There are beautiful aspects to every season, but let’s face it – winters in this part of the world can be particularly unbearable! Here are some fun indoor and outdoor activities to keep both children and parents entertained once the temperature drops.

Even though it will get cold, and there will be snow, – possibly an astronomical amount of snow – winter has the potential to allow both parents and children to be active and even have some fun.

Embrace the Season
On a sunny winter’s day, take the whole family outside to enjoy nature and the beautiful scenery. Your children may not know how to skate or ski, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the season’s activities. Anyone can try snowshoeing and it’s an affordable activity to boot. You don’t even need to go very far. There are several locations in Laval that are great for snowshoeing, like Centre de la Nature, or the Montmorency Forest, to name a couple.

Children love to run around in the snow, so why not try a scavenger hunt? Hide some objects under the snow throughout the backyard or at a local park and watch as the kids run around trying to find them.

If your children love sports and competition, paint a bull’s-eye target on a piece of cardboard (preferably a plasticized piece of cardboard) and draw some coloured rings around it, assigning each ring a point value. Pin the target to a tree and watch as the children build some snowballs and attempt to hit the target.

Make Life Indoors More Exciting
Despite our best efforts, there are some winter days when it’s best not to venture outdoors at all. Blistering snowstorms can have you confined to your home for days but that doesn’t mean you have to sit in front of the TV and do the same old thing every day.

On days like these, there’s no better excuse to get the kids into cooking. Offer them the opportunity to help you in making their favourite dessert, like apple or pumpkin pie or chocolate muffins. With the promise of their favourite snacks at the end of it, any child will have enough motivation to participate.

Another great activity that can be fun for the whole family is arts and crafts. Pull out some paper, scissors, and a few paintbrushes and have them draw out and decorate winter-themed designs, like snowflakes, snowmen, or Holiday decorations. You can even place the finished work on the windows for all to see. Children love to see their work on display.

Keep Children Moving
It’s important for children to get enough physical activity and winter can sometimes slow them down – just as it can for adults. Whether indoors or out, a homemade obstacle course is a fantastic way to keep the kids away from screens and moving all day long. Tell them the floor or ground is lava and watch them hop around trying to get across the room. Use household items to build your obstacle course and make it more challenging as you go along.

Remember to include your children in deciding which activities to play. They may come up with something pretty wacky, but unique and lots of fun at the same time. Kids are full of energy and creative ideas. You never know what they may come up with. Between these ideas and theirs, you just might make it through the bitterly cold winter up ahead.