Outdoor Winter Day Activities

Fifty Things To do on Cold Days

Nov 30, 2006 Elece Hollis

List of fifty fun activities for children outside in winter.

Can't keep them indoors another minute? Send them out with these ideas for fun activities out -of -doors. Dress them warm and let them get some fresh air and exercise. They'll come back in hungry and ready for some quieter activities. Here goes:

1. Make a snow angel by lying on your back in the snow and spreading out your arms to the side then moving them up and down. Get up carefully and see your angel with wing prints.
2. Build a snow fort. Have a snow ball fight.
3. Build a snowman. Give him a carrot nose and a hat.
4. Take a walk and look for animal tracks.
5. Play chase, tag, or hide and seek.
6. Plant pansies. They do well in a moderate climate all winter.
7. Wash the car.
8. Ride your bike or scooter or sled.
9. Jump on a trampoline.
10. Shovel snow.
11. Build an igloo.
12. Put out suet and birdseed for birds.
13. Wrap in a big stadium blanket and sit on the porch swing.
14. Bird watch.
15. Scavenger hunt for winter nature stuff.
16. Collect pinecones for decorations, fire starters, wreaths, study,src.
17. Watch the sunset.
18. Go fishing.
19. Skip stones across the pond or lake.
20. Outside a window shovel out a square spot. Plant sticks with bright colored streamers to look like flowers or "plant" a row of plastic flowers.
21. In shed or garage, repair dog house. Paint the house. Add hay for warm bedding.
22. Look for poetry or story ideas.
23. Hunt for bird nests. Note ones high in trees that you can watch next summer.
24. Take photos of trees. Compare to summer.
25. Ice skate.
26. Go sledding down a hill.
27. Shovel a path in the yard like a maze.
28. Put up a bird feeder.
29. Have a snowball battle.
30. Visit with neighbors. Drink hot chocolate outside.
31. Lick an icicle.
32. Sit in a sunny place and absorb sunshine.
33. Play with toy cars and trucks in the dirt or snow.
34. Play in the sandbox. Dig holes and build some sand castles.
35. Play expedition. Pretend you are an explorer going to the North Pole.
36. Pull someone or something in a wagon or on a sled.
37. Take a nature hike.
38. Check out last year's garden plot. How has it changed?
39. Lay on the ground and watch the sky. What do the clouds look like?
40. Draw chalk pictures on the sidewalk, if dry, or stamp out words in the snow.
41. Make a neighborhood map. Color it later inside.
42. Decorate a tree in your yard with streamers to blow in the wind.
43. Watch for animals--sqirrels, deer, cats, dogs, horses. What animals are in your neighborhood?
44. Have a winter picnic. Take along a warm sandwich and cookies in an insulated bag , cocoa in a thermos or even hot soup in a soup thermos. Take a blanket to sit on.
45. Sketch houses, barns, buildings, plants and animals.
46. Look for winter plants to look up later and study.
47. Make a list of the trees in your yard. Power walk or jog.
48. Go out at night and see the stars.
49. Feed ducks and water birds.
50. Look at Christmas lights.

Dress warm and have fun! When you are tired and chilly, head back inside for hot chocolate, spiced tea, or hot cider and rest. Try some indoor fun activities. Here are some ideas for cold winter days when you must stay inside. Some of these ideas are for warmer climates so pick and choose some for the weather where you are. Check out my weather watching articles.

The copyright of the article Outdoor Winter Day Activities in Kids Activities is owned by Elece Hollis. Permission to republish Outdoor Winter Day Activities in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Ice on Trees

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Comments

Oct 9, 2008 7:18 PM

Guest :

I'm confused by this list, a large majority of them do not seem winter appropriate (i.e. wash a car, plant pansies, fly a kite, blow bubbles). Maybe you live in a warmer climate, but for us up here in MN/WI those wouldn't work.

Oct 19, 2008 8:58 PM

Guest :

I don't know where the writer of this lives, but I'm from Minnesota, and you can't do half of this in the winter. I'm not sure what kind of birds you have, but around here, you water plants - not birds. :p

Dec 3, 2008 9:28 AM

Guest :

Wow im not to pleased with this list.
I live in michigan and we cant do most of these things in the winter.

Dec 4, 2008 7:39 AM

Guest :

Good ideas. For more nature activities to do with kids, visit Green Hour, from the people who bring you Ranger Rick! We publish a fresh weekly issue every Wednesday!

www.greenhour.org

Dec 7, 2008 12:37 PM

Elece Hollis :

Well, seems I have some unhappy readers from Minnesota, Michigan and Wisconsin. Sorry, I know from having lived in Michigan most of my childhood and since then in Nebraska, Texas, Washington, Louisiana
and Oklahoma that winters vary widely.

This site is read by parents and teachers all across the United States, South America, and Canada. There are some readers in England and other Europeon and Asian countries. I try to write for North American readers. Maybe I will revise my list for different regions. Watch for some new articles with regional ideas for winter fun. Check my blog for these articles.

Birds need water when everything is icy to bathe in and to drink. Some people set out water pans. Some birdwatchers fill bird baths and keep the water from freezing with an electic warmer. See my articles on feeding and watering birds in the winter.

In the meantime, check out my articles called Cold Day Fun, and one called Snow Wonder, which gives unit study style ideas.

Elece

Jan 11, 2009 7:54 AM

Guest :

how can you skip stones in winter and feed ducks? New York

Jan 14, 2009 11:57 AM

Guest :

I am glad others commented...Canada here lots of snow and very cold no gardens and no water birds because the lakes are frozen!!

Jan 15, 2009 9:51 AM

Guest :

This list is so funny...somewhat helpfull for a few ideas but I am in Canada here and there is a lot of that stuff you can't do with 4 feet of snow and -40degree celcius weather...too funny!

Feb 19, 2009 2:17 PM

Guest :

I don't know why so many people have a problem with this list. I live in Michigan, yes we have sub zero days and other than planting pansies, I can do everything on that list. I just saw cardinals in my back yard this week. It was 19 degrees today. Swans (water birds) are also out in the winter. It sounded to me that the people writing in were looking for reasons not to like the list. I have a home in upper Michigan on a canal and due to the constant movement, there are places that sometimes don't freeze completely.

Mar 15, 2009 8:25 AM

Guest :

I think these are some great ideas! I live in NH and everything on this list is do-able! Most places where there are dams or moving water the surface is not frozen, which birds flock to. There's the water for skipping rocks! This winter I have washed my car many times to get the road salt off. Working from planting pansies ideas, what an awesome learning experience it would be to set up a minni green house with the kids and observe just what it takes for a plant to grow. Take these ideas and run with them! Be creative! Thanks Elece! ~V

Sep 27, 2009 11:59 AM

Guest :

Some of those things u cant do in the Winter

11 Comments