Cooped up inside with kids that look more like the Tasmanian Devil than the sweet angels they started the day resembling? You’re not alone! Cold weather, shorter daylight hours and snow can definitely put a damper on getting all the extra energy used up that kids seem to produce at an alarming rate. For just those days, here are some ideas to make the outdoors more appealing (and save your sanity). You’re welcome.
Go on a snow scavenger hunt. Have you ever tried to find items in the snow? It’s not as easy as it sounds! Have the kids take turns hiding different objects in the yard for everyone to find. Bonus points if they can figure out how to erase their footprints!
Paint the snow. Fill water bottles with water and some food coloring and have fun spraying patterns in the snow. You can also fill cups and use paintbrushes. WARNING- Avoid getting the colored water on clothes as it will possibly stain.
Build a snow ???. Tired of snowmen? Make something different! Make a family of animals, statues, self portraits, recreate a favorite movie scene. The point- do something other than the same ol’, same ol’. Added fun would be to use the colored water to add details to your creations.
Build a sledding hill. We have a slight hill in our yard, but not steep enough to be a good sledding hill. So we just made it ourselves. Pile a massive mountain of snow and then create a slide down and through your yard. We created sides for our “track” so that it resembled a bobsled track. Don’t have any sleds? Use up some of the cardboard from the holiday packaging! Surprisingly it slides really well. Be prepared for hours of fun with this one.
Go on a nature walk. Nature walks in the snow can be magical. Everything looks different. See if you can find and identify different animal tracks, birds, bugs, etc. Even in a neighborhood, nature is always there if we slow down and look. This is even more fun while it’s snowing!
Create highways. Use toy cars and trucks and create elaborate or simple roadways and cities. Build the houses, stores, parking lots, and streets for the cars to drive on. The best part is how easy it is to start over with a new city- you can pretend to be Snowzilla!
Play yard games. Yeah, this sounds strange to say when we’re talking about snow games, but have you ever played soccer in the snow? Or tug of war? Or frisbee? Or mini-golf? The possibilities are endless!
Have fun with the weather, no matter the age of your kids! Make sure to dress them for the weather so they can last longer and have more adventures. See our other blog post on Dressing kids for the Outdoors for tips. And don’t forget the hot chocolate when they come inside- it’s the best time to hear all about their fun and adventures and plans for next time!
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