By Katie Cox, MSW – January 15, 2025 –
As the temperature drops and the days get shorter, it’s tempting to avoid physical activity and stay cozy indoors. But cold weather doesn’t have to mean the end of active playtime for children.
In fact, winter presents opportunities for unique, creative ways to encourage and facilitate movement for children. Whether they are bundled up outside or busting out their best dance moves indoors, physical activity can be fun while still making a positive impact on their health. Encouraging physical activity is not only important for physical health, but it also helps to boost mood, support social and emotional wellbeing, and keep energy levels steady.
In this article we will explore exciting ideas and strategies to make sure your child stays active, engaged, and healthy all winter long!
Outdoor Adventures: Embracing the Winter Weather
While temperatures may be chilly, winter also brings a host of exciting outdoor activities that are impossible to replicate in warmer months. Outdoor play in the winter boosts vitamin D levels, strengthens the immune system, and invites children to use problem solving to explore the different conditions. Your children may enjoy playing in the snow, building snowmen, sledding, or having a classic snowball fight. These are all free activities that will not only keep your child moving but incorporate all members of the family, allowing extra time for bonding.
Indoor Activities: Staying Active When it is Just Too Cold Outdoors
When the temperatures are just too frigid for outdoor play, here are some ideas for keeping children active indoors. Dance parties are an engaging way to keep children moving. YouTube can be a great resource for this type of activity with channels such as GoNoodle and Danny Go. Another indoor option is creating obstacle courses using furniture, pillows, and blankets to create tunnels, balance beams, and jump stations for your child to race through. You can turn this activity into a challenge by using a timer to see how fast they can go.
Tips and Tricks to Encourage Engagement
The key to encouraging physical activity for children is to make it fun and engaging. They are more likely to be engaged if they are truly having fun. Some ways to make activities more engaging are to set up challenges or create goals for play. Children love to “win” and complete challenges. Some examples include challenging them to complete a certain number of jumping jacks or cartwheels or to hop on one foot for one minute. Getting the entire family involved can also boost engagement. When children see parents and siblings joining in the fun, they are more likely to stay motivated and engaged in the activity.
Beyond just burning off extra energy, staying physically active during the winter boosts endorphins, which improves mood, reduces anxiety, and helps fight off the winter blues. Physical activity has also been linked to improved focus, memory, and cognitive functioning, which can boost academic performance.
Winter doesn’t have to be a season of hibernation for children. With a little creativity and planning, physical activities can help children thrive. Whether you are embracing the cold outdoors or keeping warm inside, the winter months offer plenty of opportunities to stay active, healthy, and happy. Let’s bundle up, get moving, and make this winter your most active one yet!