Well, folks, winter is in full swing here in the Great White North, and we’ve got a lot of activities that take advantage of this wonderful time of year!
Here at Today’s Family we love trying new things or putting a twist on old classics. So grab your mittens, scarves, hats, and jackets and try one of these awesome activities.
Visit a Conservation Area
At your local conservation area you can often find places to hike, snowshoe, sled, skate and many more outdoor winter activity you can try. Conservation areas also offer many educational opportunities. There are sure to be programs where you and your kids can learn about different topics like the history of the area, the wildlife and the plant life.
During these programs you can sometimes interact with wildlife, like at Mountsberg Conservation Area, where they offer the ‘Owl Prowl” program where you can learn all about owls, and even feel their talons and feathers.
If you’d rather keep things a bit simpler, let’s not forget the classic that is tobogganing. We all know that conservation areas have the best hills.
Bring the Snow Inside!
Sometimes, the colder temps that come with snow mean that we have to stay inside. But what better way to keep having fun in the snow than to bring the snow inside! The toddlers at our Dundas location showed us just how to do it!
With a sensory bin loaded with snow, the kids wasted no time getting wrist-deep in it. They loved playing in the snow, and we loved listening to them practice their descriptive words. “Cold!”, “Icey!” and, “Wet” were just a few of the phrases used by the little ones while they made snowballs and snow castles. The toddlers learned that when their hands got too cold they could rub them together to get warm.
The best part about a snow sensory bin is that if it gets messy (and, trust us, that is a possibility) the snow just needs to be mopped up! Not to mention, if you let the snow melt in the sensory bin, you have a water table ready to go!
Winter Art Projects
One thing we love at Today’s Family is art projects! Wintertime is just another time of year that’s perfect for flexing those creative muscles. One of our favourite art tools in the wintertime is food colouring. There is always the classic concoction of food colouring and water in a spray bottle for decorating your snow creations, but the kids at our winter break camp had a better idea.
The school-aged campers filled balloons with water and food colouring and then left them outside to freeze. When you pop the balloon and peel away the pieces, you’re left with a beautiful ice marble! The entire playground was soon decorated with the gorgeous art pieces. Why not fill your front yard with marvelous marbles?
Do-It-Yourself Winter Olympics
This year, you don’t have to go all the way to South Korea for some Olympic action! Grab your boots, mittens, coats, snow pants, and head outside. Set up a few exciting events and watch as the fun ensues. Using games like snowball target practice, snow fort making, and snow angel contests, these activities are sure to develop the fine motor skills that everyone needs! At these Olympics, everyone’s a winner! At the end of the day, everyone can warm up with some hot chocolate and some warm blankets.
What’s your favourite winter activity? Have you tried any of the ones we talked about? Let us know! Tweet us or follow us on Facebook!
Until next time!
-Today’s Family
