Families with younger children often get a little nervous when the chilly temps arrive. How can you spend all those months indoors? You don’t! Real outdoors lovers have learned how to enjoy the outdoors even when the temps are dropping. If you need some extra help in learning how to love the cold, our practical tips will get you prepared for outdoor fun in Fall and Winter. We know it’s not simply having the snowsuit that makes you ready.
4 tips for getting your kids outside in cold weather months!
1. Prepare your clothes. Children need extra layers even more than adults. The standard advice is to wear 3 layers. The bottom layer is to keep you dry, the middle layer is to keep you warm, and the outer layer is to retain your body heat and protect against snow and rain. Try a thin glove under thicker snow gloves. Your kids’ snow hat needs to have flaps that come down over the ears and snap in place under the chin to retain the heat on their heads.
2. Prepare your home with easy access to proper outerwear. Designate a space in the garage, laundry room or mud room for everyone’s items to be stored. Make it even more enticing to run outdoors. Keep all layering items in a special spot, so they’re more apt to grab what is needed and get dressed. With kids, you may still need to help zip, tuck and snap, but knowing how they can stay warm and still have fun will make it even easier for everyone to enjoy outside!
3. Prepare the toys and games! That’s right, make it fun! Snow days don’t always have to mean skiing. And the truth is, that mom and dad can’t always stop everything to monitor sled races, so you’re going to need special snow toys and games that will keep your kids’ interest in these cold months. You may need to make a small investment in some things that will keep their interest outdoors. Craigslist and E-bay are great places to find inexpensive items from last season that someone isn’t using anymore. Don’t forget camping with kids it still possible in Fall and early Winter! Consult the geeks for everything you need to take your family camping!
4. Prepare your food and drink stash. Every cold day calls for something comforting to drink. Fill a thermos with hot chocolate or one of your favorite hot beverages. Consider a hot snack, like toasted cheese or apple pie sandwiches. Take a break to warm up with hot munchies.
Cold weather doesn’t have to mean you are locked inside for the duration of winter! Prepare with a few tools and learn to enjoy the outdoors with your family! Gather your gear, and get the kids ready for fun throughout the Fall and Winter Camping season!
