I have very fond memories of sledding as a child. The thrill of sailing down an icy hill in a tiny saucer, the cold air whipping against your face, the satisfaction of dodging the trees at the bottom of the hill — it’s a staple of Midwest childhood.
Sledding is, however, only one of many fun activities that we can do to make the most of our long Fargo winters.
Here are some ideas to have creative fun outdoors when the usual options of sledding, snowball fights, and snow angels start to get old.
Ways to Have Outdoor Fun this Winter
1. Snowman Variations
Building one big snowman with a top hat and carrot nose is a classic winter activity! Some ways to change up this tradition are to build an army of smaller snowmen all over the yard, build the biggest snowman possible, or use glowsticks to decorate the snowman for a fun nighttime activity.
2. Snowflakes under a Magnifying Glass
Use black construction paper to catch snowflakes and examine them with a magnifying glass. Snowflakes are truly miraculous to see in full detail.
3. Frozen Bubbles
On a very cold day (and we get plenty of those in Fargo), it’s possible to watch bubbles freeze! You can try any bubble solution, but I’ve personally used this method with success.
4. Ice blocks & Igloos
Use takeout containers (aluminum foil ones work great) or milk cartons to freeze ice blocks for building. Add food coloring for an extra pop of color!
You can also make a “paste” of wet snow to stick the blocks together and let it freeze to make quite sturdy walls.
Search #rainbowigloo on Instagram for some serious inspiration!
5. Ice Decorations
Make beautiful outdoor decorations by freezing items from nature in water. Use muffin tins to freeze things like pinecones, branches, seeds, or even orange slices in water to create outdoor ornaments — just don’t forget to add a string loop as it’s freezing so you can hang them up!
You can also create a beautiful outdoor wreath by following the same method, but using a Bundt pan.
6. Think “Beach”
Do you have any favorite sand activities? Most of these translate quite well to snow! Sand castles and sculptures, sensory play with digging and scooping, making mountains to decorate with rocks or other outdoor items, all could easily be done in the snow. We like to bring our “beach toys” outside on a snowy day to use them year-round!
7. Snow Kitchen
If you have any extra kitchen utensils like measuring cups, spoons, tongs, or whisks, bring these outside to play kitchen. Let your child’s imagination run wild as they whip up “delicious” treats out of snow!
And don’t forget to stock up supplies to make hot cocoa to warm up after your snow fun!
Are there any ideas for winter fun you would add to this list? Let us know in the comments below!
