10 fun Winter activities for your children to try (away from their devices!)

• Posted on 4 November 2021
• By Josephine Walbank
• Posted in 1000hoursoutside, children's outdoor furniture, ecofriendly, education, explore, Garden, independent, outdoor play area, outdoorplay
• 0

Winter doesn’t mean that you have to stay indoors. There are loads of fun things to do outside. To inspire you we’ve used this blog post to list our 10 favourite things to do in the Winter as a family. This includes everything from cosy hot chocolate making to a classic snowball fight. All with no devices in sight!  

During the Summer, finding things to do as a family is a piece of cake! When the sun is shining, all you need to do is head to a park, and the kids will find hours of fun simply running around in the fresh air. 

But what about the Winter months, when the days are short, the weather’s rubbish and it’s bitterly cold? 

The automatic response may be to spend the day indoors and settle on the sofa for a few hours watching TV or playing video games. But we say, where’s the fun in that!? 

Just because it’s Winter, it doesn’t mean that you have to accept boredom and days doing nothing indoors. Quite the contrary, there are loads of fun things that you and the family can get up to, which you can only enjoy at this time of year. 

So, to inspire your Winter calendar, we’ve used this blog post to list our 10 favourite things to do in the Winter as a family. This includes everything from cosy hot chocolate making to classics like snowball fights, all with no devices in sight!  

Keep reading for enough fun activity ideas to last you all Winter long. 

• Have a snowball fight

You can’t go through Winter without at least one snowball fight. 

Split the family into teams (or go one-and-one) and then chase each other across the garden, pelting snowballs. 

• Make a luxury hot chocolate

On a freezing day, there’s no better feeling than heading back into the warm and curling up by the fire with a mug of hot chocolate. 

To take this Winter tradition up another level, we suggest making a delicious luxury hot chocolate. 

We particularly love this recipe from Olive Magazine, which uses dark chocolate and single cream to create a rich and indulgent hot chocolate - perfect for Winter evenings with the family. 

• Make a bonfire outside

Winters and bonfires are a match made in heaven. It’s a wonderfully simple family activity, which is full of fun.
 

It might sound a little daunting, but putting together a small bonfire in the garden is very safe - so long as you choose a spot with nothing else around it, and you carefully put it out afterwards. 

We love this guide by Instructables, which provides simple step by step instructions for you to follow.

• Go stargazing 

Young or old, you can’t help but be captivated by the beauty of the night sky. 

You can stargaze all year round, but Winter is definitely the best time of year to do it. This is because the sky looks brighter and clearer in Winter, so you can see stars much better. 

So wrap up warm, head outside and see how many constellations you can spot. 

• Go on a walk through the forest

The great outdoors is particularly beautiful during the Wintertime. 

Everything looks crisp, clean and completely tranquil. Visit the forest when it’s snowing to really make the most out of the season’s beauty.

And when you go, be sure to bring our Beginner’s guide to identifying trees with you!   

• Knit a blanket 

Although it may look complicated, knitting is actually a super simple craft. It’s just the thing for a cold and rainy day. You could even knit together and work on a few squares each before sewing them together into one large blanket. 
 

This craft will last you all Winter long, and it’s the perfect way to engage your child’s creative brain.

• Go sledging 

As kids, we always went sledging, our grandparents went when they were little, and our kids love it just as much as we did. 
 

So grab your sledge, find a tall hill and spend hours of fun racing each other down it.

• Try bird spotting 

On a clear day, see what birds you can spot visiting your garden. 

To help you look out for the birds, and to identify which birds have come to say hello, have a read through our bird watching guide. 

• Build a den

If you can’t go outside for a climb and a scramble, why not bring the fun inside? 
 

Den building is a firm favourite amongst kids. You could use sofa cushions, chairs, bean bags, curtains, table cloths, rugs - whatever you’ve got on hand. Get your kids to engage their practical solving skills and build a majestic fort in your living room.

• Paint in the snow 

We all know never to eat yellow snow, but with this craft, you can actually encourage your kids to colour the snow!
 

All you need to do is get a few old water bottles, then fill them with water and a few drops of different food colourings. Give them a shake, and label each one with its colour. 

Then, your children can squirt the water on the snow to paint all sorts of coloured pictures.

And remember, it’s so important that we all take care of ourselves this Winter. The reduction of sunlight and time outdoors can have a knock-on effect on our moods (both adults and children alike). 

By spending time outdoors, playing and engaging in quality time with their loved ones, your child will be just as healthy and happy as they were in the sunny Summer months. 

We hope that you enjoyed our round-up of the best Winter activities for kids. 

At Mini Beee, we believe that many of life’s biggest lessons can be learnt in the garden.

Through play, exploration and discovery, a child can learn about the world around them, while developing life-long personal skills. If you want to foster this outdoorsy, imaginative enthusiasm in your child, have a look through our range of eco-conscious outdoor furnishings. 

If you have any ideas to add to our list, be sure to leave them in the comments below - we’d love to hear your family’s favourite winter activities.