Even the most active kids may balk at going outside during a sudden stretch of frigid weather. Long daily walks, hikes through the woods, and bike rides aren’t quite as fun when there’s a risk of frostbite. But what do you do with your kids when they’re cooped up, bored, full of energy, and begging for one more hour of playing video games?
Check out these 6 ways to keep kids active in the cold weather.
Go Skating
Find a local ice rink that has public skating hours, or see if your town allows free skating on a local pond once the surface is frozen solid. If there’s no ice skating facilities nearby, check for roller skating rinks.
Go To A Local Gym
Deep freezes are a great time to check out local indoor exercise facilities like laser tag, rock climbing, public indoor pools, trampoline parks, indoor bounce houses, and bowling alleys.
Go Wild At Home
If you don’t mind a little mess, let the kids get creative at home. Have them build a blanket fort in your den, or allow them to lay out a path of cushions that they must follow in order to avoid an imaginary stretch of hot coals. Complicate the path by creating an indoor obstacle course around toys or furniture. You could also engage them in hide-and-seek or musical chairs. Alternatively, start a freeze-frame dance party or arrange a scavenger hunt.
Go Gaming
Not all video games are created equal. Many Xbox Kinect and Wii games involve playing virtual sports. A rousing round of virtual tennis or bowling will keep your kids engaged and active rather than sitting still in a couch exercising nothing but their thumbs on the controller.
Go To The Mall
If the inclement weather stretches for more than a few days, you may find yourself and your kids with a bad case of cabin fever. A trip to the mall offers a wide open space in which your kids can spin, twirl, and prance around, so long as you don’t succumb to pushing them in a tricked-up carriage. As a bonus, you can get a few shopping errands done.
Kids burn about half as many calories in the winter as they do in warmer seasons, so whether you stay at home, risk the outdoors, or go to a gym facility, the exercise will do them a world of good.
