These wintry fun activities are sure to keep your family busy and smiling during the cold, blistery months.
Go ice skating. There is a great benefit to living in Calgary in the wintertime: you can skate outside now! Other than your small community rinks (which are close and always a good short trip) you can go to The City of Calgary Outdoor Family Skating Rinks. They include Bowness Lagoon, Olympic Plaza, Prairie Winds and Marlborough Park. If your children (or even you!) need to learn how to skate first, The City of Calgary provides a variety of learn to skate and learn to figure skate programs. Check out their website, www.calgary.ca, to view public skating schedules for hockey arenas and skating rinks. There are many in Calgary, so there is no reason to miss out.
Family tobogganing. You can only ever toboggan in the winter season, and only when the snow is thick, so it is definitely included in this list. There are many hills to take advantage of in Calgary. It is perfect for the whole family, and you can buy sleds that fit both you and a toddler who is too small to go down a hill by themselves. You may tirelessly be going up and down a hill, but at the end of the day, you and your loved one can snuggle by the fire while your exhausted children sleep.
Remember: Safety always comes first and helmets should always be worn. Make sure to choose a safe hill, and do not go out if it is too icy and cold.
See the sites cross-country skiing. Winsport Canada (Canada Olympic Park) and The City of Calgary Recreation offers classic and ski skate cross-country skiing. Thru The City, you can cross-country ski on some city-owned golf courses in the winter months.
Take part in a movie and game board night. Enjoy a nice warm fire and snuggle up together, drinking hot chocolate with marshmallows while watching a great family flick. If you are going to play board games, play one appropriate for all ages or one where everybody is involved. Cranium always gets people on their feet. If you do not have a fireplace, a great alternative is watching logs burning on a local TV channel.
Build a snowman. Have a day where your family can enjoy some fun in your own backyard or at a close playground. Build a snowman (or snowwoman, if you will) for each member of your family. Share in the fun together by gathering carrots, buttons, rocks, scarves, sticks and whatever else you may choose to put on your snowman. Show off your artistic – and non-artistic – abilities together.
Snuggle up to a roaring campfire. Bundle up, get some blankets, marshmallows, hot cocoa and hotdogs, and sit around a warm cozy fire. You will find yourselves laughing and telling fun stories. (Or spooky stories – only if you dare!) It will feel just like a great night of camping and wilderness, but you can retreat to your warm home afterwards.
Get busy baking. Who doesn’t love some hot fresh brownies, cupcakes or cookies in the winter? Why not make it a family event? Get the family together and have some messy kitchen adventures. Let the kids help mix icing and batter; it will be serious fun getting a little covered in gooey goodness. Plus, you will have some homemade treats for the next week or two to enjoy.
Tennis, anyone? If you are really not convinced that winter sports are for you and the family, you can still enjoy all of the other season’s gifts indoors. Go to a leisure centre with your family and have a friendly game of basketball, soccer, tennis, badminton… you name it. You may even go swimming, or play hockey indoors. You will have a great day and a great escape from the winter blues.
These fun activities are sure to keep the family-fun going (you can even combine a few of them to have one amazing day). Whether it is keeping active in winter sports or watching a movie together, there are many ways to have fun as a group. You will probably find a favorite family activity that can become a winter tradition, too!
Breanna is a SAIT Journalism student who hopes to be a freelance writer. She has volunteered with Scouts and has plenty of experience with entertaining kids.
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