Celebrate the magic of the season outside.
I used to think that December’s shortened daylight hours meant less time for outdoor fun, but now I know better. Early in the morning, my younger son runs in and says softly, “Come look at the beautiful sunrise, Mom!” Through the bare trees, everything is bathed in a warm, pastel light.
On daytime walks, see how many birds and other animals your kids can find. My boys once spotted a gigantic bald eagle’s nest that inspired us to put up a bird feeder back home. We made bird food by chopping up nuts, apples, and raisins using plastic knives.
In the twilight, make a campfire and roast s’mores while watching the sunset through the trees. And when darkness falls, the leafless trees allow a clear view for evening star gazing. Take a family stroll through your neighborhood and see how many beautiful twinkle lights you can find; make it a treasure hunt!
After getting outside every day in all kinds of weather, I still hate being cold. But I have learned to find the warmth: bundling up, snuggling with the kids under a blanket, sitting by a campfire. In December, my family likes to seek out organizations that distribute extra warm clothing to people in need. We go through our winter gear and donate jackets, snow pants, and gloves that the boys have outgrown. Talk about a warm feeling!
The winter holidays are filled with excitement. Everything sparkles. From glittery crafts that you make for family and friends to icy frost on the grass, the sunlight catches everything differently. Picking up a Christmas tree is a great family outing. And if you don’t want to buy a cut tree, the kids can decorate a tree or shrub in your yard, or even a big indoor houseplant.
On your morning walks, look for beautiful leaves, berries, and other gifts from nature that can be brought home and glued onto paper to make homemade holiday cards. You can also turn one of your best outdoor family photos into a holiday card. Brainstorm with the kids on making homemade gifts for family members. Treasures the children have gathered throughout the year—beach glass, shells, and rocks, for example—can be turned into works of art that any aunt, uncle, or grandparent would appreciate.
In colder months, those who suffer from outdoor allergies get a break and those who suffer from indoor allergies need to get out! Head outside to enjoy the ability to breathe easily and deeply. If someone has a little cold, that person can breathe out of her mouth. Can you see your breath? Create patterns with it: puffs, a constant stream, and alternating between the two. How else can you change how your breath looks in the cold air?
Singing and walking outside go together like peanut butter and jelly (except when you’re being super-quiet to observe nature). Next time you’re walking the kids to school or taking an evening stroll, see if you can get the whole family to join you in a song. And during the holidays, how about finding or even forming a group of singers to go caroling with? You can spread some holiday cheer by ringing your neighbors’ doorbells and bursting into song, or bring your merry group to a local nursing home or hospital.
For over a century, from mid-December to early January, the National Audubon Society has been hosting a Christmas Bird Count. Volunteers from across America—from experienced birders to regular families—are welcome to participate. The results help researchers, biologists, and conservation advocates study the long-term health and status of bird populations across North America. Your kids can report on the number of birds that appear at your own bird feeder, or your family can volunteer to cover a wider area. For more information, check out www.Audubon.org.
Ask the people with whom you are celebrating the holidays if they have a special outdoor holiday tradition. The tradition could be something they do every year or just a fond memory of wintertime that they could share either with an outdoor activity, a warm drink, or a dessert that represents that memory for them.
In my house, we love seeing how fast we can do something; take that concept outside and measure how quickly each of you can “warm up.” Each person picks their own method: someone may choose jumping jacks; another may run around on the grass; you may hop up and down. When you say “Go!” everyone begins and you look at your watch. When someone yells, “I’m warm!” you say their time. Next time you go out, switch around activities to experiment with which activity warms each of you up the fastest!
Growing up, on the evening of December 5th, my sisters and I put a pair of our shoes in the front hall. In the morning, we each found an orange and a chocolate bar in them, left by Saint Nick. This European tradition, leaving a surprise gift in children’s shoes, led to the tradition of stockings filled by Santa Claus. Put an outdoor twist on this tradition, and if your kids have been good, ask them to put their winter boots by the door and fill each with a homemade coupon for a winter activity they would enjoy, such as outdoor ice skating, tubing, or ice fishing.
