15 activities that make you want to go outside and play!
Playing outside in winter feels so good! It’s beneficial for both your physical and mental health, regardless of your age. Since we can’t hit the ski slopes every day and we often don’t have the time (or energy) to plan outings, here are some fun and original activities you can enjoy right in your own backyard.
Of course, each winter brings something different. If your desire to get outside wanes as the temperatures drop, here are some great ideas to make sure everyone in the family enjoys heading outdoors.
(Psst… Don’t have kids? Many of these activities are sure to delight the young at heart too!)
What outdoor activities can you do?
1. Organize a treasure hunt in the snow
Make your own gemstones using water coloured with Jell-O powder, then freeze them outdoors in ice cube trays. Once frozen, pop them out of the trays and hide them outside. This treasure hunt is sure to be a memorable one!
Tip : Opt for dark-coloured mittens in case the gemstones melt.
2. Blow bubbles
This activity is sure to delight kids and adults alike (parents and grandparents included!). When temperatures are low enough, bubbles stay close to the ground. Once they land, they start to freeze, creating beautiful patterns. Magic guaranteed!
Try one of our bubble solution recipes for great results!
3. Organize an ice sculpting contest
Freeze water in cardboard containers (milk or juice cartons) or, for a more ambitious project, use larger containers such as plastic bins or a large garbage can. Once frozen, remove the ice from the containers and start sculpting!
Adults and teens can use wood-carving chisels, a bread knife or any other tool of your choice. For younger children, opt for spoons or wooden tools (sticks, kitchen utensils) or sturdy plastic tools (small plastic chisels). For finer details, an old pair of blunt-tip scissors can be used under supervision.
Once the sculptures are finished, invite family and friends over to admire them and let the contest begin!
Tip : Plan to leave the smaller containers outside overnight so the water has time to freeze, and allow more time for larger containers. To create colourful works of art, add Jell-O powder or food colouring to the water before freezing it.
4. Build a snow fort (or igloo)
When the snow is wet and sticky, use yogurt containers to mould blocks for building a fort. Before you get started, check out our article on how to build an igloo. It’s a fun way to try something new!
5. Make ice lanterns
Expecting guests? We’ll show you how to make ice lanterns step by step and what type of light source to use. Make several and place them along the walkway, on balconies, near the front door… Once night falls and your lanterns are glowing, the effect is simply magical!
6. Build a snow slide in your backyard
It doesn’t have to be very high, as long as it works! In fact, if your children are young, small icy slopes don’t require sleds and are safer. Note that wearing a helmet is always recommended (helmets designed for winter sports are safer than bicycle helmets), and children aged 5 and under should always be accompanied.
With a few tips, your backyard snow slide can provide hours of fun for the whole family (try it in the evening after the sun goes down) and last for weeks!
7. Plan a trip to the beach
How about a winter beach day in your own backyard? Bring out the shovels, buckets, sieves and moulds, and why not add a beach umbrella and some beach chairs, too? Put on your sunglasses, soak up the sun and relax while the kids dive into the snow and build castles!
8. Set up a construction site
In the snow, it’s easy to shape tracks, mounds and small valleys. You can also build snow towers and tunnels. It’s the perfect playground for toy trucks, tractors and even little cars.
Tip: For evening play, use battery-powered outdoor string lights. Hang them from branches or attach them to wooden sticks to give yourselves a few extra hours of construction time!
9. Become a pastry chef!
Before starting the activity, take a walk in the woods or around the garden and invite the kids to choose their ingredients (small conifer branches, dried flowers, leaves from evergreen shrubs and small berries). If you have young children who might eat them, use fruit such as strawberries, grapes and blueberries instead, or pine cones.
Bring out the mixing bowls, wooden spoons, spatulas, ice cream scoops and cake (or muffin) pans, and whip up some beautiful pastries. When the snow is sticky, you can make impressive layer cakes. Once the cakes have been removed from the pans, decorate them with the ingredients you collected earlier.
Don’t forget to bring out your finest plastic dishes and tea set, or some unbreakable trays and serving platters. Set up your shop in front of the house so you can serve your finest creations to your neighbours and friends!
Tip: Once again, food colouring or Jell-O powder can be used to add a splash of colour. You can also use old washable markers to avoid staining your clothes!
10. Bring your children’s loyal friends outside
Have your kids bundle up their dolls and stuffed animals in warm clothes and take them outside for some winter fun! Isn’t today the perfect day for a sled ride or a picnic in the backyard?
11. Organize a timed obstacle course!
Set up an obstacle course in your backyard or at the park. Here are a few ideas:
- shape a series of mounds for them to crawl over
- ask your children to make a snowball the same size as yours (you can use them later to build snowmen)
- place a bowl or bucket at a distance and have them throw a snowball into it
- have them make a snow angel
- have them tie knots in a piece of string without taking off their mittens
If you set up the course at a park, you’re sure to find plenty of inspiration to add to the challenge. As an added bonus, it gives the kids a chance to rediscover slides and swings in a whole new setting!
12. Build an ice rink in your backyard
Some winters seem particularly well suited to this ambitious project, which, let’s be honest, does require a fair amount of time and effort. It’s best to know that going in.
We also have a few tips to make maintaining your ice rink easier and help extend its lifespan when the weather is being fickle.
13. Paint the snow
Painting is always fun… especially when you get the chance to create giant works of art. Fill spray bottles or squeeze bottles (such as plastic mustard or sauce bottles) with coloured water and use them to draw in the snow.
For colour, you can use food colouring or Jell-O powder. For a mess-free option, use old washable markers. We explain all our tips and tricks in our article about snow painting.
Variation (drawing in the snow with sticks)
Prepare cards with different things to draw. Taking turns, each person draws the object shown on a card while the others try to guess what it is. You can also try this activity in the sand during the summer!
14. Go for an evening walk
Rediscovering your neighbourhood in the evening on a sled, in a stroller or simply on foot is magical — especially during the holiday season, when homes are decorated and lit up.
To make the evening unforgettable, surprise the kids with a thermos of hot chocolate and use the last few minutes of daylight to read the kids their favourite story. Sit together on a snow couch covered with a thick wool blanket, with another one wrapped around you!
15. Play a game of search and find
Our Alaskan Search and Find map promises hours of fun. Use it while exploring your neighbourhood or on a walk in the woods. Even better, it will be your best ally on days when the kids would rather stay indoors or when most of the snow has melted and there’s not much left to do outside.
Download it and take it with you wherever you go. You can play again and again!
There are days when everyone would rather stay indoors. That’s what pajama days are for! On other days, winter provides an exceptional playground that’s just waiting to be enjoyed.
In fact, several of the activities featured can easily be adapted for the beginning or end of the season, when there’s little to no snow in your yard!
