Getting Outside with your Kids in the Cold Winter Months (plus a free guide!)

The hardest time of the year for most stay-at-home and homeschool mamas is the wintertime. Cold temperatures, snow gear, and darker days make it hard to get outside. But contrary to our instinct of staying inside, getting out in the wintertime will positively impact your mood. Here are some tips for getting outside with your kids in the wintertime.

1. Assess Your Situation

Everyone has a need to spend time outside. The benefits of getting outside have been extensively researched and this is especially true for children. We as mamas desperately need to get outside too and we often forget to prioritize it. However, each family has their own unique needs. You may be facing some health challenges, or a difficult season of life that prevents you from spending much time outside. I personally find it very hard to get outside when I have a newborn. Take stock of your needs and the needs of your children. Spending time outside may look like just a few minutes for you, or you may have the capacity to be outside for several hours.

I have 4 children now and my older kids are very independent outside. I can send them out without me when needed, but to get fresh air for myself I often spend at least a half-hour with them outside. In the past, I’ve taken older babies outside to nap in a pack n’ play, a practice that is very common in Nordic countries. (Side note: I have only done this with a well-dressed baby when the temperature was above 40 degrees. Please use your own discretion when deciding if an outside nap is best for your baby.) Get creative in discovering ways you can make it outside to enjoy the fresh air alongside your children!

2. Dress for the Weather

There is nothing worse than cold fingers or frost-bitten ears. Before heading out in the wintertime, make sure everyone has adequate winter clothes to wear. My son will oftentimes ask to come inside after being out for only 10 minutes. The issue is that he doesn’t wear sufficiently warm clothing. Usually, I have him put a bigger coat on over his jacket and he’s good to get back outside. Little ones cannot retain heat as well as adults can, so it is especially important for them to be bundled well. Some of our favorite cold-weather gear comes from brands like L.L.Bean (this snowsuit has been the MVP for all of our babies), Smartwool, Columbia, and Bogs.

Living in northern NH where winters are cold and long, we don’t skimp on quality when it comes to outside gear. It is well worth the investment, and can oftentimes be found in local thrift stores, purchased as Christmas gifts, or passed on second-hand to help with the cost.

A note on a mamas sanity- Getting little ones dressed for outside time can be utterly exhausting, especially if you have more than one child. Truly, I see you in this. There are days when I simply don’t have the energy to wrestle a snowsuit onto a 1 year old. This is where I urge you to assess your own family’s needs. Is it worth the hassle to get some fresh air outside? I think it is most of the time, but I encourage you to exercise your own judgement. If fighting to put the snow gear on is going to greatly impact the peace of your home then… skip it! Give yourself grace for the capacity you have for the day. Open a window for a few minutes to let fresh air in and allow your kiddos to run amuck in the basement to let off energy. Remember, this is only a season. Winter doesn’t last forever and your kids wont be this little for long!

3. Find Activities You Love

One of the biggest downfalls I think many families have in the wintertime is neglecting to embrace the season. If you live in a place that experiences wintertime, odds are good that you can engage in some winter activities. Finding an outside activity that your entire family enjoys doing together will motivate you to get out in the winter. Here are a few basic ideas to get you brainstorming, but if you’d like more, scroll to the bottom of this post to grab my free guide of 50 fun outdoor activities! With activities that can be done in your own backyard, as well as larger adventures, you can be sure to find something to interest your kids in getting outside.

Common winter activities:
-Sledding
-Skiing
-Snowboarding
-Ice Skating
-Snowshoeing
-Winter hiking (with ice cleats!)
-Ice fishing

Our family personally loves to ski. It is an activity that my husband did growing up, and learning to ski from him was a major part of our dating relationship. Don’t be afraid to try something new! I never would have imagined I’d love skiing as much as I do. Now, we teach our children as young as 2 years old how to love skiing. Find friends that share an outdoor interest or do some research on a winter activity you’d like to take up. Looking forward to getting out and doing something you love will increase your motivation to be outside in the cold weather.

4. Gather with Others

One of the easiest ways to get outside is to create community and accountability. If you make plans to get outside together with a friend and her children, it will be much more enjoyable. As moms, we can feel so isolated in our day to day life. The ability to look over at another mama and know that you’re in this together is incredibly powerful. Reach out to another mama who might also be stuck inside this winter and challenge each other to get outside! Choose a park to meet up or simply invite her over for some outside playtime followed by cozy hot cocoa. The more simple the plan, the better.

5. Embrace the Season

Winter can feel so very long, and the lack of sunshine can be quite depressing. But there is a stillness that exists in winter; a sense of wonder we can find as the snowflakes fall upon the quiet earth. Approach the season with a childlike wonder. Embrace the cold, crisp air. There is something to be gained in slowing our minds and hearts and listening to what each season has to offer us. I hope you and your children find many wonderful adventures out in the fresh falling snow this season!

What are your favorite activities to do in the winter? Share with me in the comments!