Many times, “Let’s go for a walk” doesn’t interest my kids one bit. But, if they each bring their favorite ball, we can play catch or kick the ball together along the way. Other times, we’ll jog to our ABCs or quiz each other on spelling or funny math problems. If we have to walk the dog, they’ll bring their bikes and ride around me in circles while I walk. December in general is an ideal time for evening walks through your neighborhood. See how many beautiful twinkle lights you can find in neighbors’ windows. Make it a treasure hunt!
With shorter days, studying the night sky is a fun family activity that doesn’t mean the kids have to stay up late! Get to know the upcoming phases of the moon. Then, each evening, the kids can see the moon and say goodnight. MoonConnection. com has a wonderful visual calendar of the moon phases.
What outdoor traditions could you create eight nights in a row? Light lanterns outside or electric candles in a window? A family walk with hot cocoa for eight evenings? Observing the night sky and how it changes over eight nights? Maybe watching the sunrise or sunset for that many days? Set a goal for what you might like to do outside together for several days in a row and try it!
My friend Nancy’s nieces and nephews ask to make this wintertime treat whenever they see her, anytime of year: cornflakes mixed with melted marshmallows and butter and a little green food coloring, formed into wreaths. Two Red Hots at the top are the ribbon. Turn this into an outdoor tradition by wrapping them, taking a walk, and delivering them to the neighbors.
Remember all the pictures that you took of your outdoor family adventures this year? Start a tradition of a calendar that captures those moments in photos each month. Grandparents love these calendars and they are great for your office too. Even better, the kids will love it! My children adore the calendar that they each have hanging in their rooms. They start to associate the months with what we’re doing in the pictures.
In becoming more efficient with my holiday decorating, my husband and I have opted for a faux tree with lights already affixed, but I do love clipping evergreen branches from my yard, such as holly, pine, and magnolia. I place the fresh evergreen branches on the mantle and as a centerpiece on the table, surrounding a glass-enclosed candle.
Bundle up and head out on a mission. Each of you is to find something interesting and spend at least five minutes examining it. Then take the others to your spot and show them what you found; share what you notice about it, and why you like it. Once you head inside, the kids can enjoy a snack and use crayons and paper to draw a picture with a story about what they sat and watched. Hang your child’s picture and story in a visible place as a reminder of the fun you have outside together.
Pick your favorite constellation; for me, it’s the Big Dipper. Next, make a map on a piece of paper with your house as the main point of reference. Then, go outside and find the Big Dipper and draw it on your map and mark the date. Whenever you and your child feel like stargazing, bring your map outside with you and draw the position of the Big Dipper, again marking the date. See how its position changes with the seasons.
I was introduced to ice cream in winter when my husband was in law school in Vermont. We’d walk to the local convenience store that had specially discounted pints of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream. Head to your nearest ice cream shop and order a scoop to sit and enjoy bundled up on a bench. It’s a funny feeling to have ice cream when it’s cold out, but it makes for a yummy and silly memory!
You might not have snow at Christmastime, but your township likely has beautiful decorations and a twinkling tree. Head downtown and enjoy the special décor of the season to be together during this special time of year for families. Share what makes this time so meaningful for each of you.
Bring the song “Jingle Bells” to life! Find a farm that offers sleigh rides. Snuggle under a blanket as a family while the driver and horse pull you through the woods. There is nothing quite like the beauty of the woods in wintertime.
Remember C. S. Lewis’s The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe? Have the kids use the yard to create their own winter land of Narnia. Use a bench for the Ice Witch’s sleigh, a lamppost for where they meet Mr. Tumnus, and some blankets for the children’s fur coats. The children can explore their yard as if it’s the new world of Narnia (or any other favorite wintertime story).
My mom, an elementary school teacher, loves to teach her fourth and fifth graders about clouds. Cirrus clouds are highest in the sky, wispy, and made of ice crystals. Cumulus clouds are puffy like popcorn or cotton candy and are usually the ones we watch change shape, saying what they look like. Cumulonimbus clouds continue to puff and build, bringing rain and storms in the summer. Stratus clouds are the lowest lying layer of clouds, usually seen when it’s foggy and rainy. What clouds do you see?
