This is How to Keep Kids Active in the Winter

During the short, cold, dreary days of winter, parents and kids alike are tempted to just hunker down for the duration. But winter doesn’t have to mean your kids turn into video-game zombies or couch potatoes—there are plenty of ways to keep kids active in the winter months.

Children ages 6-17 should do at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity each day, according to the 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans (yes, even in the winter months). But less than one-quarter of American children meet these guidelines, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Even in the frigid temperatures of winter, there are plenty of creative ways to keep kids active, both indoors and outdoors. Parents just need to get a bit creative to find them. Luckily, we’ve done the research for you.

How to Keep Kids Active in the Winter Outdoors

In other cultures, it’s much more common for children to play outdoors during the coldest of temperatures. With this year’s COVID-19 situation, some schools have been holding classes entirely outdoors, with strategies in place to keep kids warm and safe in the cold temperatures.

There’s a saying that there is no inclimate weather, only inappropriate clothing. Almost any day can be an outdoor playday with the right winter clothing and gear.

Go for a Hike

Hiking is an easy, active family activity that can be done well into the winter. There are some beautiful family-friendly hiking trails in NYC and the surrounding suburbs. When there’s been a light snow, your children will feel like they are in a Winter Wonderland. At the very least, you can go for a family walk around the neighborhood.

Enjoy Winter Sporting Activities

Urban areas aren’t usually thought of as prime places for snow sports, but there are actually several opportunities to play and exercise in New York City and the surrounding areas.

• Sledding: Grab your Flexible Flyer and head to a local sledding hill for an afternoon of downhill fun!

• Ice-skating: Many of the ice rinks in the NYC, Westchester, Long Island, and Rockland are open with COVID-19 regulations.

• Skiing and snowboarding: New York area ski resorts have all implemented COVID-19 safety procedures and guidelines to make the downhill activity safe and fun for everyone.

• Cross-country skiing and snow-shoeing: Equipment can be ordered online, for instance from L.L. Bean, or purchased or rented at your local outdoor sporting equipment store. Once you have the necessary gear, check your local park’s website to see if cross-country skiing or snow-shoeing is allowed.

Have Fun in the Backyard

When there’s snow on the ground, put on your warm cold-weather gear and get outside for some simple snowy fun!

• Build a snowman, snow animal, or other snowy sculpture!

• Have a good, old-fashioned snowball fight (just make sure to set some ground rules to avoid injuries)!

• Lay back and make snow angels.

• Hand your kids a shovel to help clear the driveway. Okay, so this isn’t fun, per se, but you can promise them that fun will happen once the snow is cleared.

Go maple sugaring in February!

There's a reason why maple syrup is called liquid gold! Head out to a farm for a maple sugaring event in the late winter/early spring. Your family will trek out to see how maple trees are tapped, and many events will give you taste tests of the sugary treat!

How to Keep Kids Active in the Winter Indoors

If staying inside is more your speed during the winter months, here are some ideas to keep kids active indoors:

Swim in an indoor pool.

While the city’s recreation center’s indoor pools are currently closed due to COVID-19, some indoor pools (like Asphalt Green and Sportspark Swimming Pool on Roosevelt Island) are open with safety restrictions in place for both free swims and lessons. Call your local indoor pool to see if it’s open.