Winter can be hard - the short days, cold temperatures and snow days all tend to drive kids indoors, and it can be a struggle to keep our kids happy, healthy and active during these long, cold weeks. So if you’re looking for great kids’ games or need some winter boredom busters, we’ve got solutions!
Outside fun
If the weather outside isn’t too frightful, try these fun activities to shake up a snow day:
• Use food coloring, water and condiment bottles and do some snow painting.
• Hunt down flowers/leaves/berries in your garden or yard and use some leftover glitter to make frozen snow ornaments for your trees.
• Make some tracks through one of Calgary’s parks. You can also roast weenies or feed the chickadees.
• Make traditional maple syrup candy. Heat some real maple syrup and then pour over fresh snow before enjoying.
• Try a new adventure. Go trail riding or dogsledding in our beautiful Rocky Mountains.
• Cut out some dinosaur footprints out of cardboard and make some monster-sized footprints in untouched snow.
• Play Tick-Tack-Snow. Make a game board in the snow and use pinecones and sticks to mark the spots.
• Make a bird feeder. Use cookie cutters, gelatin and high-quality birdseed to make decorative and fun food for our fine feathered friends.
• Rent cross-country skis or snowshoes and test out one of the local trails. Before you head out, check out our article, Romping in a Winter Wonderland, for tips and tricks to get started, calgaryschild.com/family-fun/activities/1776-romping-in-a-winter-wonderland.
• There’s nothing better than a leisurely train ride. Grab a local C-train and plan the perfect adventure on the other side of our city.
• On the hunt. Try to find the ice caverns in Fish Creek Park (Hint: They are near Sikome Lake).
Indoor fun
• On a chilly afternoon, spread a blanket out on the floor and enjoy an indoor picnic. Eat the same kinds of picnic foods you would in the summer. (Bonus: There will be no pesky ants this time of year to steal your food!)
• Help the kids make up skits or act out stories to perform.
• Enjoy indoor camping. Pitch a tent in the living room and let the kids pretend they are on a fun-filled camping trip. Pull out the sleeping bags, and the kids can take naps in the tent or even sleep the whole night inside their cozy and warm tent.
• Get the whole family together and work on a giant jigsaw puzzle. Make sure you have plenty of popcorn on hand for snacking.
• Almost all kids enjoy playing dress-up. Gather up all your outdated clothes, gaudy jewelry, weird hats, sunglasses and bright makeup you can find and let the kids go for it! Be sure to snap some pics. (Value Village is a great place to replenish your tickle trunk.)
• Turn off the TV and enjoy some family time and friendly competition. Pull out those board and/or card games. When’s the last time your family enjoyed a friendly game of Scrabble or Monopoly?
• No two snowflakes are alike. Try making giant snowflakes by cutting large strips of paper and join them with glue or just make traditional snowflakes.
• Waddle, waddle. Partake in penguin races. Using a ball in between your legs, see how fast you can navigate a course.
• Snowball science. Time how long it takes for a snowball to melt on the counter, in the fridge and when blasted with a hairdryer.
• The Memory Game is always a hit with kids. Winterize this classic game by cutting out mitten shapes from wallpaper samples (or use real mittens).
• Make a snow-day survival kit. Pack a pretty bag with treats, hot chocolate and cookie mix; then pick a movie you’ve never seen as a family and wait for the fun to begin.
• Have a Jammie day! Check out our article, 3 Fun Family Activities That Start with Pajamas, to get you started, calgaryschild.com/family-fun/activities/2044-3-fun-family-activities-that-start-with-pajamas.
• Get cooking. Get the kids involved in making family dinner.
Cure cabin fever
Can’t spend another moment staring at the four walls and endless art projects? Time to try one of these great activities or classes around Calgary:
• You can’t beat the indoor play areas here! Run off some of your kid’s pent-up energy while enjoying a coffee or the company of friends. Shakers Family Fun Centre and Hop, Sip & Jump Café are our favorite options with a drop-in fee, but there are many free indoor play places around the city. Check out the sidebar for a complete list.
• Visit the ARC Discovery Room for some hands-on fun (open year-round) or meander through Cabinets of Curiosity (runs until January 17, 2016) at the Glenbow Museum.
• Warm up at Terrific Tuesdays (from 4 to 10pm) at Southland Leisure Centre (water park access is at 7pm), or get Wild on Wednesdays at Village Square Leisure Centre (from 4 to 10pm). Explore the many ways you can create and change TELUS Spark’s ‘Material of the Season.’
• Check out some animals up-close at one of the Calgary Zoo’s daily ‘Creature Feature’ programs at the Karsten Discovery Centre.
• Hear about Snow White and Winnie the Pooh, Curious George and Peter Rabbit too in the Gasoline Alley Museum at Heritage Park Historical Village. Storytime takes place on Tuesdays at 10:30am.
• Finally, you’ve made your list, made notes and taken pictures - now it’s time to make a scrapbook of all your winter fun!
Here is a comprehensive list of indoor play places for your next indoor family outing - and they’re free to boot!
Calgary Farmers’ Market Playground
CrossIron Mills’ Little Fossil Fun Zone
Deerfoot Mall’s Ship
Devonian Gardens Playground
Eau Claire Market’s Kids Zone
Market Mall’s Monkey Around Playground
Marlborough Mall Bug Park Playground
Northland Village Mall’s Camp Playground
North Hill Centre Kids’ Area
Southcentre’s ROAR Playground
Sunridge Mall Eco-Park
Nanica is the proud parent to Benjamin and Fable. Truly a child at heart, she is constantly exploring Calgary for new things to keep her kids from destroying her house and happily occupied year-round.
Calgary’s Child Magazine © 2024 Calgary’s Child
