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Although it is evident that regular outdoor playtime is beneficial to a child, many parents put this activity on halt during the winter. They are concerned that their child could get a cold or flu. As a parent myself, I understand it is also very tempting to stay in the comfort of a warm house, not to go through the hassle in dressing my child with multi-layers of winter cloth and remain in the cold weather. However, I recently spent some time with my children playing in the backyard, and the joy appeared on their faces are priceless.
In this guide of winter backyard activities with your kids, I will go over:
- The key benefits to a child in having outdoor playtime during winter
- The safety precautions to look out for
- Top 10 fun backyard activities during the winter
Interesting Things in this Post
Benefits of Outdoor Play in Winter
Strengthening Immune System
Parents often show concerns that their child could get a cold or flu when playing outdoors in winter. Although this could be the case if the child is not adequately dressed, staying indoor in fact cannot eliminate the chance of not getting sick.
During the winter time, there could be countless germs and bacteria that are being trapped indoors. The circulated air in a closed environment recycles merely them through vents to vents. It is crucial for a child to be able to breathe refreshing air.
Furthermore, a child could obtain a rich source of Vitamin D by just exposing themselves with a few minutes of daily sunshine. Vitamin D is a critical component to absorb calcium, which helps a child to strengthen their bones and teethes.
Being outdoor more often helps a child to develop a stronger autoimmune system. In fact, some studies suggest children living in a rural area that continually remains active outdoor have the best overall health.
Promote Physical Development
There’s a saying “if you don’t use it, then you will lose it.” Just because the weather is cold, does not mean a child’s physical development should also take a halt. There are tons of fun outdoor activities which could strengthen the muscles of a child. For example, digging up the snow, throwing snowballs, snow gliding and many more. I’ll also share some of my favorite winter outdoor activities later in this blog post.
When a child is exposed to natural daylights, it promotes their eyes’ development. Some optometrists suggest we should look at distant objects every once in awhile as this could relax our eyes. However, since snow is highly reflective of ultraviolet radiation, it is essential to wear a proper set of sunglasses or sun goggles.
Physical activities and exposure to natural daylights can also help a child in having a better sleep cycle at night.
Stimulate Creativity
If you remember the saying from the famous deceased martial art movie star, Bruce Lee, he once shared a very profound statement: “If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. If you put water into a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Be water, my friend”. Snow has similar characteristics to water, it is not rigid, and can turn into different forms and shapes. Painting on the snow, building snow castles, doing craftwork with snow are all great activities that could enlighten your child’s imagination.
Connect with Nature
The creator of the universe has beautifully designed the four different seasons on purpose. Each has its unique characteristics. A child cannot fully experience its glamour by just looking at it behind the window.
The moment children step into outdoor, they could immediately sense the fresh of cold air. By following the footprints on the snow, they would notice that animals were visiting their backyard. They could experience the peacefulness of the by admiring the view of gorgeous snow white color on top of the plants, trees, and patio.
Promote Social Development
I used to be very reluctant to go outdoors during the winter. As a result, my children spent most of the time watching TV, repeatedly watching the same cartoon show or listening to the same song over and over again. At the same time, I was putting my attention on the laptop and tablet.
On the other hand, when I spent time with my children playing in the backyard, we immediately disconnected ourselves from all digital devices. We direct our attention back to one another, and this is the moment we could finally have some quality bonding time.
There is no reason for your child to play alone in the snow. You could invite their friends over to join the fun. By playing with different children, your kid could learn how to share and co-work with others.
Winter Safety Tips for Kids
When is Too Cold to Have Outdoor Winter Play?
Although we want our children to have fun, we should never neglect their safety. Before bringing a child to have backyard playtime during winter, it is vital to check the outdoor temperature. According to the article from Metro, “Guide for when it’s too cold for kids to play outdoors” [1]https://www.metro.us/lifestyle/guide-for-when-it-s-too-cold-for-kids-to-play-outdoors/tmwlap—9azlv0lyhh3qm
- Windchill: 32°F and up: It’s safe to play outside.
- Windchill: 13° to 31°F: Be cautious.
- Windchill: Below 13°F: It’s unsafe for outdoor play.
Consider taking an indoor break for every 20 to 30 minutes.
How Should We Dress a Child for Outdoor Winter Playtime?
