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Getting Families Outside, One Adventure at a Time

winter

NATURE SCHOOL, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, WINTER
Winter Nature Walk Ideas for Kids
- February 20, 2020
Exploring nature outdoors with kids doesn’t have to stop when the weather turns cold! Winter is a great time to get outside, get active and create memories with your family. There are so many great benefits of getting outdoors with your kids during the cold winter months. We’ve got a huge list of great winter outdoor activities for kids, and today we’re doing a deep dive into one of them. The absolutely fantastic Jemma (UK mom and teacher) of Thimble and Twig is here sharing ideas for taking a winter nature walk with kids.

Winter is wonderful

Even though some of nature is sleeping, it’s fun to watch the changing seasons and there’s still so much to learn about nature during the winter. It’s fun for kids to think about why animals hibernate and what’s happening to the trees. And to top it all off, winter is really beautiful! Ice crackling underfoot, sculpted snowflakes and the little glimmers of green leaves and red berries beneath the frost. If you’re looking for ways to get your kids out and about this winter, here are some great ideas for a winter nature walks with kids.

Things to do on a winter nature walk with kids

There are so many great things to do while on an outdoor winter nature walk with kids. Sometimes our nature walks are completely unstructured, giving us the freedom to explore and play at our own pace as we want. But other times (particularly with younger kids), we like having planned activities to do on our nature walks. This keeps the little ones occupied and entertained.

Make a mandala

There are still lots of greenery around during winter to make some gorgeous mandalas. Making a winter nature mandala is a lovely outdoor activity for kids to create in our garden or whilst on a woodland walk. Use leaves, twigs/branches, pinecones, grass and anything you naturally find in your area. Try adding red berries or moss for some added extra color.

Penny hike

A penny hike is a good way to keep kids interested on a long hike and actively looking forward to your progress. Before you begin, assign heads to left and tails to right (or visa versa) and then every time you arrive at a junction – flip your penny to decide whether you’ll turn left or right on your walk. Kids will love being in control of your destination and not knowing ahead of time which way you’ll go!

Hansel and Gretel walk

Remember how Hansel and Gretel used breadcrumbs so they didn’t lose their way? Kids will love leaving a trail for themselves so they can follow their way back! You might want to use flour as opposed to breadcrumbs because any dogs may ruin your route back otherwise!

Matchbox challenge

Do you always have pockets full of sticks and stones that your kids collect? A sweet activity for little ones that helps them observe nature more carefully is to give them a matchbox to collect their nature treasures. Having to choose only tiny things to pop into their matchbox helps them examine nature with more of a keen eye. Plus, you won’t end up with a backpack full of huge rocks or giant branches!

Cloud chart

Winter has some spectacular sunsets and the cloud formations in the sky during the day can form in beautifully interesting ways. Kids will enjoy examining the clouds and making a few observations. Try at different times of day to identify the following:
- Height: Where in the sky the cloud typically occurs (low-level, mid-level, or high-level)
- Color: The color of the cloud
- Shape: The form the cloud typically takes
- Weather: Draw the weather that occurs with the clouds
Start a nature journal

Nature journaling for kids is a lovely activity that helps expand your child’s creativity and curiosity by helping them record their observations. They can write, draw or even paint their nature adventures and nature finds. Here are loads of great ideas and tips on how to start a nature journal with kids.

If you’re unsure of what kind of nature journal to use with kids, here’s a lovely nature journal for kids that’s easily printable and includes 21 activities to help your kids explore nature and have magical outdoor adventures.

Examine snowflakes with a magnifying glass

If you’re lucky enough to have snow in the winter, let the kids see what the snowflakes look like up close. They truly are magical and unique! Catch them on a dark cloth or dark glove and observe them up close and personal. The kids could even draw them in their nature journal. Another idea is to study icicles. Have the kids figure out how and why they form? Measure them over the course of a few days and see how they change.

Take a footprints walk

Going on a footprints walk is all about being observant of the things around you. This one is great on a snowy day. All you need to do is look for footprints in the snow or mud and try to identify who/what made them. How many can you spot? Use an animal identification book to track them back to their owner.

Go on a senses walk

What does winter sound like? How does winter feel? What smells do you smell in winter? Can you paint winter? Can you taste the snow? What sounds remind you of winter? Go on a walk and see how many senses you can engage.

How to warm kids up on a winter nature walk

Kids can get chilly on winter walks, which makes them unmotivated. In order to keep them moving, one of my favorite things to bring with us on a winter hike is a flask of hot chocolate. This is great for warming kids, up but also for motivating them to the next stop.

As for warm clothing, thermals are really useful in winter. Separate layers are essential for trapping the air and keeping the skin dry and warm. Woolly hats are also an essential item on a long cold walk. With the majority of your body heat escaping from your head, the best way of ensuring that your kids are as toasty and comfortable as possible is to pop a hat on them. Gloves are also necessary for little hands. The best kind of ones are ski gloves that don’t get wet even when your kids are collecting treasures or playing around with snow. Usually, wool gloves get too wet when kids are playing, so it’s best to keep their hands snug with waterproof ski gloves.

Things to take on a winter nature walk with kids

As I mentioned, a flask of hot chocolate is wonderful on winter walks! You might also like to take a basket/bag to collect things, notebooks or nature journals; pens and watercolour paint tins are also good for making notes and drawing pictures. Kids might like binoculars or a magnifying glass to look through. A kids’ identification book for birds or bugs is also useful.

Happy winter wandering!
We hope this has helped you plan some fun winter walks!

