Making outdoor winter play easy

There are so many benefits to playing outdoors. As well as being fun, it helps children to learn about the world around them, practise the skills they need for life, and stay fit and healthy. We often withdraw indoors when the nights get darker and the weather becomes colder, but it’s important for children (and for us) to spend time outdoors in all seasons.

The wet, cold and wind can make outdoor play a bit more challenging, but with a little preparation and a bit of inspiration, it can be just as fun and easy as in the warmer months. Here are our tips for making winter play easy.

Getting ready for winter play

Dressing children for the outdoors will make it more enjoyable and limit whinges. Here are our top tips:

• Keep old clothes for outdoor play so it doesn’t matter if they get dirty or damaged.
• Dress children in layers that can come off and be put back on as needed.
• Have wellies ready for wet days and long socks to wear with them when it’s cold.
• Stay dry with waterproofs such as jackets, trousers and onesies.
• Keep warm on cold days with hats, scarves and gloves.

Dressing for winter play doesn’t have to be expensive. Get hold of outdoor clothes from:

• social media groups – people often give away items their child has grown out of.
• local charity shops – children’s items are often priced very cheaply.
• secondhand clothing websites – these have a lot of choice and are inexpensive.
• clothes swaps and clothes banks run by schools or community groups.
• sales in shops.

Don’t forget to keep yourself comfortable outdoors too. You could:

• take a flask of hot chocolate or other hot drinks.
• have something to put on wet benches so you can sit down.
• visit play spaces that have shelter, like a woodland or a park with a bandstand.
• invite friends and their children along to make it more fun.

Ten ideas for outdoor winter play

Now you are all ready for outdoor winter play, here are 10 things your children could do:

1. Build a den in the woods or in your garden
2. Go on a torchlit walk around your neighbourhood
3. Sit around a campfire in your garden
4. Have an ice cube race – add food colouring so you can tell them apart
5. Do a winter scavenger hunt (watch out for prickly holly!)
6. Put on wellies and go puddle jumping
7. Collect natural things to make some seasonal crafts
8. Go on a sound hunt to listen out for owls and other birds
9. Go on a walk in your local patch of nature
10. Should that snow day arrive… build snow sculptures and have a snowball fight!

Making it easy to come back inside

Getting set up at home to manage things like wet coats and muddy wellies can make coming back in after winter play much easier. Here are some ideas to try:

• Keep mud out of the house by having a dedicated place to take off wellies. Put down newspaper for extra protection and stay organised with a shoe rack.
• A coat rack placed near a radiator is a good way of drying off wet coats, and a radiator airer can be good for drying trousers, hats and gloves.
• Keep a couple of hot water bottles downstairs that can be filled when you get in to help children warm up quickly when it’s been particularly cold.
• Have some spare old clothing so children can play out every day, even if yesterday’s clothes are still drying.

Find even more inspiration

Take a look at our other blogs for more ideas about things like playing outdoors whatever the weather and preparing children to play outside safely and confidently.