I did some researches online, and many recommended to dress a child in layers of clothing. This method helps to keep their body heat close to them. From the article in Fix.com, “Bundle Up and Get Outside: Why Kids Should Play Outdoors in Winter.”
[2]https://www.fix.com/blog/keep-kids-playing-outdoors-in-winter/, its author suggested dressing a child in three layers of clothing.
Base Layer:
Start with a thin layer of polyester T-shirt that snug to the body. The polyester fabric can wick the moisture away from the skin while keeping the child dry and warm. You should avoid material such as cotton. When your child is actively playing, it could leave your child’s skin wet and chilled.
Some sellers claim their T-shirt to be made of polyester. When you read their labels or online sales description carefully, some are made with combined materials. For example, 50% polyester and 50% cotton. I would avoid buying those merchandise and shop only the ones that are 100% polyester.
Middle Layer:
It is an insulating layer meant to keep warm, dry air close to the body. You could consider fabric such as fleece or polyester or wool.
For this layer of clothing, it is necessary to be long-sleeves. I typically would choose a long-sleeves 100% polyester zipper closure jacket. They are also the ones my child would wear when they first get off their bed in the morning.
Both the base and middle layers need to be washed very frequently due to body sweat. To reduce my workload, it is crucial these clothing are machine washable.
Outer layer:
I prefer to dress my children in an entire set of snowsuit as if they were going to ski. Since they would be sitting on the snow or even laying on it to create snow angel, jeans alone indeed won’t be adequate. A pair of good quality snow pants would be a necessity.
How to Keep a Child’s Hands Warm in Winter?
Since your child will be very hands-on when playing with snow, they will need a good quality pair of mittens. I prefer mittens over gloves. Gloves are worn with fingers separated with one another, while mittens do not. It is evident that more body heat can be contained when the tiny fingers are close together.
The mitts must be water resistant and windproof. Having a knit wrist cuff can hold the mittens firmly in position and prevent snows from going inside.
How to Keep a Child’s Feet Warm?
When choosing a good pair of snow boots for my children, once again, it needs to be waterproof. I would pick one that has either a drawstring uses for tightening or a zipper closure on the side.
These designs are important as it would be very unpleasant to a child if snow gets into their boots when playing. I would also go for boots with good grips at the bottom to prevent slipping.
Of course, don’t forget to cover your child’s feet with a good pair of socks. Thicker socks do not always mean warmer. In fact, your child does not need a pair over-thick socks when they are already wearing thick snow boots.
You just need to make the correct type of fabric. It should be non-cotton. Wool is a fantastic material which can pull the foot moisture away from the skin, then repel the water into the air.
How to Prevent Snow Blindness?
Please keep in mind that snow is highly reflective of ultraviolet radiation. Without proper eye protection, a child could result in snow blindness. It is essential they wear an appropriate set of sunglasses or sun goggles when playing outdoors during the winter.
I would choose a pair that provides UV eye protection. It has to be lightweight so that a child does not feel uncomfortable wearing it. Having an eyewear rope can reduce the chance of losing it.
Children could be playing in a very rough matter especially when they are playing with one another. The materials need to be very durable with super toughness. It helps to prevent the child’s eyes and facial injuries.
Winter Hat with Neck Warmer
Last but not least, hat and neck warmer (affiliate link) are both necessity items to keep your child warm. According to the article, “Myths and Tips About Dressing for Winter” from the University of Rochester Medical Center [3]https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?ContentTypeID=1&ContentID=696, children lose more heat through their head than adults. This situation is due to the ratio of their head to body’s surface area.
Even as an adult, whenever I go outdoor without them during the winter, I would quickly get a headache or result in a cough for weeks. It is essential to find a hat that is windproof.
I would recommend a neck warmer over a long scarf. It is a lot easier to wear, and it wouldn’t get loose like a scarf when the child is actively playing. The set needs to be windproof, soft and comfortable for a child to wear.
Other Cold-Weather Clothing Tips
Although it is important to dress in staying warm, your child should not be overdressed which result in getting too hot and sweaty. In fact, the moisture produced would make a child cold. You should dress your child with just the right number of layers with high-quality items. Picking the proper fabrics of clothing is essential.
Do not wear clothing that is too tight, as this could restrict the child’s blood circulation and mobility. As a rule of thumb, you should dress your child in one more layer of clothing than an adult.
