Getting kids outside during the winter

Cold temperatures and snowy school yards make it more of a challenge to get kids outside. Getting outside during the winter months can be well worth it though! Below are some fun ways to get children outside in the snow connecting with nature!

Themed winter nature walk ideas:

• Pretend to be different animals walking through the snow
•  Build animals out of snow 
• Shape walk
• Sound walk
• Paint the snow with spray bottles and food coloring

Animals in winter discussion/thinking ideas:

How do animals live outside in the winter? How do they walk? What do they eat? How do they find water/what do they drink? Where do they sleep? How do they stay warm? (Follow up with a study based on children’s answers/interest).

Outside Activity Links

Outdoor winter snow kitchen

http://www.sunhatsandwellieboots.com/2013/01/snow-kitchen-outdoor-play.html

Snow Day: colored snow

http://www.teachpreschool.org/2012/02/snow-scientists-at-play/

Colored Ice “rocks” (would be a fun way to explore color wheel)

http://hurrayic.blogspot.com/2008/02/colored-glass-tutorial-for-kids.html

Make snow critters

http://www.babble.com/home/9-fun-snow-activities-for-the-whole-family/

Build a Snowman for the birds

http://www.birdsandblooms.com/blog/build-a-snowman-for-the-birds/

Craft Ideas

Snowman Snow Measurer

http://blog.playdrhutch.com/2013/01/30/diy-snowman-snow-measurer/

Snack

Tortilla Snowflakes

http://nurturestore.co.uk/tortilla-snowflakes

Books

Bancroft, H. 1997. Animals in Winter. HarperCollins Children's Books.

Barasch, L. 1993. A Winter Walk. Ticknor & Fields.

Berger, M. 1995. What Do Animals Do in Winter?: How Animals Survive the Cold. Ideals Publications.

Brett, J. 1996. The Mitten. Penguin Group.

Butler, M.C. 2006. One Winter's Day. Good Books.

Cole, J. 1973. Plants in Winter. Harpercollins.

Denslow, S.P. 2005. In the Snow. HarperCollins Children's Books.

Dixon, A. 2002. Winter Is. Alaska Northwest Books.

Evans, L. 2002. Winter: An Alphabet Acrostic. Houghton Mifflin Company.

Finnegan, M.P. 2002. Winter: Signs of the Season around North America. Capstone Press.

George, J.C. 2001. Winter Moon. HarperCollins Publishers.

Gerber, C., and L. Evans. 2009. Winter Trees. Charlesbridge Publishing, Inc.

Glaser, L. 2002. It's Winter. Millbrook Press.

Good, E.W. 1994. White Wonderful Winter! Good Books.

Lawlor, E.P. 1998. Discover Nature in Winter: Things to Know and Things to Do. Stackpole Books.

McDonnell, J. 1993. Winter: Tracks in the Snow. Scholastic Library Publishing.

Moore, E. 2005. The Magic School Bus Sleeps for the Winter. Scholastic, Inc.

National Geographic Society. 1997. Animals In Winter. National Geographic Children's Books.

Pascoe, E. 2000. How and why Animals Prepare for Winter. Creative Teaching Press, Incorporated.

Sams, C.R. 2000. Stranger in the Woods: A Photographic Fantasy. Sams, Carl, R. II, Photography.

Sayre, A.P. 1998. Home at Last: A Song of Migration. Henry Holt & Company, Incorporated.

Seuling, B. 2002. Winter Lullaby. Harcourt Children's Books.

Stewart, M., and C. R. Bergum. 2009. Under the Snow. Peachtree Publishers, Ltd.

Wildsmith, B. 1991. Animal Seasons. Oxford University Press.