My neighbor plays this with her three girls, ages three to nine, and I was amazed to see how many creative ways to hop that they came up with. First, have everyone show you the different ways they can hop, skip, or jump. See how long you can keep up the creativity (and exercise!) by calling out the names of animals and insects that hop: frogs, kangaroos, rabbits, grasshoppers, jumping spiders, etc., until you are all laughing hysterically at your hopping creations.
In the Northern Hemisphere, December 21st generally marks the day with the least daylight of the year and the official start of winter. Make it a reason to celebrate! Bring out the warm drinks and glow sticks, build a campfire, roast s’mores, and study the night sky. See how much fun you can have in the dark. Reminisce about your favorite winter memories together in anticipation of the many more you will create this winter season.
An Internet search can help you find an outdoor ice skating rink, whether man-made or on a frozen pond. Bundling up and lacing up ice skates is a wonderful family activity when together for the holidays. The decorations of outdoor twinkle lights and wreaths make ice skating that much more spectacular; holding each other’s hands to stay balanced builds a wonderful bond. The smiles and giggles are endless!
You don’t have to have a kid to feel like one when playing in the snow. While my friend Darryl’s three-year-old daughter Ellie called the six-foot mound of snow left by the snowplow “Ellie’s Castle,” my sister Marni had her own fairy tale for her birthday, the 23rd of December. Not only did she have a surprise engagement, but she and her betrothed also celebrated with their ninety-pound black lab by romping around their neighborhood, climbing the mountains left by the plows, and even dusting off their sled for multiple runs down a hill, giggling with glee alongside their dog. See how much fun you can have acting like a kid again alongside a special someone.
Have the kids select a tree that you can see from your window, then decorate it with all the types of bird feeders you can think of! Try pinecones spread with peanut butter (or vegetable shortening) and rolled in popcorn, Cheerios on pipe cleaners, and bagels or bread spread with shortening and dipped in birdseed, sunflower seeds, or any chopped nuts you have on hand. Enjoy watching the birds feast over the next several days.
When my extended family gets together for Christmas dinner, we follow the meal with a traditional walk. Any time there’s a family gathering, a nature stroll is a wonderful way to bring people together. We slip into fun and meaningful conversations and walk off those extra calories without even trying.
A celebration of African American heritage, each of the seven nights of Kwanzaa has a theme: unity, self- determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith. In the morning, with your family, take a vote and pick one of the themes to reflect on for the day. Then, anytime you are outside with your family, whether walking the dog, making a snowman, or sitting on the porch, you can offer your thoughts on the theme of the day and hear what your children have to say.
Many family members may be huddled over their gifts, figuring out how they work and trying them out for the first time. Have the kids take all the empty boxes outside and see what they can build! There is nothing to worry about destroying; the kids can have fun for hours until the boxes are ready to go into the recycling!
Avoid cabin fever and start burning some holiday calories with a hike at a local park. Look for an easy, one- to two-mile loop so everyone in the family can come. Dress in layers and bring some snacks, water, and binoculars! Winter is a great time for bird watching with the leaves off the trees. Remind anyone new to nature watching that they’ll likely see more the quieter they can be on the trail.
Why two? You are more likely to park your car in town (public transportation is even better) and walk around. A children’s or science museum, then a zoo or natural history museum, will be favorites of the kids. You could even make an informal scavenger hunt in town to find five things: a fountain, a statue, a garden, a map, and a person wearing a scarf.
Many towns have a public park or church that has an amazing display of lights through New Year’s Eve. Bring your favorite CD of holiday music to play in the car while you tour the lights outside.
A wonderful way to celebrate spending a year of outside time together is to crank up the music, twirl glow sticks, decorate with glow-in-the-dark headbands and bracelets, and take the dancing outside! Ring in the New Year (or as late as everyone can stay up) with one last look at the stars before bed. Learn about the night sky at earthsky.org/tonight and make a wish upon a star for your happiest memories outside to be even better next year.