Cold weather usually means cozy sweaters, sitting by the fireplace and snuggling up with a warm blanket and cup of cocoa. But did you know that spending time outside when the temperatures drop is an incredibly valuable experience? Especially for young children.
Time spent outside in colder weather provides a host of opportunities for families to explore the natural world with children in unfamiliar and unique ways. Not to mention, spending time in colder temps can help your little one develop gross motor skills by exploring snowy or uneven terrain, boost their immune systems and improve overall health and well-being. So, bundle up (remember there is no bad weather, only bad clothing!) and pick one of the activities below to explore the winter world together!
Four Fun Activities for Cold Weather
Snow trail making. Head outside in the snow for some trail making! Use shovels or your hands and feet to create paths through the snow. You could make a snowy obstacle course, play follow the leader, write your names or create designs together! This is great for gross motor development as kids practice traversing potentially uneven or more difficult terrain, which helps them develop overall strength and balance. It’s also a chance to slow down and connect. Marvel at the beauty of the snow. Notice how it falls and how everything seems quieter. See what has changed under the snowfall — what is covered, what looks different? Work together and use your imaginations to create cool snow creations.
Sand toys for snow. Pull out those summer sand toys, old kitchen containers and utensils and dream up snow creations! You can build forts, creatures or see who can build the tallest snow tower! Turn an old mud kitchen into a snow kitchen and serve snowy delights (just watch out for yellow snow!). This is a great opportunity to flex those creative muscles and explore different scientific and engineering concepts as children experiment with the various containers and utensils available to them.
Will this freeze? Engage in the scientific method by having your child gather a few different household items that can be safely left outside in cold temperatures like a plastic cup of water, a bouncy ball and wet wash cloth. Discuss with your child what might happen if you leave the items outside for a few hours, or even overnight. Write down their predictions. After leaving the items outside for the set amount of time, head out to discover what happened to them. Revisit the predictions they made. Were they correct? Why or why not? Discuss possible adjustments that might alter the outcome. If items froze, how might you unfreeze them? What else could you test together?
Den building. Ask your child where people and animals go when it gets cold. Then, discuss what materials found in nature might be used to keep animals warm in the winter. Head outside together to gather items to build your own dens that forest creatures might live in when it’s cold outside! This is a great opportunity to help your child think critically about the natural world around them and how we share spaces and resources with different animals.
Once you’ve had your fill or you can no longer feel your toes, head inside to warm up with hot cocoa and talk about all of the cool things you did together!
