Let’s Play Today –
10 Winter Activities for Kids and Parents

How to stay active in the winter months for KIDS and parents too!

Great for children ages two – seven!
 
snowman

  1. Polar Bears and Penguins

    Play some fun music and move around the room like animals that live in the cold.

  2. Pretend Play

    Ask your children what activities they can do outside when it snows. Create a list with pictures next to it and ACT out each activity. Example:

    • ice skating,
    • skiing,
    • sledding,
    • tossing snowballs

  3. Paper Plates

    Place paper plates on the ground and pretend they are icebergs in the sea. Ask children to swim, move, or dance around the icebergs without touching them.

  4. Ice Skate

    Pretend to put on a pair of ice skates. Ask your children to show how they might move on skates and have them each follow each other’s moves.

  5. Ice Cube Melt

    Start by asking “What items are cold?” Examples might be a refrigerator, ice cubes, or snow flakes. Next, ask them to be like a frozen ice cube, and then have them start to melt one body part at a time, and move it around, until their whole body is melted. Next, have them freeze back up again and try to melt again in a different sequence. Ask your children to suggest a body part.

  6. Snowball toss

    Recycle some paper you have lying around or use newspaper and ball it up. Have your kids toss the snowballs up in the air and then try to catch them. Practice tossing while standing up, standing on one foot, lying down, or throwing to each other.

  7. Build a Snowman

    Imagine that it’s snowing and put on pretend hat and gloves, jump through the snow, scoop it up with your arms, and pack it together in a giant ball.

  8. Bundle up and get outside!

    Kids will watch your reactions and attitude to the weather and mimic you. Grab a hat and some gloves and go outside – it’s always a great day to play!

  9. It’s freezing outside, so play FREEZE dance inside!

    Put some fun music on and invite your children to dance, jump, wiggle, and move but when the music turns off, FREEZE.

  10. Cotton Balls

    Place a bunch of snow balls (cotton balls on the floor). Give each child a straw and demonstrate blowing air through the straw to blow the snowball across the floor. After a few minutes collect the straws, put some music on and have a snow ball fight with the cotton balls. Discuss how to safely throw cotton balls (avoid a persons face, stay far enough away to avoid hitting them with their hand, etc.).

One more for fun!

Create a winter wonderland
Get active and artsy at the same time when it snows! Fill up spray bottles or squirt bottles with water and a little food color. Bundle up, and head outside. Spray around and make a work of art on the snow.
 

By Yvonne Kusters
LET’S PLAY TODAY- fitness fun for kids
WWW.LETSPLAYTODAY.ORG
 

 

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