Winter is an excellent time to reconnect with the great outdoors and let the kids run wild and free in the fresh air. 

Discover our best winter family outdoor activities to get kids away from their screens and embrace what winter nature has to offer!

 

1 - Build a fort

It doesn't need to be summer to build a teepee, dens or outdoor shelters! Head to your local forest or build one in your garden for hours of fun for the little ones. Gathering sticks, branches, and leaves is all part of the fun, so why not make it a competition between siblings? Whoever can build the best forest fort wins a prize!

Building a fort provides hours of fun, gets the kids outside, and actively creates core memories for the whole family.

 

2 - Go for a Hike

With winter weather, long hikes or outdoor walks are a great way to spend time away from phone screens and reconnect with nature. Consider making it fun by introducing games like ‘Eye Spy’ or Build the Rainbow. Collect items in the colour of the rainbow and build the picture when you’ve finished the route!

A significant aspect of hiking in winter is being less busy. Hiking trails are quieter, and there are local attractions, so you may find it's just you and the great outdoors exploring!

 

3 - Make Bird Feeders

Making bird feeders is an excellent way to educate and entertain the whole family this winter. You only need birdseed, peanut butter or vegetable lard, pine cones or apples, and string. Combine the seeds with the peanut butter or lard and smother them around the pine cones. If you want to use apples, simply half them and scoop out the contents. Fill the whole with the mixture. Using a knife, stab a hole and loop it with string. 

Creating these feeders to entice birds into your garden is fun and exciting for kids. You could then get involved with the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch, register on their website to access online resources and record what birds visit your garden!

Join RSPB Here

 

4 - Go to the beach

Just because it's winter doesn’t mean our beaches aren’t worth a visit. You can collect rocks and shells, Fly a kite, watch the tidal waves, or simply explore the rock pools. Wildlife is still abundant during the colder months of the UK, making it the perfect time to explore with all the family. 

With a broad selection of beach walks all across the UK, you can make a day of it and discover one of the UK’s top beach destinations.

 

5 - Create Outdoor Art

Crayon rubbing in your local park, garden or at the beach is a great way to create quick and beautiful art with the kids. All you need is paper and crayons, simply place the surface under and rub capturing the texture through the paper. Bark, leaves and rocks all work great, and you can use these to make outdoor-themed collages after collecting all rubbings. 

Bad weather forecasted? Don't worry—you can do this over multiple days. One day, collect the rubbings, and the next, collage them to make pictures. 

 

6 - Make a Big Hotel

Creating a Bug Hotel will help provide a home for insects, a food source for other animals, pollinate plants and recycle nutrients back into the soil. This is a great activity to kill a few hours in the garden this winter. 

You will need:

  • Empty drinks carton
  • Toilet roll tubes
  • Scissors
  • Sellotape
  • Natural materials such as Moss, dried leaves, twigs, acorns and pinecones

Method:

1, Cut a rectangular hole into one of the sides of your carton, leaving about 2cm around the edges.

2, Cut the toilet roll tubes so that they can fit into the carton and stand up. 

3, Place the toilet rolls into the carton and wedge them in place. 

4, Now fill each tube with your gathered natural material.

5, Choose a warm, quiet spot for your big hotel or you can thread strong through the top and hang off a tree.

 

3 photos as a collage

Photos from UnSplash: Robert So, 🇸🇮 Janko Ferlič

 
 
 A final note from us

Whatever outdoor family activity you choose this winter, we are sure you will have fun with the whole family. Getting creative and embracing nature is a great way to educate children about wildlife, the seasons and animals. 

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