Getting Your Family Outdoors in the Winter

Getting Your Family Outdoors in the Winter

There are so many advantages to spending time outdoors. It’s good for your mental health and fantastic exercise. It’s a great way to leave stress at home and get away from screens. Being outdoors and closer to nature can also help us to be more grateful and put our concerns into perspective. Spending time outdoors also means that you get lots of fresh air and vitamin D, which can boost your immune system and help you to sleep. But getting the kids outdoors can be much harder in winter when it’s cold and dark. Here are some tips to help you to enjoy the benefits of the great outdoors as a family, whatever the weather.

• Wrap Up Warm

Being cold is never nice and failing to wrap up can mean that you are uncomfortable, you can’t enjoy yourselves, and you might be risking illness.

Make sure you are all well-wrapped in plenty of layers that are easy to remove if you get hot running around. Make sure everyone has waterproof shoes and coats, a good hat, and a pair of gloves.

• Time Trips Outdoors Well

Before planning outdoor trips in winter, make sure you check the weather forecast and time your trip accordingly. Try to avoid being out in very wet, windy, or cold weather for long periods, and plan trips to the park on dry, bright days.

• Embrace Winter Fun

There are some things that you can’t do the rest of the year, so make sure you make the most of them while you can. Things like outdoor skating, sledging in the snow, building snowmen, and winter walks only work on a few days of the year, so embrace them while you can.

• Find Things the Whole Family Enjoys

It can be hard finding things that the whole family enjoy, especially if there’s a big age gap, or you have different foster children in a range of ages from fosterplus.co.uk. While younger kids might be happy in a playground even in poor weather, older kids might not enjoy this as much, or for as long.

Try to find places that everyone will enjoy, like winter walks, sledging, or ice skating. Or try to make compromises, so that there are elements of your day for everyone.

• Take Turns Choosing

If you struggle to find things everyone loves to do, or there are some activities members of your family enjoy more than others, it can be better to take turns choosing the activity, as long as it’s suitable for the whole family, or can be modified for younger members. This way everyone gets something to be excited about and it’s a way for you to share your favourite winter activities with your loved ones.

• Enjoy Getting Cosy Afterwards

One of the best parts of going outdoors in the winter is coming home and getting warmed up. Start a getting cosy ritual, like coming home to a movie, snacks, hot water bottles, and cups of luxury hot chocolate, to make getting out seem worth it.

No doubt spending time outside with your family has benefits. But in winter, it’s also important that you stay safe and warm, and that you know when you are better off staying in. If in doubt, trust your instincts, and head home if it ever feels too cold or wet.

Guest Article.