It’s that cold, dreary time of the year again. When winter feels endless, and your children are bouncing off the walls, feeling cooped up with no way to release their pent-up energy. Fortunately, the colder weather doesn’t mean you can’t send your kids outside for a bit of outdoor fun and fresh air. Bundle them up and send them outside to play some outdoor games boys love in the winter. Take a page out of our summer camp playbook, helping your children stretch their bodies and minds with these fun outdoor activities.
Snow-Centric Games Boys Love in the Winter
Give your child a reason to get away from the screen and go outdoors with these games, which are sure to get your child moving on a bright winter’s day.
- Winter fort building
Fort building develops spatial reasoning and stretches your child’s imagination. Sand buckets, small boxes, and milk cartons make ideal brick molds for snow forts. - Tug of war
Foster their competitive side with a slip-sliding game of tug-of-war. Create a trench as the midline, grab a long, thick rope, and video the event to enjoy later. - Dodgeball, snowball-style
This game works just like regular dodgeball, except with snowballs as ammunition. Anyone hit is out. Any target that catches the snowball is safe – the thrower is out. - Snow monster
How big of a snowman can your son build? Watch as your child creatively masters construction limitations. - Treasure hunt
Hide items in the snow, sending your kids off to claim hidden loot, like small toys.
- Snow obstacles course
Build hurdles to jump over and blocks to weave through, ending your competition with a snowball roll-off – the biggest snowball wins!
Fair Weather Fun
No snow? No problem! There are still lots of fun things your child can do outside in the cold.
- Feed the birds
Purchase birdseed or thistle or create suet covered pinecones, attracting birds to your yard. Track the species you see, identifying each and counting day-to-day. - Wild kingdom
What animals have visited your yard this winter? Search the grounds for tracks, attempting to match them with the correct species. - Playground visit
The lack of competition for coveted playground equipment in the winter makes this a fun treat.
- Frozen bubbles
This activity is a favorite of younger boys. Leave a bottle of bubble mix outside to get cold. Dip in the bubble wand and swing to create bubbles. Watch bubbles ice in the air, or catch one quickly and carefully, watching it turn to ice in your hands. Note: Freezing temperatures required! Avoid blowing with your breath, which makes them too warm for this trick to work. - Freeze tag
Freeze tag takes on a whole new meaning when it’s played in the cold, which inspires the desire to outrun the competition.
Are your kids ready for a change from outdoor games boys love in the winter to spring and summer fun in the sun? Don’t let your son miss out on the joy of outdoor activities at Camp
