at each affiliate,” Gilbert says. “Part of our foundational training includes emotional self-care skills for themselves.”

Types of Rest

Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith identifies seven different types of rest in her book Sacred Rest.

1. Physical Rest: This includes sleep, but also gentle movement like yoga, a leisurely walk, stretching, etc.

2. Mental Rest: Quieting the noise in your mind by practicing meditation, taking small microbreaks during the day, or trying a hobby that allows your mind to wander.

3. Emotional Rest: Allowing yourself to feel and express your authentic emotions, calming your body and increasing your emotional intelligence.

4. Sensory Rest: Breaking the cycle of constant stimulation by turning off devices, dimming lights, enjoying the quiet of nature or a silent room, etc.

5. Spiritual Rest: Finding connection with something greater than yourself through community, meditation, prayer, or service to others.

6. Creative Rest: Engaging with beauty in the world through the appreciation or creation of art, music, dance, crafts, etc.

7. Social Rest: Purposefully seeking positive, supportive people to build connections with, avoiding relationships that drain your energy or cause stress.

As we explore more ways to help young people thrive as their authentic selves, these seven areas can act as a guide to a more holistic approach to personal development and growth.

How to Help Kids Simply Be

We discovered in our own research that for young people in particular, finding a place where they can simply be —where they can exist fully— can be very difficult, especially when who they are is challenged by society.

In Dr. Darling-Hammond’s Bridge to Thriving Framework, they articulate six arenas (dimensions) in which people can find or cultivate thriving: community, selfhood, abundance, pleasure, relief, and “simply being.” “Simply Being” is marked by a sense of being able to exist fully or feel whole and is often made possible when the other five dimensions of thriving have also been fulfilled in some way.

Reflect: Is your home a place that young people can find time and space to simply be? Or are they over-scheduled, over-stimulated, and overwhelmed by all the things? What about your own energy? How are you feeling? How does that impact your space and ability to rest?

Here are some ways you can help kids simply be:

1. Be Mindful of Time

Parents/caregivers who sign their children up for a plethora of activities can unknowingly pass on the underlying message that “time = productivity = worth.” In other words, if you spend time without producing anything (ie: rest), you’ve wasted your time.

At Camp Fire, we’ve seen firsthand what happens when you actively work against this paradigm.

“When we plan for more transition time between activities, it lets kids be responsive to what they actually want and need for themselves,” Gilbert says.

Leaving blank spaces in schedules, and allowing kids to opt out of activities, gives them time to be creative, to build natural connections with others, to enjoy the outdoors, and to simply be.

A lot of magic can happen during the unscheduled, unplanned parts of a child’s day! It can be hard for youth to know what to do with free time, but it’s also a muscle that must be exercised. There are many benefits to slowing down.

2. Be Mindful of Space

Does your space invite rest?

At camps or in our afterschool programs, affiliates carve out physical space to allow rest through calm corners, hammock cities, and sensory-sensitive spaces.

Of course, access to the outdoors is also huge. Look for ways you can encourage kids to get outside for open play, a walk, creative expression, stargazing, or simply resting in nature.

When kids are allowed the space to rest, healthy play often results, leading to loads of benefits, including fostering social-emotional and cognitive skills, bolstering problem-solving and creative capabilities, and developing a stronger sense of independence and self-determination, to name a few.

3. Be Mindful of Stimuli

Study after study shows us that too much screen time is bad for everyone. Social media, with its dopamine-disruptive algorithm can be even more detrimental.

Look for ways to encourage time away from devices—your kids will thank you (yes, really!). Perhaps not at first, but we’ve seen the positive results firsthand. When teens arrive at our phone-free camps, staff have observed that they actually seem relieved to have an excuse to step away from their phones.

“They feel so much peer pressure to respond to every like, comment, post, nearly immediately,” Gilbert explains. “We get almost no pushback from kids about leaving their phones behind because it’s actually a relief to be away from them.”

“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes…Including you.”— Anne Lamott

Parents report that their kids return from camp feeling happier, more relaxed, less stressed, more themselves. Though more research should be done, it seems clear to us that the phone-free time is a net positive for the youth who participate in our programs.

How to Encourage Rest During the Winter Season and Beyond

Finding real rest in nature during winter can be both refreshing and grounding—especially when you want to combat the stress of the holiday season at a pace that is more in line with the world around us.

Here are some ideas to help you settle into the season’s slower rhythm and connect with nature for a deeper sense of rest:

1. Get outside or take gentle winter walks: Bundle up and go for a mindful moment outdoors - around where you live, or if you have access, at a nearby park or wooded area. Focus on the sights or sounds—crunching snow, rustling branches—and let the crisp air and natural quiet help you unwind. If the days feel too packed with work, school or activities, then consider getting outside at night, when you are more likely to see the moon in its phases, hear distant owl sounds, and see the apartments or houses around you glowing with lights. These are beautiful ways to celebrate, rather than resist, the season of shorter days and longer nights and can help you wind down for the night and reset for tomorrow.

2. Have a nature-inspired journaling session: Bring a thermos of tea, find a cozy outdoor spot, and journal. Write about what you see, feel, and smell, or reflect on how the season mirrors your inner world. Nature journaling can be a great form of restful reflection.

3. Sit in silence by water: If you’re near a body of water, find a spot to sit and just observe. Whether the water is frozen, trickling, or gently flowing, sitting near it can be incredibly calming and a reminder of how nature adapts through all seasons.

4. Engage in birding: Winter birds are often more visible, especially against a bare landscape. Spending time observing or listening to birds can help you slow down and appreciate the little moments, bringing a sense of calm presence.

5. Collect and create with natural materials: Gather some items like pine cones, small branches, or stones. Use them to create a simple winter centerpiece, decoration, or work of art. This small, mindful act connects you to the outdoors and can add a bit of nature’s beauty to your space.

6. Simply sit in stillness outdoors: Find a quiet place and just be—no agenda, no phone. Let the crisp air and calm surroundings ground you in the moment, noticing how winter’s energy encourages slowing down.

These small practices don’t require much time, but they can make a big difference in helping you experience real rest.

Learn more about supporting young people through the holidays: 20 ways to help this season.

Wishing You a Season of Rest, Rejuvenation and Recovery

As the year comes to a close, we hope you find the peace, rest, and recovery you deserve. We hope you’ve been encouraged by the words and ideas in this article, and we are grateful to have your support!

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