How to Spend More Time Outdoors This Winter

By Heather Bywaters RN PHN

Many families have been spending more time playing outdoors over the past number of months due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Health experts have told us that outside is the safest place to play because the risk of transmitting the virus outdoors is extremely low. With colder weather, finding a variety of activities to do comfortably outside can become more challenging. But the outdoor play has many benefits, especially for children!

When children play outdoors, they:

Move more, sit less and are active for longer periods
Can test and understand their own limits and potential for growth
Develop cooperation and communication skills
Can still make friends when they are playing while physically distanced
Have more opportunities to explore, create and experience imaginative play
Can be their own leader, which boosts independence and confidence

Playing in nature has also been proven to:

Improved mental health
Enhanced attention, cognitive development, self-regulation, working memory and executive functioning

Tips and Tricks for Outdoor Winter Play

Think outside the box! What inside toys and materials could you bring outside?
Dress for the weather. Layering works well. Protect those ears from frostbite. Don’t forget those little fingers – you may need more than one pair of mittens! Sunscreen is still needed in the winter as well as sunglasses when the sun glares off the snow!
Vary the types of activities you do. Active play keeps you warm!

Playing Outdoors Safely

Wherever children play, they need supervision that is appropriate for their age and developmental stage. This is great news because parents and caregivers can also benefit from outdoor activities.
Monitor the weather. Stay inside if the wind chill reaches -27C (-16F).
Remove drawstrings from clothing, use a neck warmer (not scarves) and mitten clips instead of a string to prevent strangulation.
Provide the safety equipment appropriate for the activity and use them yourself to model safe behaviour. Ski or hockey helmets should be used for sports and tobogganing.
Choose your play location carefully – away from roads, water, machinery and fences.

With a little imagination and planning, wintertime may become your favourite time to play outside!

Check out these websites for other ideas about active, winter, outdoor play:
https://activeforlife.com/?s=winter
https://www.ontarioparks.com/parksblog/children-play-outside-winter/
https://www.outdoorplaycanada.ca/
https://www.participaction.com/en-ca/blog/skip-the-winter-cabin-fever-with-these-25-activities

References:

De Lannoy, L. & Brussoni, M. (2020). Should I go outside in the COVID era? Retrieved from https://www.outdoorplaycanada.ca/should-i-go-outside-in-the-covid-19-era/
Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA). Children’s Unstructured Play Position Statement. March 2019. Retrieved from https://www.cpha.ca/childrens-unstructured-play
Encyclopedia on Early Childhood Development. (2020). Outdoor play. Retrieved from http://www.child-encyclopedia.com/outdoor-play
Middlesex-London Health Unit. (2015). Outdoors the ultimate playground. Retrieved from https://www.healthunit.com/outdoors-the-ultimate-playground
Canadian Pediatric Society. (2017). Winter safety: Advice for parents and kids. Retrieved from https://www.caringforkids.cps.ca/handouts/winter_safety