How to Handle if a Child Develop Hypothermia or Frostbite?
Although we would do our best to protect our child, accidents can still happen, below are some tips I found from an article from the American Academy of Pediatrics, [4]https://www.aap.org/en-us/about-the-aap/aap-press-room/news-features-and-safety-tips/Pages/Winter-Safety-Tips.aspx
When a child has prolonged exposure to cold temperatures without proper clothing or when the clothes get wet, Hypothermia can be developed. Symptoms may include shivering, slurred speech or becoming clumsy and lethargic. In severe cases, there could be a dangerous drop in body temperature. Should that happens, you should call for medical emergency. Before help arrives, keep the child indoor and take off any wet clothing, and wrap the child in warm clothes or blankets.
Another condition that may be developed is Frostbite. It is an injury caused by freezing of the skin and underlying tissues. The common areas of Frostbite are ears, nose, fingers, and toes. One could notice them as those body parts become gray, pale or even blistered. Another symptom may include the feeling of skin burns or numbness. Should that occur, you should bring your child indoors immediately. Put the frostbitten parts in warm water, remember, NOT hot. You could then apply some clean washcloths to the frostbitten areas. However, do Not rub the frozen areas. Afterward, cover the child with dry and warm blankets.
If the discomfort persists, you should bring your child to a doctor.
Our Top 10 Favorite Winter Backyard Activities
We have covered the benefits of outdoor play and how to dress a child during winter. Now, it’s the time to go over what are some fun activities we could do with our children. Some of them are more traditional than others, while some are very creative.
1. Create Ice Toys
Creating frozen toys is one of my favorite activities with my children. It is easy to make, and kids certainly love them. You just pour water into the ice molds tray which has the shapes or cartoon characters that your child love. To make it more appealing, you could add a few drops of food coloring. Then you merely leave it in the backyard overnight.
If the temperature is low enough, your child should be able to see their ice toys the next day. However, the toys are just for playing, and not for eating. I also wouldn’t reuse the ice mold for actual foods.
2. Build a Snow Man
This is a classic outdoor winter game. Kids love to build a snowman especially after watching the Disney cartoon, Frozen. My kids typically would decorate the snowman with some of the old clothing such as scarf and hat. They would also use some of their toys (i.e., plastic carrot, Legos) as the facial figures. Sometimes I find it difficult to make the snowman in a round shape. Therefore, I would use an old soccer ball and a basketball as the core of the snowman. Then my children would stick layers of snow on them.
3. Painting on the Snow
It is a fabulous outdoor winter activity. It stimulates the imagination of a child. Their creativity is no longer restricted to a piece of drawing paper. They could draw a butterfly on the snow, face painting their snowman, decorate their snow castle or even color the snowballs.
I would choose a paint that is easily washable and non-toxic. Even when the color gets on a child’s clothing or snow pants, it does not require too much effort to clean it up.
4. Throwing Snow Balls
This is a highly active game, where children can get a lot of exercises. It uses the muscles of their arms, waist, and legs. It also sharpens their aiming skills.
However, I do not suggest throwing snowballs among one another. There are already many tragic incidents where children got injured from this. Instead, I would spray some targets with color paint on different items in my backyard. For example, on the trees, fences, walls of the house (just make sure there’s no glass window on it). Kids could throw the snowballs to the target and see who score the most points.
5. Bubbles Freezing
I’m sure many parents have tried blowing bubbles with their kids during the summer, but have you tried that in the winter? Below is a short video of bubbles freezing filmed in Arvada, Colorado at the temperature 16 F. Your child will be amused how beautiful frozen bubbles can be.
6. Snow Maze & Treasure Hunt
If you have a good sized backyard, and there is enough snow, you could consider creating a snow maze! Simply shovel different paths for the children to explore.
Hide different objects along the path for the children to discover. Of course, you should place something that is more colorful and not too difficult to be spotted.
To make this game even more fun, turn this into a mission. For example, the children are getting to the end of the maze to save an endangered animal. Place a picture or a toy of an endangered animal at the finished line, and use this as a chance to educate your child about how to protect them.
7. Build an Igloo
Every kid wants a secret place they could hide and play, an Igloo in the backyard would be a perfect choice. To build it, you will need a shovel, bucket of water, waterproof gloves and lots of snow.
