Playing in the Snow: Benefits and Ideas

There is something magical about the snow. It blankets the world in beauty and has this way of making you feel happy. There is something about snow that makes kids want to go out and play while making their parents feel like kids again themselves. Playing in the snow is not only fun, but it is also beneficial.

Ela Wild, back here with another installment of “What Nature Can Teach Us”. I know I’m quite late on this one. Usually, I post on the first of the month, but with the holidays and all sorts of craziness I got a little behind. It might be more than halfway through this month, but I have a new subject and that is SNOW! This is all about the benefits of playing in the snow and some ideas to help you start.

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Benefits of Playing in the Snow

During the winter it is so easy to just cuddle up indoors under a blanket and stay warm. It is so comfortable and I love spending time this way. However, for my children, they need to get outside to play, grow and learn. Honestly, I need time outside too.

Winter can be a hard time emotionally. Without sunlight, without vitamin D, it is easy to fall into a little cycle of negativity in winter. You and your kids can get cabin fever and just need to let off some steam. That is why I find that it is so important to get outdoors in the winter. Just bundle up and you’ll be fine!

IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT PLAYING IN THE SNOW

Kids should wear one more layer of clothes than you would wear. Use common sense and don’t play in extreme cold and watch for signs of frostbite and hypothermia.

Last month’s Ela Wild post was about what we can learn from winter! Check it out for some tips on how to bundle up and learn in the cold.

Playing in the Snow is a Workout

Getting exercise in the day by playing in the snow helps develop a child’s gross motor skills by building muscle and promotes better sleep. Kids need to engage in “heavy play” to work their muscles and properly develop. Playing in the snow is a great way to do this. It won’t take long in the snow for kids to tire out. Walking in snow is no easy chore. I love playing chasing games through the snow so we both get a workout! That’s a win-win.

Less Sick Days?

Playing in the snow is actually beneficial for their immune system too! Getting outside “strengthens the immune system by allowing your child an escape from indoor germs and bacteria and helps form a resistance to allergies,” according to the CDC. So, keeping kids out of the cold is not a way to keep them healthier. In fact, getting outside is the healthier choice.

Problem Solving while Playing in the Snow

When the outdoors are covered in snow, you can’t play in the same way as when it is clear. This means that playing in the snow forces kids to use their imagination to come up with a way to play in these new conditions. They have to solve the problem of just HOW to play in the snow. It is so much fun to see what they come up with!

Ideas for Playing in the Snow

Build a Snowman!

This is a classic when playing in the snow. Pack some snow to form a small ball and then roll it around to gather more snow. The more you roll it around, the bigger it will get. This is a great chance for kids to use those muscles pushing the snowballs around to form the parts of a snowman. My son loves running around the yard to find two sticks for arms. This year we even got a snowman kit that made his day!

You can also get creative and make different critters out of snow and twigs.

LEARNING MOMENT

Why does the snow sometimes stick itself as you roll the ball around and other times it doesn’t? This is the difference between “wet” and “dry” snow. Compare the types of snow you encounter and explain the process to your child. The “dry” snow fell through very cold, dry air and is great for snow sports. “Wet” snow fell through slightly warmer air so the edges melted and then stuck together. “Dry” snow can also transition into “wet” snow as temperatures rise so just because it is powdery when you first go out doesn’t mean it will still be later.

“Dry” Snow Play

We ended up with some really dry snow today and my son came up with a game that any Frozen obsessed kid would love! We threw the powdery snow at each other while playing Elsa. The clumps of snow that were stuck together would burst and break apart on the cleared sidewalk to squeals of joy. The “dry” powdery snow is perfect for playing out fantasies from the movie Frozen!

Sledding

Sledding is so much fun and has so many benefits from using certain balancing muscles to learning about the world around you. You can teach about how gravity pulls you down the hill and how the snow allows you to slide easier down the hill because there is less friction. I do not shy away from subjects with my kids. Sometimes I think they are probably ignoring me half the time because I just start rambling about the science behind what we are doing! We love the toboggan style sleds but there is something special about a wood sled. Ours is an old one that was gifted to us and is a favorite.

Snow Angels

There is something so fun about making a snow angel. My son always has a big smile on his face. Anywhere he sees some clean, fresh snow and there is a snow angel! I feel like playing in the snow just isn’t complete without creating a few of these.

Build a Snow Castle

So this was born out of an attempt to distract my son. He wanted to play with the water sprinkler that we have in the shed. This, of course, is a summer item and I didn’t want it getting broken by the cold (it’s cheap plastic). So, I went into the shed and found our sand toys! We started packing the snow into the molds and building a snow castle. This was so much fun and I definitely want to get more molds to create bigger, more elaborate castles!

Go for a Walk in the Woods

If you don’t have the woods then go to your local park to take a walk somewhere closer to nature. It is absolutely magical to walk through some trees creating the only footprints in eyesight. Nature has a calm about it after a snowfall that is amazing to witness. My crazy, loud, active son can become a quiet explorer when we take a walk in the snow-covered woods. I also like to do this while he is in school and I just have my little guy in a carrier. It is so peaceful.

Snowball Fight!

Good, old fashioned fun! Make some snowballs and have at it. Chase each other around, build up and fortify your defenses. Snowball fights are always a good time.

Use those Slides when Playing in the Snow

As long as it’s not icy, using playground equipment is totally fine. The slides are actually even more fun as they get a little extra sliding along the ground! My son loves going down the slide right after it snows and watching the snow fly.

Playing in the Snow with Paint

This has been on my bucket list! Take some washable, natural paint and some brushes and use the snow as your canvas. Put it is squirt bottles, use paintbrushes, splatter it around, do whatever! Snow makes a pretty cool painting canvas. This is a great way to be creative and bring some color to the snow. I just keep forgetting my paints!

Help Shoveling

Okay, I know, this doesn’t sounds like playing in the snow, this is a chore. However, young kids are eager to help and it is often fun for them. Having them help out teaches them responsibility as well as a real life skill. Shoveling snow works muscles and requires a level of coordination that is important to practice. Whenever it snows, I like to have my son help with some of the shoveling to help him learn that everyone contributes to the household.

Can a 2-year-old do chores? Find out some of the chores that are prefect for a 2-year-old.

Take it Inside

Don’t be afraid of taking some snow inside to play. Make a sensory bin using snow and play while it melts. Experiment with using different things to try and melt the snow (examples: what happens when I put pepper on the snow? What about salt? Vinegar? etc.)

No Snow? Make your own snow for some sensory exploration by using Instant Snow!

Playing in the Snow #ElaWildChallenge

This challenge is a tricky one since not all of you live where it snows. If you do, just get out and play in the snow! Go sledding, build a snowman, whatever you want! Take a picture and post it on Instagram using #ElaWildChallenge so we can all follow along in the fun. Have an idea that I didn’t mention? Post it and use the hashtag so I can add it here! If you don’t live by snow, try using making some “Instant Snow” and making a sensory bin with it. Or try melting ice instead of snow. And don’t forget to post your pictures so we can all see and learn together!

Have more ideas for playing in the snow? Share them below in the comments!

Looking for more ideas of things to do in the winter time (not just with snow)? Check out My Toddler’s Winter Bucket List for ideas both inside and outside, at home and away.

Don’t forget to PIN for playing in the snow later.

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