The winter weather might be frightful…but it’s time to grab your winter warmers and head outside for some fun outdoor winter activities with the kids.
Don’t let the brisk winter chill put you off taking the children outdoors! Outdoor play is extremely important for a child’s development – as it enhances their physical activity, mental wellbeing, independence and creativity. Winter is the perfect time to explore new and unique outdoor learning opportunities, so we have put together a list of un-brr-lievable outdoor winter play activity ideas for early years to excite and delight.
Top 8 Outdoor Winter Activities for Kids:
1. Go on a Scavenger Hunt
It’s time to spot the signs of winter! Print out our FREE Winter Scavenger Hunt spotter sheet and head outside on an exciting winter adventure trail to see how many winter items you can find on the list. From squirrels and robins to pine cones and evergreen trees, there are lots of different things to spot during the wonderful winter months. This activity would be great for forest school, for days out beyond the classroom and also makes a great weekend activity.
2. Create Large Art Masterpieces
Let’s get creative! Take your art activities outdoors with our Outdoor Mark Making Kit. Get the little ones to make bigger brush strokes to use their larger muscle groups and build those gross motor skills. This fabulous outdoor making kit has everything you need to create large scale masterpieces. Children should experience learning, playing and creating outdoors no matter the weather. If it’s cold outside just make sure you are all wrapped up warm!
3. Blow Bubbles
Is it really cold? Then try blowing Bubbles outside to see how frost patterns form on them. Blow the bubbles next to a cold surface so that they don’t break in the air, and use a Bubble Wand to catch them! Children will love to see the impact of the temperature on the bubbles they blow.
4. Decorate a Tree Outside
It’s time to get festive! Get the little ones to create their very own Christmas Tree Decorations and then take them outside to decorate a tree outdoors for Christmas. Decorating a tree outdoors will mostly likely be a new experience for them and will spark curiosity and excitement!
5. Go on a Bear Hunt
Winter is the ideal time for a brisk woodland walk, so why not incorporate stories to make your walks even more exciting? We’re Going On A Bear Hunt is perfect for getting the children’s imaginations racing and get them enjoying being outside and on a wintery walk!
6. Create an obstacle course
A great way to keep children moving and warm in the cold Winter weather is an Obstacle Course! Encourage children to design their own course based on their abilities and allow them to be creative! Obstacle courses encourage physical activity and use gross motor skills that are fantastic for children’s development.
7. Create a Winter themed Tuff Tray
Oh no… There has been an extreme freeze and everything has been frozen!
Try freezing natural resources like flowers and pine cones or even small world figures like Polar Animal Figures and presenting them on a Tuff tray for children to “rescue” are trapped inside ice cubes on your Tuff Tray. How will you save them? (Tip: use Food Colouring to dye the ice for an additional sensory touch!)
8. Build a snowman
Do you want to build a snowman? Come on lets go and play
An age old activity – children love to build their own snowman and give them characteristics and a personality – what will you call your snowman?
Don’t forget to let us know how you get on with our Winter Scavenger Hunt and Outdoor Winter Activities on our Facebook Page or Instagram and use the hashtag #ExploreWithEYR!
