“To appreciate the beauty of a snowflake it is necessary to stand out in the cold.” -Aristotle
Snowy roads, biting winds and cozy blankets- it’s that time of the year again! Winter is the perfect month to indulge in the guilty pleasures of laziness. Few delights are as tempting as staying warm inside your blanket when there’s cold outside. But, winter can be a fun month to go outside and have some outdoor exercise. There’s no sweat and there’s no heat. Winter is just a pleasant, breezy and chilly weather that lasts for a very short while and we should do all we can to enjoy it to the fullest. There are a number of thrilling activities you can do this winter. Here is a list of 10 Winter activities you can do to keep your blood circulation going.
Winter Activities For Your Kids And Family
1.Ice-Skating
The most fun and thrilling recreational sport that you can indulge in this winter are ice-skating. This sport developed as early as 1000 BCE in Scandinavia but its popularity quickly spread to other parts of the world. From seasonal leisure activity to a major year-round sport, ice-skating has garnered a big fan following as an event in the Olympics.
To avoid skidding on the ice and breaking a leg (or two), you can take it up as a short course and learn the basics from a trained person who can instruct you properly. Then the pleasure doors of gliding on the ice sheets with full control are open for you!
Also Read: The Top Ice Climbing Spots Around the World
2. Building a Snowman
This is the most dreamy and fantastic part of winter. All the cartoons and the animated films we watched during our childhood have created in us the appetite to build a jolly, happy snowman. Snowman building is a knack of people who stay in regions receiving sufficient snowfall. It is a usual theme for Christmas. Building a snowman doesn’t take much; a few branches for arms, carrot for the nose, stones/coal for eyes, scarf and hat and ice-balls. You can also go to the extent of building young snowmen and build stories around them to keep kids entertained.
3.Skiing
This sport is a little similar to skating except you have long, flat gears called skis instead of skate shoes. This activity was discovered in Russia around 7000-8000 BCE and is still occasionally used for travel in rural areas of Russia and the Scandinavian countries. Extremely popular as a competitive sport in the Winter Olympics, it has been adopted by people in various styles. There are cross-country skiing, freestyle skiing, and even water skiing.
Ski gears are crucial to saving one from injury during this sport. It consists of skis, boots, and bindings to keep the skis tightly attached to the feet, poles to control speed and change directions, ski suits and helmets, ski goggles and skiing gloves.
Also Read: 10 Most Naturally Beautiful Countries In The World
4. Snowboarding
Snowboarding, initially called surfing, is hugely popular as a winter Olympic and paralympic sport as well as a recreational activity. It was inspired by a number of other sports like skateboarding, skiing, sledding, and surfing and thus bears resemblance to all of them. It was an overlap of recreational and professional styles.
The history of snowboarding is cute! A father, who was an engineer by profession, wanted his daughters to have a fun-filled winter. He invented a toy for them by fastening two skis together and attaching a rope to one of its ends to check its speed. Thus, snowboarding was born. Some snowboard/ski resorts have man-made snow, so you don’t really have for Winter to practice snowboarding. The key to learning to snowboard is speed control. It’s best to concentrate on controlling your speed with skidded turns. All you do is lean when your board is at 90 degrees with your movement direction.
PS: No matter how good you are, a helmet is an indispensable part of any sport.
5. Sledding
One of the most common winter activities known as sleighing or sledding, this is a winter activity typically performed in a prone or seated position on a land vehicle known as a sled. When practiced on the sand, it is known as a form of sandboarding. Sledding was used to transport passengers or cargo as well as recreation.
To enjoy fully the rush of speeding down a snow-covered hill stay seated while the sled is moving, and face forward at all times. Do not change positions as it may lead to a bad crash.
Also Read: Top 15 Coldest Countries In The World
6. Snowball Fight
Snow pressed into balls of various sizes that are thrown at people or at objects can be a really enjoyable sport during winters. It is played typically when it snows and the snowballs can also be used to build snowmen. As a sport, it is played the same way dodgeball is played, but with snow. The number of participants, the merrier. The record-breaking snowball war was fought in 2016 with almost 2000 fighters. So next time it snows, collect the entire neighborhood and move to the nearest open space and enjoy it!
7. Building an Igloo
Igloo is the stuff of one’s dream as a child (or an adult). Originally a habitat for the Eskimos to escape the snowy environment, it has since become a part of winter pastimes. All you need is enough snow and a little engineering and there you are! A properly constructed igloo can have an inner temperature ranging from −7 °C (19 °F) to 16 °C (61 °F), even if the temperature outside dips to −45 °C (−49 °F)! Do not forget to carve vents in your igloo to avoid suffocating in your ice fort. It is one of the most common winter activities in the world.
Also Read: 10 Most Beautiful Lakes in Austria
8. Ice Fishing
Ice fishing is the practice of catching fish with fish hooks or spears by drilling a hole in the frozen water body. Be careful though, the ice might be thinner at places and you may go down with the fishing hook. More than a source of food, ice fishing has become more about friendship, spending a day of freezing winter out while sharing beer and tales. Don’t fret if you are unsure how to go ice fishing though. Sites like trophyicefish.com, allow you to experience the thrill of ice fishing while being supervised by a charter organization.
Also Read: Top 10 Beautiful Fjords Around The Globe
9. Snowmobiling
Considered to be one of the most dangerous sport out there, it can still be enjoyed without any accidents if proper precautions are maintained. Snowmobiling is done by skiing along the ice on a motorized vehicle. It is of utmost importance to maintain your snowmobiles, if it is your serious hobby, to avoid snags and accidents. Finding a vehicle best suited for your terrain will ensure you have a joyous ride while being safe at the same time.
Also Read: 10 World’s Best Geysers and Hot Springs
10. Drinking Hot Chocolate
I agree, there isn’t another season that offers silence as winter does. This hot beverage will ensure you have a great time if you decide to shut your eyes to all the outdoor sports and decide that curling up into a cocoon inside the blanket is the best way to spend the winters. The origin of this indulging rich and thick cocoa drink goes back to 500 BC! It can be prepared by grinding fresh cocoa beans or by buying the chocolate mix available in the market these days. Hot cocoa has great health benefits. It is nutritious, rich in antioxidants, promotes a healthy heart and aids memory. So, you can have a guilt-free time with your cup of hot chocolate.
11. Winter Picnic
You all can plan a beautiful winter picnic with your closed ones by taking blankets, sandwiches and hot soup. Also, you need to pack those things that will keep you and your family warm like cozy blankets, scarves, and mittens. By taking binoculars for bird or wildlife watching will be a perfect idea from our side. Also, don’t forget to take tissue paper for chilly noses. later, if you feel that that the conditions are right for bon fore, you can try that.
Talking about the foods, you should take sliced bread, cold cuts, cheese, and pickles in a separate plastic bag, apart from this you should have wintertime salads made up of amaranth or barley.
12. Winter Bonfire
Winterbonfire is one of the most interesting winter activities you can perform during the season. You should be prepared with Cardboard, paper bags, and newspapers. Also, you can prepare hot dogs and Marshmallows on your plate with a thermos of hot chocolate. You can keep wine optional. Things you will need for Bonfire are Firewood, Comfortable seating, Cushions, Blankets, Warm beverages, Hats and scarves, Lights and gallon buckets. This is the most feasible way to entertain your guest who is looking for a warm and beautiful evening.
These are the 12 best winter activities you can perform with your family and kids. Being cold and dreary makes the winter days seem longer than they actually are. So get your shoes and gloves out and get your adrenaline rush through the veins. Invest in the right things to make winter more enjoyable than staying warm. Happy Winters!
