Baby it’s cold outside, but there’s so much fun to be had! While awful to commute in, our wintery Canadian weather offers so much opportunity to get out and enjoy the outdoors with our families.
Staying indoors when the weather is bitter cold and snowy seems so much easier, but getting outdoors has so many benefits to our overall well-being.
Here’s some activities our gang has enjoyed, while others are on our hit list for Winter Break! Oh what fun!
1) Lace up those skates and head to an outdoor rink. Most municipalities have one they maintain for public use. Check out your Town’s Winter Guide, or why not head to one of Canada’s Top 11 Rinks? Two of them can be found right in the GTA!
2) Build an outdoor ice rink in your backyard! Costco Wholesale (Canada) has some of the best DIY Ice Skating Rink kits , and have provided hours of outdoor enjoyment for our hockey-loving family.
3) Build a winter bonfire and make s’mores. Find out how to build a winter campfire here .
4) Take family ski lessons – This will be our first year trying this. Check out these two great resources we found to plan our time on the slopes : The Best Family Ski Resorts Across Canada + skicanada.org
5) Head to a Christmas market and try some new foods or treats you’ve never had.
6) Go tobogganing or tubing. Some of the best hills/runs for this can be found here.
7) Build a fort and have a snowball fight with your kids (or your spouse/partner). Or buy a snow block maker and build an igloo.
8) Shovel paths in the snow and pretend they lead to somewhere magical.
9) Feed the birds or go birdwatching. Make your own birdfeeders out of pine cones, peanut butter, and birdseed. Or check out this NUT FREE Bird Seed Cookie recipe
10) Go on a winter picnic in the park. Take blankets, sandwiches and soup + hot cocoa in a thermos then have fun playing around in snowsuits on the playground.
11) Make a snow angel family and take a picture to frame it or use as your holiday card photo.
12) Check out Groupon, Wag Jag and other deal dishing sites for outdoor family activities at discount prices.
13) Set up an obstacle course in the yard with hula hoops, jumps, tunnels and other challenges.
14) Make snow paint. Simply add food coloring to water and put in a spray bottle, then go out and colour your outdoor world!
15) Build a snowman with outdated winter accessories, or pick up an old fashioned snowman kit. Or bring everyone’s favourite Disney snowman Olaf to life with this set.
BE PREPARED
To maximize the fun factor, preparation to tolerate long periods outdoors is key. Avoiding whines and enjoying Winter means ensuring everyone stays warm. Think layers. Have everyone wear thermal leggings under snow pants and 1 or 2 shirts under a sweater. Hats that cover ears and foreheads well (think trapper style) and weather-proof gloves.
Getting everyone ready for the outdoors in Winter is a lot of work. Ensuring everyone’s comfortable will maximize the fun and mean not having to head back inside after 5 minutes. And of course, washroom breaks before those snow suits go on is a must!
Have a great time venturing out making family memories in our wintery wonderland this season!
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