Time outdoors is important for everyone, especially kids. I try to get my kids outside every day, even in the winter. There are many great benefits of playing outside in the winter.

Now don’t get me wrong, if it’s below zero and windy or unsafe temperatures, we don’t go outside… I don’t want my kids to get frostbite! But I do try to get them outside nearly every day, even if it’s a little cold out. We might only get out for a short time on cold days but it is better than nothing.

You might be thinking that it is a lot of work to get the kids ready to go outside for only a few minutes, and you are right. I am usually sweating by the time I help everyone get all their stuff on. But I think the benefits of being outside are important and they outweigh the amount of time it takes me to get them ready.

I’m not a doctor or an expert, but I think we all know that being outside has great health benefits… but there are other great benefits to getting outside as well!

I work part-time. So, I am home with my kids usually 2-3 days during the week and most weekends. I try to be intentional about getting them outside time on days that we are home together.

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Benefits Of Playing Outside Everyday In The Winter:

1. It has great health benefits.

• Fresh air is great for everyone! It helps you to feel better and have more energy.
• It’s good for your mental health too!
• There is just something about getting a little fresh air and natural light that makes me feel more energized in the winter. If I am feeling sluggish and tired, getting outside (even if just for a little bit) always seems to help.

Maya M. Mahmood, D.O., FAAP, a board-certified pediatrician and mom, from www.mayapeds.com has a great post on the statistics and facts of outdoor play. Check out this post and I think you will be convinced of the importance of getting outside daily.

I typically have my kids go outside, but I don’t always go outside with them… Sometimes I watch them from the window or sit on our porch and watch them. I don’t always like the cold, but this post convinced me to get outside with them! I mean if it has all these great benefits for kids,

2. My kids sleep better.

• I think it not only has to do with the fresh air, but they also get more gross motor activity outside and can wear off all kinds of energy

3. My house stays cleaner.

• This seems really silly, but if you are a mom, you totally get it! We clean all day, but yet the house is never clean.
• When my kids are outside, they can’t cause a mess in my house! I love a clean house and this helps it stay a tiny bit cleaner.
• My kids love going outside. I usually tell them we need to clean up together before we can go outside. This motivates them to help pick up.
• Granted, you will have wet outdoor gear sitting by your door after they come in, but I enjoy that the rest of the house stays cleaner. The mess is isolated to the front door only!

4. It decreases the number of times they ask to watch TV.

• Kids like to stay busy and if I don’t keep my kids busy, they will ask me about 100x a day if they can watch TV, which I HATE!
• Don’t get me wrong, my kids are great at playing in the house and they love helping me cook or doing activities together, but that only lasts so long during the day.
• Kids need stimulation and activity and getting them outside during the day is a great way to get both of those things!

I do sometimes worry that my kids will get bored outside in the winter since there aren’t as many things to do, but they always amaze me and seem to find something to do.

Usually, they have a couple of sleds, snow tubes, and shovels and their imaginations do the rest! My kids love this snow tube, but really you don’t HAVE to have any extra equipment outside (other than their winter gear- coats, snow pants, hats, gloves, etc.) for them to enjoy it!

The other great thing about getting outside is that it is FREE! So anyone on any budget can do this! And I am ALL about budget-friendly activities.

There are times when getting outside just doesn’t work or isn’t safe because of the weather. We do have some alternatives to getting outside to still help my kids have a change of scenery and wear off some energy.

Alternatives to going outside:

1. Leaving the house to do something fun and get a change of scenery.
   • This might be something as simple as getting groceries.
   • Go to a friends or family members house.
   • Go for a drive
   • Go to the library
   • Find another local activity to go to
2. Have them play somewhere else on your property.
   • This won’t work for everyone depending on your living situation.
   • We have a 3 stall garage and only 2 vehicles. We have converted our 3rd stall to a play area for the kids in the winter. There are outdoor toys and a small trampoline in this stall. Our garage is heated. So we turn the heat up in there, turn on some music, and the kids have a different area to play in. The other positive to this is that I can still get stuff done in my house and I just keep the door open between my house and my garage so I can hear the kids.
   • We also have a large crawl space that has plenty of open area. Sometimes I give the kids a few games, blankets, and flashlights and they go down there an play. It’s a nice change of scenery. They only do this about once a month and it’s a fun way for them to change it up!
3. Do some exercises with your kids.
   • Exercising is great for all of us. Finding some exercises to do together is a great way to wear off some energy and do something fun!
   • YouTube has all kinds of free exercise videos for kids.

Hopefully, this helped convince you that fighting the cold weather and the work of getting the kids ready to go outside in the winter is worth it! There are so many great benefits of playing outside in the winter.

Do you have other great ideas for outdoor activities? Or other great ideas for alternatives to outdoor activities?

If you enjoyed this post, check out my post on how to overcome mom guilt and great snack ideas for kids.