In the summer, you may have a family circuit of the swimming pool, the playground, and the zoo, or other local family outings. In the winter, families can find themselves at a loss for ideas about what to do. If you live in a colder climate, outdoor play can be compromised by cold temperatures, but too much indoor play can give kids cabin fever. The secret is to mix up your activities enough to keep kids engaged (and adults happy). If you find yourself with the winter blues, try these delightful indoor and outdoor activities to infuse the shorter days with tons of fun.
1. Take a Hike
With the right gear, an outdoor adventure can help stave off boredom. Even a favorite playground or park looks different in the winter. Check out sites like alltrails, which has a special section of hikes that are perfect just for kids. If you’re walking with your children, aim for trails that are under 1.5 miles to start. Once you assess their capacity, you can move up to 2 miles and then 3 miles if they’re adapting well.
2. Paint the Snow
All you need for this activity is a fresh snowfall, food coloring, and a few spray bottles. Mix cold water with drops of food coloring and then hand them to your children to start spraying on the snow. They’ll make a graffiti-style masterpiece in no time at all. Snow painting is perfect for lessons on color identification. It can also add flair to snow people or snow forts. Ask your child to hypothesize about what might happen if they sprayed a bit of red color after they spray a spot with blue. When you’re new to color theory and the color wheel, mixing colors can feel like magic!
3. Have a Chill-Free Snowball Battle
Even if the weather isn’t frightful outside, you can have your own snowball fights with freshly laundered socks. When you finish a load of laundry, encourage your little ones to ball socks together to make snowballs. Once each kid has a few ready to go, choose a place in your house without breakables to toss them with glee! Afterward, they can gather up the socks and deposit them into sock drawers. Bonus: you now have tons of socks that have been folded and put away, and there are no wet clothes or frozen fingers, to boot!
4. Play Winter Bingo
If your child loves to play games together, you might want to play a game of winter bingo! Brew up some hot chocolate, put on the holiday music, and get started. Make or print bingo cards with pictures of winter objects to make the game accessible for all ages.
5. Watch a Winter Movie Together
Snuggling under the blankets with popcorn and hot cocoa is heavenly when it’s cold out. When the winter wind is knocking at your door, cuddle up with a winter flick to celebrate this chilly season. Kids will love movies like Snow Buddies, Mr. Popper’s Penguins, Happy Feet, Frozen, or Eight Below. These winter-themed movies will warm your hearts as you all watch them together. Who knows? Maybe you’ll find a winter movie you all love and start a seasonal tradition! Winter is a time for families to draw closer and spend intentional time together.
6. Make an Indoor Obstacle Course
If the Winter Olympics are on the television in your house, it just might inspire some leaping from and twirling across the kitchen floor. If it’s too bitter cold to go out, help your kids safely release their energy by building a squishy, pillow-filled obstacle course. Use your smartphone or smart speaker to time them as they complete the activity, and provide plenty of voiceover commentary to make the event feel real. If they’re really invested, make medals out of tinfoil to award the recipient. (Here’s a tip: make sure each child has an event where they’re a shoo-in for gold, even if it’s for Quietest Whisperer or Most Elegant Tippy-Toe Twirl.)
Supporting Kids’ Play All Year ‘RoundThe Gardner School knows that play is one of the most important activities kids can engage in to help grow their bodies and their minds. Our indoor and outdoor play areas mean kids can run, jump, and climb no matter what the weather. To learn why parents choose The Gardner School for their children to grow and learn, contact us to learn more or to schedule a virtual tour.