For those of you who are knee deep in snow and feeling the winter blues it is time to put on your Sorels and head out for some winter fun! The “winter blues” are characterized by the mild depression, lack of motivation, and low energy that many people experience during this cold season.
Here are some sure fire ways to Beat The Winter Blues and have fun doing so!
Play in the Snow – grab a toboggan, throw on your winter boots and get the kids ready for the hills. Even if its just in your own backyard – the snow can be a pile of fun! Don’t forget snow ball fights, snow angels and making snowmen!
Grab your skates – head to a local outdoor rink and enjoy some skating with your family. It is fun activity that keeps you warm and is also a great form of exercise! If it is too cold for you outside, check out your local indoor inks most of them have family skate times available on the weekends. Our favorite way to spend a Saturday night is to head to our local outdoor rink- try to find ones that have lights and music (makes for a great night) Feeling like an adventure? Head to your local pond and shovel off the perfect skating rink!
Be Adventurous – remember when you were a kid, trying something new and exciting with your parents was always a treat. Why not try snowshoeing – it is a great activity and easy even for beginners. Several outdoor companies offer half and full day excursions as well as snowshoe rentals. It is a great way to get exercise and expose your children to a new adventure.
Snow Painting- This white snow getting to you?? Have some fun and get creative! All you need is a few water bottles with a squirt top, some water and food coloring and some snow. Fill each bottle with water and some food coloring and let your kids become snow artists.
Build a Snow Fort- If you have lots of snow, it can be fun to build a snow shelter like an igloo or fort,this can be done on your front lawn and provide hours of entertainment for your kids.
Keep Warm- Hibernating is great for the first week but too much of it gets boring and can lead to rangy and mischievous children! Prepare for a snow day by renting lots of new movies, stocking up on popcorn and building an indoor fort for movie night!
Tips for outdoor success! 
- Always have a backpack filled with snacks
- Bring along a large sized thermos filled with hot chocolate and marshmallows (don’t forget a couple of extra cups for the kids)
- Extra pairs of dry gloves and socks for a quick clothing change (nothing ruins a fun day outside like a pair of freezing cold wet feet)
- Kleenex or wipes on hand
- Camera ready to capture those perfect family moments
Most importantly remember that Winter is only here for a few months and though it may seem long it can also be fun! Get out and enjoy all the beauty that the Winter season has to offer.
Congratulations to Rachael L (comment #22). Please email Diane@ptpamedia.com to arrange your night out!
COMMENT BELOW ON HOW YOU BEAT THE WINTER BLUES AND YOU COULD WIN A DATE NIGHT OUT ($150 VALUE)!!
27 Responses to How to Beat the Winter Blues! Scavenger Hunt Winner!
With twin toddlers, there is not much time to let the winter blues set in! But I do like to take the girls out in their sled and cruise the local park..looking for a small hill to push them down. They love the outdoors and I get my exercise! win win!
Well I have a 3 year old and a 2 year old, I am always on my feet, and have to stay vigilant because they get into everything! We do arts and crafts and take walks when it is warm enough,also I take them to the indoor mall playground.
We love to build a winter wonderland in our back yard. We build a slide, have a fort and a fire pit. Once all built, we let our son use a spray bottle and spray colours all over the snow. When his friends come over theyreally enjoy doing it too!
At our cabin in Northern Michigan we get the woodstove blazing and run around in shorts. It gets so hot in there we have windows open to cool it off. We turn the light on overhead and “sun” in a safe light. lol
We like to spend a coupld hours playing in the snow (as long as it isn’t too cold)- making snow forts, building snow stairs and slides, sledding, etc. Then we come in for cocoa and popcorn. We all snuggle on the couch under layers of cozy blankets and watch a family movie or we play board games in front of the fire.
Well I am pregnant due the end of March and I have an 18 month old. Fortunately I am off work until the baby comes. On Tuesday’s and Thursdays mornings my husband and I take my son swimming. A weird way to beat the heat? Yes but the pool is heated and it feels so nice on my aching body. My son absolutely loves it. Our nearby community Centre has an early years program so after our swim hang out there. I love watching my son run around like crazy making little friends.
Coffee!
My son is 1 so we’ll take him sledding in our backyard if it’s not too cold and then come inside and snuggle up to get warm!
Our kids have discovered this winter that our summer toys are just as fun in the winter. They’ve spent many hours building in the backyard with shovels and sand pails.
I live in Alberta, so while the winter blues are a real threat for most of the year, there’s also lots of sunshine to go with it. So I get out there and enjoy the simple beauty of nature.
When I pick my son up from JK , we take turns throwing snow chunks at the ground. It’s not really adventurous but we have a good laugh. I’ll tell you, it makes a very satisfying splat and I don’t feel as stressed afterward!!
This year to beat the winter blues we have taken my 2 year old daughter out to build snowmen and go sledding. She could play for hours in our yard just throwing snow in the air and I love watching how much fun she is having.
I beat the winter blues by stocking up on great books for myself, and playing in the snow with my son.
My son is really too small to be out in the snow…but I just couldn’t resist when we had a big snow this year….we don’t get snow very often. So I bundled him up and we went outside for a few minutes of snow fun.
When I’m not able to bring my almost 3 yr old outside in the snow we bring some snow inside to us. Just put down plastic bags and towels in the playroom and only need to bundle up with mittens.
With a newborn in the house (only 2.5 weeks old), I haven’t got out much this winter, but my girls love to go play out in the backyard in the snow. My hubby built a snow-slide off the deck and thy’ve also discovered that our dog loves to catch snow!
We beat the winter blues by doing crafts inside. We have a cardboard house in the play room and take turns making up stories and games to play in it. And when we have a warmer day we all go sledding!
We live in a warm climate, so the weather is rarely cold enough to keep us inside for days at a time. We take our kids to playgrounds and we go on walks or ride bikes around our neighborhood several times each week. And when we are having fun in the heat but are craving the cold (especially after hearing that a lot of our family back in the Midwest is shoveling over a foot of snow), we will read wintertime stories, cut snowflakes out of scrap paper, and drink hot cocoa out on the patio!
We take the kids sledding when there is snow.
I try to get out and do things..even if it just walking around the mall
I beat the winter dogs by opening the windows as much as I can to let the light in the house. We also watch a lot of movies and plan about what we want to do for our summer trips (camping, amusement parks).
I try to beat them by lighting a nice cozy fire, drinking some hot cocoa and playing with my girls!
Great post! I have always wanted to try snowshoeing with my kids but wondered if they were too young. I am definitely going to give it a try. We beat the Winter Blues by spending as much time as we can outside. The nights get dark so early and it is temping to sit in front of the TV but we fight the urge and make the most of the Alberta winter!
Our favorite activities are cross country skiing, playing in the snow and tobogganing. If you have to endure winter you might as well enjoy it!!
We like to make snow angles. My twins are small and are just getting the concept of “stop, drop and spread your wings!”
We try to get fresh air as much as possible but it we are stuck indoors we do as many arts/crafts projects as possible.
I like to make big hearty pots of soup and stew to beat the winter blues. It always makes be feel toasty and warm.
I hit the mall with my mom and son. The mall is great for getting out in the cold Winter months. I don’t know what I would do without the malls.
I go to the movies or watch movies at home with my son. We both enjoy the time together.