Living in Ohio means putting up with low temperatures in the winter, but you won’t even notice Jack Frost nipping at your nose if you are busy having fun. If you are getting cabin fever from being inside all winter, try some of these fun outdoor activities. One of my favorite things to do outside in the winter is go sledding. If you chose a place to sled with really tall hills or ramps, then this can be a very exciting and thrilling activity.. If you prefer a more relaxing and safe activity, you can still go sledding – just chose somewhere with smaller hills, like a yard in your neighborhood.
A winter picnic might sound like an oxymoron, but it can be fun if you’re bundled up with lots of blankets and thermoses of hot chocolate and soup.
Bird watching is also a great winter activity. Make your own birdfeeder out of pine cones, peanut butter, and bird seed. Birds of bright colors (think of the Cardinal) look beautiful against the white snow. Keep a list of the birds you see at your home and compare it year over year. My father and I have a list that dates back almost 10 years.
An intense snow ball fight with teams is a great way to get outside and enjoy the brisk winter weather. You can make snowmen or even a snow family. If the weather is too cold, have a snowball fight inside. You and your children can have hours of entertainment with pretend snowballs — all the fun of snow without the wet and cold. Made of a soft, textured material, they even feel crunchy like a snowball!
Igloos are fun to build and play in. If it stayscold, your snow fort will last for weeks.
Speaking of cold, once the temperature gets below 32 degrees, here’s a whole new twist on blowing bubbles. Go outside the next time it is bitter cold and watch the bubbles turn to ice as soon as you blow them. You can mix water and food color and put it in a bottle and spray paint the snow in your yard. Add the snow family, igloo and ice bubbles and your yard becomes your canvas.
So don’t stay inside all day – get out there and enjoy the winter!
