Outdoor Winter Fun (+ Notice!)

Note: Hey guys! Thanks for sticking with the blog and checking back for updates. I just wanted to let you all know that I will be away from November 23rd until at least December 10th. I'm spending some time with the family and am leaving the laptop as far away from me as humanly possible. In the meantime, check out this next blog post and catch up on the ones you've missed! Have a great Thanksgiving! - Tará

“It is not enough to take people out of doors. We must teach them to enjoy it.” —Ernest Thomas Seton

I’ve always enjoyed it. For those of you who are more city-bred, though, winter joys probably consisted of seeing department store holiday windows, maybe ice skating once or twice, but mostly of staying warm, indoors and boot-free. I'm from upstate New York and during the winter, I want to enjoy a new romance with nature. And I hope to teach others not to be wintertime couch potatoes, but instead to look forward to being out in the winter wonderland.

Finally, I’ve stopped denying the fact that winter is COLD! Enjoying the outdoors in winter is much easier when you’re not shivering and freezing. Investing in a warm coat, boots, gloves and a hat made of natural, breathable materials for all will lessen whining and increase the fun factor.

Beyond the pricier winter fun options of skiing and the like, there are many ways to cultivate an appreciation of the outdoors during winter.

Observing Snowflakes
You know those huge, detailed snowflake ornaments decorating stores and holiday trees this time of year? Well, they kind of look like the real thing (except the real thing doesn’t come in red, lilac or blue). Taking a walk or standing outside during a snowfall is a great way to remember the infinite creativity in nature. After being outside long enough for your clothes to cool down, observe the beautiful falling crystals as they stick to your gloves or sleeves. Each undamaged snowflake has six arms, yet like us, each one is unique, a fact that should boggle even an adult mind.

You can even catch some snowflakes! It's easy and I used to do this all the time as a kid. For the winter, stock up on some black construction paper and throw it in your freezer.

Yup, that's right! You're freezing paper.

When those big, beautiful snowflakes start to fall down, carry an ice-cold sheet of construction paper out with you and hold it to the sky. when the snowflakes fall on them, they'll stay cool, allowing you to get a glimpse of their fantastic shapes and sizes!

Hunting for Nests
After the first heavy snowfall, hunt for bird nests. They will be the snow-covered mounds in the trees and bushes around your home, neighborhood or park, now made visible by the falling of the leaves and the clumping of the white snow. Did you have any idea there were so many feathery families living so near during the warmer seasons?

The Classics
There’s nothing like a good old-fashioned snowball fight or sled ride. Just play fair to keep it fun.