Winter is upon us! Here are some of our favourite ways to pass the time during the cold months.
10. Snowshoeing
Many animals that are active in the winter, like wolves and caribou, have wide feet to help them walk on deep snow. Humans can mimic these creatures by using snowshoes. You can often walk to places that aren’t easy to access during the summer since snow covers the vegetation. Winter walks are a lot more fun when you don’t sink! Our nature clubs often hold snowshoe Explorer Days, so keep an eye on our Event Calendar.
9. Animal tracking
If you can get out into a forest in the winter (perhaps on a snowshoe adventure!), you might be surprised at the signs of wildlife you can find. Although some animals migrate away or hibernate during the winter, lots of British Columbian species stay active. If you observe carefully, you can often find tracks imprinted in the snow. Depending on where you live, you might be able to spot the tracks of deer, coyote, rabbit, bobcat, and others!
8. Tobogganing
Anywhere with a steep hill is a great place to bring a toboggan and meet friends. With 75% of B.C. covered by mountains, most communities in the province have an abundance of hills to choose from. Wait for a big snow day so you have soft powder to land on!
7. Having a bonfire
After a day of tobogganing, a bonfire is the perfect way to warm up. With the days at their shortest, spending time around a fire is a great way to pass the long evenings. Bring plenty of dry wood with you, a thermos of tea or cocoa, and marshmallows to cook over the coals. Be careful where you build your fire: even though trees are too wet to ignite during the winter, they can still be damaged by heat if the fire is too close. Set up in an open space well away from trees or buildings.
6. Making snow art
A fresh field of snow is a blank canvas! From the classic snow angel to more complex works, imprints in the snow are a fun temporary way to make a design. For a splash of colour, try mixing food colouring and water and putting it into a squeeze bottle. This lets you easily paint pictures in the snow without leaving an impact once it melts. Take pictures of your designs before they melt away!
5. Cross country skiing
On skis, you can zoom across the winter landscape unimpeded! It’s a beautiful way to immerse yourself in winter and a great way to get in some cardio during the snowy months. Check out your local cross country ski club as many of them rent out gear so you can try the sport without buying your own skis. Some of our nature clubs also put on cross country skiing Explorer Days so pay attention to what your local club is doing!
4. Making maple taffy
This is a Canadian staple! To make it, All you need is real maple syrup, popsicle sticks, and snow. Get a big bowl of packed snow and leave it outside or in your freezer while you prepare the syrup. Heat the syrup to 115 °C (238 °F) and then pour in lines across the snow. Within about 5 seconds, the candy should have hardened enough to be able to be twirled around the end of a popsicle stick like a lollipop. Kids love this activity!
3. Ice skating
In B.C. we are lucky to have an abundance of fresh water, lots of it in the form of lakes. In winter, when small lakes freeze over, they can make the perfect skating rinks. Bring a shovel to clear off the surface of your rink and get skating!
This should only be done when you can be certain the ice is strong enough. If you can see through it, the ice is probably too thin – wait until it looks white and opaque before skating.
2. Participating in the Christmas Bird Count
Citizen science initiatives are something that we make sure to include in our Explorer Day roster and the annual Christmas Bird Count might be our favourite one! Take a walk around your favourite outdoor area and count how many birds you see. This study is Canada wide and your data can be submitted to Bird Studies Canada. Bring a pair of binoculars and a bird identification guide! Most of our clubs host a winter bird count event so be sure to join them!
1. Building snow sculptures
Whether building a snowman or a fortress, this is an iconic part of winter for every child. A great way to get started is with a big snow pile (which you may already have if you have to shovel out a driveway). From there, use shovels, buckets, and hands to dig out a fort.. You can also try the classic igloo technique if you want a challenge. Wait for a day with good packing snow for rolling up snowballs to make your snow person. There’s no right or wrong way to go about sculpting and it’s guaranteed to be a fun time!
Did we miss anything on our list? What are your favourite winter activities? Let us know in the comments and be sure to follow your local NatureKids club to get involved with their winter explorer days!