A Romp in the Snow
In Southern Ontario, we endure several months of snow and cold temperatures each year. Unfortunately, the drop in temperature leads to a drop in outdoor play as well. Parents and caregivers may try to find ways to be active indoors to make up for this. Why bother bundling your little in all those clothes for some playtime in the snow?
Outdoor play is great for the health of your child in all seasons:
- Reduces stress and anger, supports mental and emotional healthii.
- Lowers risk of near-sightedness and obesityii.
- Improves self-esteem, confidence and independence.
- Builds imagination, creativity and problem solvingiii.
- Allows for practicing gross and fine motor skills.
- Helps to fight off illnessiii.
- Contributes towards the minimum 180 minutes of physical activity that kids aged 1-4 should get each day.
- Provides sunlight used for vitamin D production, the vitamin needed for healthy bone growthiii. Fatty fish like sardines or salmon are good sources of vitamin D, which your child may not eat.
Winter weather offers your child plenty of learning opportunities:
- Introduces words they can add to their vocabularyiv.
- Supplies new ways to learn and assess risks outdoorsiii.
- Allows for tackling challenges in a controlled environment, which helps children to recognize boundaries and become more bodily awareiii.
- Provides teaching moments for safety in winter conditions.
Here are some ideas to get you and your little one experiencing all that winter has to offer:
- Build a snowman – A classic winter activity, but a brand-new challenge to your child!
- Nature scavenger hunt – Take a walk and search for pinecones, acorns, animal tracks, icicles and birds.
- Walk in the snow – Trekking through snow is a fantastic way to develop gross motor skills. It helps build coordination and strength.
- Shovel snow – Kids love to copy what you’re doing. Pick up a miniature shovel that they can use when you’re shovelling the driveway or walkway. This will also build strength and coordination.
- Teach them how to skate – A Canadian classic, and therefore an essential life skill in these parts! Skating is an excellent balance exercise.
- Invite neighbours or friends to play in the snow – Make a play date out of it! Support their development of social skills like collaboration, leadership and patience. You can also join local outdoor playgroups, like WILD CHILD (at ChildReach) in London.
- Go tobogganing – Best to go feet first and buddied with an adult for safety! Sliding down is loads of fun, and walking back up the hill is great cardio.
Check out these resources to get you started:
https://www.childreach.on.ca/outdoor-play
https://activeforlife.com/content/uploads/2020/12/AfL-dressing-kids-for-winter.pdf
https://www.redcross.ca/blog/2022/1/keeping-kids-safe-during-winter-activities
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/6-reasons-children-need-to-play-outside-2018052213880
References:
i Eun-Young, L., Bains, A., Hunter, S., Ament, A., Brazo-Sayavera, J., Carson, V., Hakimi, S., Huang, W. Y., Janssen, I., Lee, M., Lim, H., Silva, D. A. S., & Tremblay, M. S. (2021). Systematic review of the correlates of outdoor play and time among children aged 3-12 years. The International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 18(1), 41–41. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-021-01097-9
ii Glassy, D., & Tandon, P. (2023, April 19). Playing outside: Why it’s important for kids. Healthy Children. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/family-life/power-of-play/Pages/playing-outside-why-its-important-for-kids.aspx
iii McCarthy, C. (2020, October 27). 6 reasons children need to play outside. Harvard Health Publishing. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/6-reasons-children-need-to-play-outside-2018052213880
iv Fawcett, C. (2022, July 7). The importance of outside play. Nationwide Children’s Hospital. https://www.nationwidechildrens.org/family-resources-education/700childrens/2022/07/the-importance-of-outside-play
v Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology. (2021). Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for the Early Years (0-4 years): An Integration of Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviour, and Sleep. https://csepguidelines.ca/guidelines/early-years/
vi National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. (2022, November 8). Vitamin D: Fact sheet for consumers. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-Consumer/
Submitted by Natalie Moore, WFNS-4 for the Middlesex-London Health Unit
