During the winter months, the days are short, and it's cold outside, so most people stay indoors watching their favorite shows on television. After all, it's no fun to put on several layers of clothes just to spend half an hour outside. However, people forget that getting outside in winter has so many benefits and that going outside during winter can do you and your family a lot of good. Baby Swag wants to remind you that fresh air will make you feel better and that it is a lot more enjoyable than surfing the Internet all day. Therefore, we are giving you some fun winter family activities that both you and your kids will love.
Get prepared for the fun winter family activities
Have you heard a Swedish proverb "There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing"? Well, if you want to have fun and enjoy your time outside, cold-weather clothes are essential. You can't go outside only wearing jeans and a sweater under your coat. Remember that layers are a must. Thermal leggings will keep you warm as well as several moisture-wicking layers under your sweater. We don't need to mention that you will also need a hat and gloves. Dressed like this you won't be cold and uncomfortable and you will enjoy yourself. Also, your kids need to be appropriately dressed as well. If you have younger kids you know that they are prone to run outside with just a T-shirt under their coat. Thus, investing in quality toddler clothes for outside will make family winter activities more enjoyable. Before you go outside, don’t forget to pack a complete change of clothes for each child as well as plenty of snacks and drinks.
Ice Skating
Ice skating might be a slippery activity and tricky for newcomers, but it is a great winter family activity. If you have kids age 4 or 5, that's a nice time to begin skating or taking lessons. When they start, most children wear figure skates. Once they get the hang of it, they might get addicted, and try the sports of speed skating, ice dancing, figure skating, or hockey. If your kid is a beginner, figure skates can be a great Christmas gift, just don't forget to pair it with a helmet.
Build a Snowman
There is no winter without a Snowman! Both parents and kids love to make a snowman in the yard, especially around holidays. Parents are in charge of stacking a few big snowballs to make a snowman's body. After that, it's all about kids' imagination – their job is to find fruits, vegetables, sticks, berries, clothes, and other materials to bring their snowman to life.
Go Ice fishing
If you enjoy fishing during warmer months, there is no reason not to go fishing when the weather turns cold. Ice fishing is an exciting way to fish and if your kids love fishing, they will love ice fishing. However, ice fishing can be dangerous if you are not careful. Before you start fishing, you need to be sure that the ice is thick enough. Otherwise, you can fall through, which can endanger your life. You want your family to be safe, and therefore you should never fish on ice that's less than 4 inches thick and you should always avoid rivers. It is harder for moving water to form thick ice, so always pick ponds or lakes since they are safer.
Play in the backyard
There are days when you just feel like staying. But don’t worry, there are plenty of fun winter family activities you can do right in your backyard. Here are just some of them:
- Make snow angels – fluffy snow and snowsuit is all the gear your kids need to lie down and create snow angels. You can make this activity more fun if you decorate your angels. Use food coloring to draw on a face and old accessories and clothing to dress it up.
- Start a snowball fight – Join in the fun and have snowball fun with your kids. You can supervise the snowball fight and make sure it doesn't get into a real fight. To avoid injuries, make sure the snow isn't too icy.
- Go on a treasure hunt – Use food coloring to create colorful ice cube "gems". Hide these gems around the backyard and let your kids go on a treasure hunt.
Walk around and take pictures
For some people, winter seems ugly and colorless, especially compared to the bright summer. However, if you stop and look, you will realize that winter is beautiful. Take the kids, bring the camera, and go to the woods to take pictures of a winter landscape. As you walk around, pay attention to small details, like a pine cone hidden in the snow or a branch of berries that birds haven't found yet. In the winter months, the outdoors is full of beauty, allowing you to take some amazing family photos. All you have to do is to dress well and go out for a walk.
It is easy to let cold weather keep you and your kids from spending time outside. However, winter months and cold weather don't mean that family fun needs to stop. On the contrary, cold weather can be ideal for some fun winter family activities that will make everyone feel enthusiastic about winter. All you have to do is to get well-dressed for the cold weather, and the fun can start. We gave you some fun activities you can do, but you should also ask your kids what they would like to do outside this winter. You will see that the kids have the most creative and amazing ideas.