Safe winter activities for kids

By Brittany Stuckless

Posted on January 3, 2022

In most Canadian provinces, winters last a long time. After New Year’s Day, many families can start to feel the winter blues as they wait for spring. Not only that, but kids heading back to school after the holidays may feel bored in January and February. Many newcomer families may not be aware of all of the fun winter activities they can enjoy.

Instead of letting your kids rely on electronics and watching tv, why not show them that the winter season can be fun? Let’s check out some safe winter activities kids can experience while they wait for spring!

Skating

Kids can learn to skate safely in arenas, outdoor skating rinks, and even fully frozen ponds and lakes. They can also choose to learn with figure skates or hockey skates, depending on their interests. Make sure you keep your eye on your kids while they’re learning. You should also give them protective gear, like a well-fitted helmet.

Skating rinks are plentiful throughout the country. Some of the most popular rinks include Lake Louise in Alberta, The Forks in Manitoba, Emera Oval in Nova Scotia, and the Dufferin Grove ice rink in Toronto, Ont. Rural towns also have arenas and smaller ponds that people use for skating. No matter where you’re living, you should be able to find a safe skating rink in your area.

Snow tubing and sliding

If your kids feel a little down and bored during the January and February months, why not take them on a sliding adventure? Canadian Tire has many plastic saucer sleds that kids can use to slide down the first snowy hill you can find. Make sure you bundle them up in a snowsuit, gloves, a hat, and mittens before taking them sliding.

Check out this article, published by the Toronto Sun, on the best snow tubing spots in Canada.

Building a snowman

Your kids can have a lot of fun in the winter without having to go too far from home. After a big snowfall, you can get them bundled up on a weekend afternoon and send them outside to build a snowman. Assuming the snow lasts for a while, the snowman will remind your kids how much fun they had! To add to the experience, give them an old scarf, hat, carrot nose, and any other accessories that will make their snowman memorable.

Building snow forts

Similar to building a snowman, many kids enjoy building snow forts with dense snow. Forts can have multiple levels, fun designs, and last for a long time! Since they’re hanging out in the snow, the fort can make your kids forget how cold they are, so make sure you bundle them up. You can even make some hot chocolate with marshmallows when they’re ready to come inside.

Skiing

Skiing may seem like more of an adult activity, but kids can safely learn to ski too. Most ski resorts in Canada have small “bunny hills” that let kids learn the basics of skiing. Check out this article on bunny hills, sometimes called bunny slopes, for even more information on how they work.

A family ski trip is a great way to get your kids out of the post-holiday and back-to-school blues.

Here is a list of the most popular ski resorts in Canada. From Marble Mountain in Newfoundland to Whistler in British Columbia, many provinces have a ski resort. Ontario also has Blue Mountain, and Québec has Mont-Tremblant. Most major ski resorts have bunny hills equipped with instructors that will help your kids learn the basics of skiing.