So the cold months have finally set in, the holidays are over, and us parents are left with energetic, stir-crazy, cabin-fevered kids. I hear ya! So here are some outdoor winter activities to keep the kids busy after school, on weekends, or anytime they’re going a bit squirrely:
Ice skating. There are lots of outdoor rinks set up near parks and other suburban settings, but you can also make a small rink in your yard. Go at it the “traditional” way by clearing an area in your yard and flooding it with water. Or, check out some of the awesome “rink in a box” options, where you can set up a rink in minutes and be skating in just a few days.
Snow play. My little guy loves when I fill squirt bottles with coloured water and let him spray the snow with an array of colours (super fun on a snowman or fort). We also love playing in the snow with glowsticks – we hide them under the snow and send each other on scavenger hunts to find them (they look super cool illuminated under the white stuff!).
Ice play. You can freeze a toy in ice outside and try to bang it out (just make sure everyone has safe tools and won’t get any ice in their eyes). You can fill standard balloons with coloured water and let them freeze (they look like giant marbles). Or, if it’s really cold out, try blowing bubbles in the cold – they’ll freeze! Too cool!
Make birdseed ornaments (from toilet paper rolls, peanut butter and birdseed), or string some popcorn, and then hang them outside for our little feathered friends. It’s fun to check back and see what’s been nibbled.
Indoor stuff that works outside. Ever make a snowman Mr. Potato Head? The little features work well when stuck into a snowman. Plastic trucks are lots of fun in the snow, as well as certain Playdoh tools. Bath toys also work well outside. Just bring it all in afterward so it doesn’t freeze, crack, and break.
– Jennifer Cox