Winter in Wisconsin can get so cold! I don’t know about you, but my desire to be outside for extended periods of time goes WAY down the colder it gets. However, our kids are not any less likely to need movement and sensory input throughout their day. Physical activity and sensory input are things that all kids (and adults!) need to regulate their body for optimal engagement in everyday tasks, regardless of diagnosis. How much input a person needs is totally unique and dependent on their body. Below are some ideas for outdoor activities that can get bodies moving and help with regulation during these cold winter months!
- Go sledding. The sled can provide vestibular input going down and some great heavy work to drag that sled up the hill. If they are too little to drag it up the hill on their own, still have them help you by also pulling or by pushing while you pull. Don’t have a sled? Log roll down the hill!
- Snow Angels. This is great for reflex integration, body awareness, and some heavy work pushing against the snow
- Build a snowman. Pushing those big snowballs is a lot of work!
- Have a snowball fight! (Make sure the snow isn’t too icy so that you are not throwing chunks of ice). Build a fort to hide behind and work on your visual motor skills to hit a target. Don’t want kids throwing snowballs at each other? Pick a non-human target and get points every time you hit it with your snowballs.
- Winter sports. Ever tried snowshoeing? Cross country skiing? Ice Skating? Have fun trying something new or something you’ve done before!
- Play tag in the snow. Running through that snow is so much harder than running on cement or in grass. Great exercise!
- Winter scavenger hunt. Hide things in the snow and have your kiddos try to find them all. Don’t have time for that much setup? Have them try to find things that are already outside. Find a stick buried in the snow, unbury your garden gnome, etc.
- Shovel snow! This is amazing heavy work which is so regulating for the body but it also gives kids a sense of responsibility to help with the chores that keep your home running. Kids of all ages can help with this. Give your tiniest 2 year old a mini shovel from your car or a sand shovel and they will go to town trying to help you to clear the driveway!