When the weather is warm, it’s easy to get outside and play with your kids. When it’s cold, it’s tempting to stay in and be cozy, but going outdoors is still important. By spending time outside in winter, kids boost their immune system, get their blood flowing, and absorb vitamin D. Try these activities for some winter fun with your kids.
- Do classic winter activities. Do you live somewhere with snow? Go skiing or sledding together! Even if you don’t live somewhere cold, you can probably find a seasonal ice skating rink.
- Take a hike. Hiking in the winter can be great fun; when the trees have dropped their leaves, things look very different. Look for different types of conifers, explore a frozen creek, or take a night hike, using lanterns, flashlights, or headlamps to explore a familiar trail in a new way.
- Learn about nature. Teach your kids about migration and hibernation, then look for signs of these behaviors around you. Head to the zoo, where crowds thin out in the winter and many animals become more active than in the lazy summer months.
- Care for animals. There are many ways to help wildlife in the winter. Set up a birdbath to give the birds somewhere to bathe and drink. Make a simple bird feeder or create a garland for the birds, stringing together popcorn, pretzels, and dried fruits. Consider treating local wildlife too, making a big cake out of snow and decorating it with birdseed, fruits, and vegetables.
- Play with ice. When the nights drop below freezing, add food coloring to the water in water balloons and put them outside overnight. Once they’re frozen, pop the balloon for beautiful colored ice globes. If it’s below freezing during the day, go outside and blow bubbles to watch them freeze.
- Explore. Go geocaching, try to identify animal tracks, or have a winter scavenger hunt.
- Get creative with snow. Build a snowman or pull out your beach toys and make a snow castle instead of a sandcastle. Let your kids paint in the snow with food coloring or watercolors or make snow angels and decorate them with whatever they can find.
- Connect with your community. Go to a winter festival, go sightseeing, or just walk around and look at the lights in your neighborhood. Offer to do a winter chore for a neighbor, or paint rocks with bright colors and kind words and leave them around the neighborhood.
- Create a new tradition. Celebrate the Winter Solstice with a candlelight outdoor dinner. Hit the beach this winter, enjoying this traditionally summer destination in a whole new way. Or just plan a simple new tradition, like a game of flashlight tag or flying kites in the park.
- Build something in your own yard. Plan a garden, build a fort, or even construct a bat house! Building a bat house in the winter will mean fewer mosquitoes in the spring and summer.
Getting kids to stay active all year can help them achieve lifelong fitness. If you’re looking for your own place to get fit, visit the Wellbridge Family of Athletic Clubs, where we offer world-class training that keeps up-to-date with the latest in health and wellness. At our clubs, you’ll be greeted by our friendly team before you’re challenged and motivated by top-notch instructors in our fitness classes. You’ll make new friends because you belong here. Join today or contact us to learn more.