10 Fun Winter Activities To Help Keep Kids Healthy & Happy

There are so many things we can do as a family to stay healthy during the winter.  Your health and moving your body shouldn’t stop just because it’s cold outside, and here are a few ideas to help get you and the kids moving this winter!

Please keep in mind that there are some things to be aware of before participating in outdoor activities during extremely cold temperatures. Hypothermia can be life-threating and frostbite has left people without limbs. Learn the signs and watch for them in yourself and your children while spending time outside during the winter months.

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Another piece of advice is to learn how to layer your and your children’s clothing so that you all will remain comfortable outdoors even if the temperatures go up some or down some.  Be prepared to go indoors if you to.

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Take the time to move and stay in shape. Just because the temperatures plummet, doesn’t mean our physical health should! With that out of the way, let’s get to the fun activities we can enjoy as a family this winter.

1. Go Sledding – bring helmets if you feel it’s necessary and appropriate. Walking up the hill to sled down is great exercise!
2. Build a Snowman – grab a few tree branches and some rock and make a snowman!
3. Put Christmas Light on Your Fence – kids love the bright lights of Christmas, so why not let them help put up lights. As long as it’s safe (no ladders) and they can reach, let them wrap the lights around some fence posts.
4. Walk Around And Look At Lights -bundle up and go for a long walk around a festive neighborhood looking at the lights others have on their houses.  Remember to respect private property and stay on the sidewalks.
5. Go to a Holiday Craft Fair – not only will you find yourself walking around, but maybe you’ll find a great gift for someone and be able to support a local business or artist.
6. Cut Down a Christmas Tree – cut down your own Christmas tree this year.  Take a walk with the whole family and look for the perfect tree! You can even include your dogs on this adventure.  Let them play in the snow while you search for your tree.
7. Make Snow Art – fill a few spray bottles with water colored with food coloring.  Use them to spray the snow and create a masterpiece! Watch little children so they don’t spray their faces, and keep in mind, food coloring can stain their clothing. Black snow pants and mittens are highly recommended for this project!
8. Make a Pinecone Birdfeeder – Let the kids gather a few pinecones each and bring them inside.  Cover them in peanut butter then dip them in birdseed.  Add a piece of paracord to tie it to a long hanging branch (so the kids can do this almost on their own.)
9. Go Ice Skating – take the whole family to an ice skating rink! Help the kids learn how to balance on their skates.
10. Have Hot Cocoa Together – After an outdoor excursion of any kind, make some hot cocoa together as a family. I usually let my kids each choose a different flavor of cocoa and we rotate them through.  Add cinnamon sticks, crushed candy canes, and whipped cream for fun! This is a great way to warm up after cutting down a Christmas tree or building a snowman.

Hopefully, these ten suggestions will help keep your family happy and healthy this winter! Spending time together with family has shown to have positive effects on children, so make the most of it this winter, and every season!

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