13 ideas to get your kiddos outside more this winter. You are welcome. :-)

Do you want ideas to get your kids outside more (and keep them outside) during the long winter months? Do you all feel better after getting some fresh air? (Us too!)

If you said yes to either question, you'll want to keep reading and save this for the next time your kids say 'I'm bored' this winter. Here are some ideas, 13 to be exact, to hopefully help keep them active and out of the house for a bit more this winter.

1. Build a snowman. Who doesn't love building a snowman, or a family of snowmen, and dressing them up? This is an all-time favorite at our house.

2. Build a snow fort. We LOVE building snow forts when the snow is sticky enough for it.  You can always get a spray bottle to help if the snow isn't perfect.  Sometimes I need to help get the process started, but then my kids get excited when they see progress so they keep it going.

3. Do a treasure hunt. These don't need to be limited to indoors or on summer days. I have done some treasure hunts that have taken the kids an hour to find everything. It does take some time on the front end, but if you can get them excited and focused on a task outside for an hour, don't you think it's worth the work up front?!

4. Do a scavenger hunt. Do a quick google search for a downloadable outdoor scavenger hunt and have your kids go searching! Here's a fun site to check out for some ideas and downloadables.

5. Go geocaching. Get the app and start the search.  We did this last winter one weekend when it was too cold to be outside for long periods of time.  We did all of our strategizing in the warm car, then took turns going outside to look for the prize. You'll be amazed at how many you can find near you!

6. Go sledding. We don't have a hill in our yard, so it either takes effort to go to a sledding hill or go to a neighbor with more of a slope in their yard. Either way, sledding is one of the family favorites.  They especially like building little jumps halfway down the hill and having contests on who can get the most air.  (It's never enough to worry about, but enough for them to feel a 'rush')

7. Winter Bonfire with s'mores. Who says you can't have a bonfire when there's snow?! Get your snow pants on and warm up by the fire!

8. Go ice skating. I don't know about you, but there are many ice rinks by us - probably because we live in MN, the hockey state. Check local parks and playgrounds. I seem to find a lot that way.

9. Have a nerf war.  Are your kids as obsessed with nerf guns as mine are? I even built a nerf wall to hold all of my son's nerf guns.  Okay, back to it.  Nerf wars are a great way to burn off energy because not only do they need to build or create barriers to hide behind (which adds to their time outside, wink wink) but also actually get into the nerf wars. 

10. Are they always asking you for money? Make them work for it by shoveling the driveway, sidewalk, steps, deck, or patio. 

11. Don't want to go to an ice rink? How about playing street (or backyard) hockey? All you need for this are boots, a stick, and a ball. My son uses a tennis ball and a cheap hockey stick we got off Amazon.

12. Go for a winter hike. I love winter hikes!! It is so peaceful out in the woods in the winter.  What are some fun things you can do with your kids on a winter hike, you may ask? You could look at all of the footsteps in the snow and try to guess what kind of animal it was. Or an I spy game. Or a hike scavenger hunt (again, lots of free downloadables for this!) Tip for an incentive for the kiddos to keep going: bring some hot chocolate in a thermos to warm them up.

13. Flashlight tag. It gets dark so early in the winter (too early!) so instead of having your kids calling it quits outside at 4:30 when the sun starts to set, you can hand them some flashlights and have them play flashlight tag! (or red light green light, or colors, ships across the ocean, etc.)

Hopefully, this list will help give you and your kiddos some ideas on what to do next time they need to get rid of some energy and get outside! 

And of course, if you need any children's jackets this winter still because your kiddos have gone through yet another growth spurt, or you are tired of the missing mitten game, don't forget to check out our website!

Thanks for being here; until next time,