Unique outdoor winter games

In summer and winter alike, kids love blowing soap bubbles. But in sub-zero temperatures, something magical happens: the bubbles freeze! You and your children can create a magical winter wonderland, or do experiments like the following:

• Count the ice crystals in each bubble
• Watch how ice crystals form (two by two, three by three, etc.)
• Calculate how long it takes for a bubble to freeze
• Pour a drop of hot water on each bubble and see what happens
• Etc.

Kitchen utensils, tennis balls, and other small objects are the perfect booty for a snow pirate. After your kids have gathered their treasures in a big box, they can invite their friends to the park (or your yard) for a game of snow pirates. Here’s how to play:

1. While the others have their eyes closed, a designated pirate thief chooses an object from the box.
2. The thief buries the object in the snow and carefully covers their tracks.
3. When they’re done, they ask the other pirates to open their eyes and ask questions. Before starting the treasure hunt, the pirates have to guess which object was stolen.
4. The pirate who identifies the missing object gets a 20-second head start.
5. Everybody counts out loud to 20.
6. When the countdown is over, the other pirates join the hunt.
7. The pirate who returns the missing object to the treasure chest wins.

Snowflakes are like children: each one is unique, even if some look alike. Are your kids skeptical? They can see for themselves! For this activity to work, each child will need a piece of dark cloth. On a snowy day, ask them to go outside catch as many snowflakes as possible in one minute. When their cloths are covered in snow, ask them to do the following:

• Count their snowflakes
• Observe their shape
• Look for identical ones
• Find the prettiest one
• Etc.

This game requires some planning on your part, but it’s sure to be popular with your little ones! Here’s how to prepare:

1. Choose five small objects (a colouring pencil, a toy car, a LEGO brick, a sock, etc.)
2. Place each object inside a balloon.
3. Fill the balloons with water.
4. Tie each balloon securely with a knot.
5. Put the balloons on the balcony and wait for them to freeze.
6. Hide the frozen balloons in the snow.
7. When your child finds one, give them a few clues to help them guess which object is trapped inside.
8. Once they identify it, help them remove the balloon and inspect their toy fossilized in ice.

Santa Claus and other magical beings don’t communicate by email or post! If your kids want to send messages to the North Pole and beyond, they can simply write them out in the snow. How?

1. Using a tree branch, show your children how to write a note or wish list on an untouched snowdrift.
2. When they’re done, you can even invent a magic spell that will send the messages to their recipients!

Using a small branch, you can trace a giant game of tic-tac-toe in the snow. For the X’s and O’s, you can use different objects (e.g., small branches, pine cones).

1, 2, 3 . . . Go! All the children throw one object and a handful of snow in the air. The goal is to guess which will hit the ground first. Here are a few objects they can try:

• A mitten
• A small branch
• A boot
• A pine cone
• A leaf
• Etc.

After each race, ask your kids to share their observations.

For children, the best things about winter are Christmas stories, snow, and hot chocolate. Why not combine them all? Encourage your kids to build a reading corner—outside! They’ll need to use their imaginations to build snow chairs and snow tables. Once they have a comfortable winter nook, you can do the following:

• Create a cozy atmosphere by lighting a few candles
• Make some hot drinks
• Keep everyone warm under an old blanket
• Read some Christmas stories aloud

Curling, ice hockey, luge . . . Everyone loves the Winter Olympic Games! You and your family can put a spin on the sporting event by playing Geometry Olympics. The stakes aren’t as high, but it’s great fun! Here’s how to play:

1. Armed with dozens of snowballs, your children wait for your signal to begin.
2. You name a geometric shape (square, circle, rectangle, etc.), and they race to create it using only their snowballs.
3. The first child to create every shape wins.

Who says golf is only a summer sport? With a little imagination, your children can create an extraordinary golf course in the snow. Here’s what they’ll need to do:

• Pack down the snow
• Build tunnels
• Make paths
• Dig holes

Using a branch as a golf club, each child will attempt to hit small plastic balls into each hole on the golf course.

The player who reaches the end in the fewest strokes wins.