The first flurries are in the air. Jack frost might just be nipping at your nose. There’s no mistaking it – winter has nearly arrived. As it gets colder outside, and you settle indoors with a warm blanket and some hot chocolate, we’ve put together a list of mind-sharpening winter activities to keep your brain warm, too.

Get your puzzle on.

Some like thousand-piece jigsaw puzzles or the famed New York Times crosswords. For others, the magic is in the numbers. Enter Sudoku! This winter Sudoku puzzle site challenges logic skills on a wintry backdrop.

Bring learning online.

The choices are endless. Do you want to do more work to build racial equity? Race Forward has a variety of online course selections throughout the winter. Looking to learn more about environmental justice? This TED Talk has you covered. So many courses are available for mind-sharpening – and mind-expanding—experiences.

Speak, listen and learn – in more than one language.

What better mind-sharpening activity is there than learning a new language? With Duolingo, you can join 120 million users across the globe in picking up one of 19 new languages. And you can do it in a way that is game-driven and fun.

Color your world.

Liven up the muted towns of winter with a palette all your own! Adult coloring sheets are a favorite for those who want to relieve stress, unplug, and recharge.

Get board.

Chess is heralded as the ultimate game of strategy, and there’s countless ways to play in person or online. There’s been a recent uptick in chess enthusiasm -- The Queen’s Gambit, anyone? And chess isn’t the only board game that can sharpen your wits. From Cranium and Settlers of Catan to Checkers to Dungeons and Dragons, there’s something out there for everyone to help improve their strategic thinking while having a great time!