I’ve read online where some people would use running water from a host in the backyard. However, to my understanding, the outdoor valve needs to be turned off during the winter, or else, the ice expansion would damage the water pipe. Therefore, I’ll just bring a bucket of water from indoor to my backyard. Map out where you want to build it, start constructing the walls with snow and water, curve it and build the entrance. Then here’s the Igloo for your kid!
For safety reason, you should make sure the Igloo is solid enough. Always supervisor the children while they are playing within it.
8. Bonfire on the Snow
Weather is chilling, having a cup of hot chocolate while sitting beside a campfire would be a fantastic experience for your kids.
I would start off by choosing a high quality backyard fire pit (affiliate link). Pick one that could generate a right amount of heat, but not a lot of smoke. An efficient burn design can reduce the number of firewood required.
I would avoid placing it directly on the grass, as this might damage the lawn. Place the fire pit on a stone flat surface, perhaps put a couple of pavers underneath it. Then I would put firewood into the fire pit, light it with few firestarters. Consider picking wood products that are eco-friendly and safe for cooking foods (i.e., Marshmallows, BBQ).
Once again, safety always comes first.
- I would not try this with kids that are too young or cannot take instruction properly. Even for older children, an adult should be the one who handles the bonfire.
- Place the campfire far away from the house, deck, trees or shed, basically anything that I do not want to get on fire. I want to have fun with my kids, but not at the expense of burning my home.
- Some treated wood products or starters might contain chemicals that are unsafe for food cooking. Make sure to read their labels about the safety of it.
- Different countries or insurance companies could have their regulations when it comes to starting a bonfire in the backyard, make sure you comply with their rules.
9. Feed the birds
Feeding the birds could be a joyful experience to enjoy with your kids. It is an excellent way to nurture a child’s love for animals.
During a snowy winter, it would be difficult for birds to find their natural foods such as fruits and insects. They mostly would be thrived on seeds.
You just install a bird feeder in your backyard. Choose one that could keep seeds dry, easy to assemble and clean. Most importantly, it needs to be sturdy enough to withstand winter weather.
Having a variety of foods could attract different kinds of birds. Black oil sunflower seeds, suet, peanuts, Nyjer, fruit, millet, salt, seed mixes are all good food choices to feed the birds.
Here’s our “Guide to Backyard Bird Feeding”
10. Snow Tubing
It is an exciting activity to do with a child. If your backyard has some slope, that would be perfect. Even if not, you could always pile up a hill of snow where your child could slide from. Then you could shovel a sliding track within your backyard.
However, you don’t want your kid get injured by bumping into the fences at full speed. As it gets near the end of the track, you should pile up some snow which slopes inward toward the runway. The backward slope could help reducing the speed. In order words, the entire track would be a tilted “U” shape.
Choose a durable snow tube that is big enough for your child to sit on top. I prefer snow tube that has the towable feature. It could become handy for a small child that just begin to explore sliding on a relatively flat surface.
For safety reason, a child should always wear proper protective equipment. For example, helmets, goggles, other body protection apparel when sliding.
Start off with a mini-slope first. Test out with other objects on the snow tube before your child gets on it. Make sure it won’t hit other objects in the backyard such as trees or fences.
My Final Thought About Winter Backyard Activities
Beside the winter activities mentioned above, I also would like to try camping in the backyard, and creating an ice rink for my daughters. But there are so many thing we would like to try together, it would be difficult to list them all in an article.
Even though winter is cold, there is really no need to ask your child to stay indoors for the entire season. With the right dressing and precaution, your child could have fun outdoor while remaining physically active. Playing in the backyard helps to disconnect from all the distraction from electronic devices. It is also a great way to spend quality time in bonding with your child.
P.S: If the region you are living in does not have snow, here’s another post I wrote which covers “Fun things to do in winter without snow”. Hope you’ll enjoy it too.
Disclaimer: This content of this website is for general information, and do not intend to provide any specific advice. Although I’m trying my best in providing accurate information, I cannot guarantee they are error-free. Information displayed on this website could be subjected to change. For any medical-related question, you should always consult with your family doctor. For product related question, you should consult with the actual manufacturer.
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Jacob is a father of two daughters. He loves spending quality time with them in the backyard. Playing sports, blowing bubbles, and planting are some the favorite activities Jacob and his daughters like to do together. He believes it is essential to spend quality time with them while they are still young.
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