About the author

I’m Jemma and I live in London, England with my husband and 4 kids. My all-time favorite thing to do is take photos and capture memories of my family. I’m on a mission to ensure parenthood doesn’t rush by so quickly by creating mini family outdoor adventures and hopefully some big adventures too one day! I’m a mum to four and an English teacher to many; my passion for storytelling, adventures and nature crafts is packaged up into my blog http://www.thimbleandtwig.com. You can also follow along on our adventures on Instagram @thimbleandtwig.
ANIMALS/WILDLIFE, GOOD FOR NATURE, HOLIDAYS, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, WINTER
Winter Solstice Family Traditions & DIY Ornaments
- December 18, 2019
The Winter Solstice is quickly approaching. December 21 marks the first day of winter (here in the Northern Hemisphere), which is the shortest day and the longest night of the year. The days ahead will be longer and brighter, which calls for a celebration in my books! Many families adopt traditions for the Winter Solstice that they do every year to get outside and celebrate the change of the seasons. Traditions help us remember the past and are wonderful ways to pass love and memories to the next generation. If you’re looking for some fun festive traditions to start with your family to celebrate the Winter Solstice, you’ve come to the right place. Today, we have Holly Morgan, a Midwest mom of two here, sharing a few fun and simple ways her family celebrates the Winter Solstice, plus a tutorial for making DIY Winter Solstice ornaments.

The Winter Solstice

The Winter Solstice occurs around December 21st (in the Northern Hemisphere) and marks the beginning of the winter season. It is also the shortest day and longest night of the year. After this day, the days begin to lengthen and the nights begin to shorten, which will continue until the Summer Solstice (around June 21st). The arrival of the Winter Solstice has been celebrated since ancient times. Both then and now, people use the sun, stars, and planets to keep track of time and seasons. We also look to nature to mark the change in seasons and understand more about the world around us and how it works. The Winter Solstice and many of the traditions associated with it center around fire, light, and nature.

The rhythm of winter

For our family, the Winter months are a time to slow down and live in rhythm with the darkness of Mother Nature. To rest and root deeply in our intentions. Each year, the winter season officially begins with the Winter Solstice. This is the day with the fewest hours of sunlight in the whole year. While winter can feel like a time of dormancy for some, we choose to enjoy the opportunity to slow down. We choose to live in rhythm with the quiet stillness of Mother Nature. We intentionally turn inward and delve into our inner light and intentions. And we always make time for nature play!

Winter Solstice traditions for the family

For us, celebrating the Winter Solstice also means welcoming the return of the light. We thank Mother Earth and celebrate the longer days to come. We do this with several family activities and offerings to Mother Nature and our creature friends. Our Solstice traditions include celebrating with a candlelit family dinner on the first day of the winter season. We also set intentions as a family for the coming year and reflect gratitude for the seeds we have planted. We light a fire to honor the returning light and work together to make an edible offering to our animal friends outside.

These are just a few of the many things you can do together as a family with your children to celebrate the Winter Solstice and welcome back the longer days. Every family is different and can celebrate in their own way. Other ideas could be to have a bonfire with friends, make a snow cake decorated with edible items for the animals, go on a winter hike, bake a yule log, watch a sunrise/sunset or make/light candles. Each of these activities (or any of your choosing) are simple ways to thank Mother Earth for the return of the light and celebrate the longer brighter days ahead.

Celebrate the Solstice with an offering

We celebrate the Winter Solstice each year by making treats for our feathered and furred outdoor friends. These easy bird feeders are made with dried orange slices, pine cones, peanut butter, and birdseed. For the past three years, we have made these Winter Solstice ornaments that we use to decorate our backyard cedars. It is a great child-friendly activity and a fun way to get the whole family outdoors for some fresh air. With just a few simple ingredients (and maybe a few sticky hands) you will have engaged kids and very happy animals in your yard!

DIY Winter Solstice ornaments

Below is a simple tutorial on how you and your little ones can make some Winter Solstice offerings of your own. Even if you don’t celebrate the Solstice, these easy treats are a perfect way to offer some winter reprieve for our furred and feather friends. These are our ornaments from last year, and we made a few more as the winter months passed on. My son was especially interested in trees and pine cones last year, so we gathered all shapes and sizes from our property and had a very healthy pinecone collection! We strung all our ornaments from the trees with simple jute. They became a treat for the birds and squirrels, which we really enjoyed watching over the season.

What you’ll need
- Oranges (or any citrus fruit of your choice)
- Pinecones – we collect these on walks or in the yard
- Peanut butter
- Birdseed mix (or any seed/nut mix of choice)
- Jute or natural fiber to string ornaments
Directions for DIY Winter Solstice ornaments
1. Evenly slice citrus and arrange on a baking sheet. Bake on lowest oven temperature (my oven goes down to 170 degrees Fahrenheit) for five to six hours, turning once to dry. You can also use a dehydrator.
2. Tie jute onto citrus slices and pinecones for hanging outdoors.
3. Roll pinecones in peanut butter and then roll again in birdseed mixture.
4. We let our dry for a day since the peanut butter was very thin; this seemed to help the birdseed adhere.
5. Find a tree or bush and string your Solstice treats for the birds or squirrels to enjoy on the longest night of the year!
Does your family have any Winter Solstice traditions?

About the author

Holly Morgan lives in the Midwest and is a stay at home mom of two. She loves gardening and growing flowers and herbs for cooking and holistic wellness. Her other crafts include photography, kitchen adventuring, and writing. A Wisconsin native, she is raising her littles to be wild and free through nature play. You can follow Holly and her family’s daily rhythm on Instagram at @hollyandhomestead.