Winter magic on your doorstep: activities and excursions with children

Now out into the cold? That's right, let's go - winter is the perfect time for micro-adventures right on your doorstep! While a warm room and wrapping up on the couch sound so tempting in the cold season, exciting discoveries and unforgettable moments await you outside. The best part? You don't need long journeys or expensive equipment: nature around the corner is your adventure playground ! In this story, we'll show you how you can create real quality time with children and as a family on excursions and outdoor activities in winter. Whether with or without snow , whether for an hour or a whole afternoon: these micro-adventures bring exercise, fun and plenty of aha moments into everyday life - for young and old.

 

Microadventures: Get out for a bit, experience a lot – outdoor activities in winter

 Admittedly, in cold weather it can be difficult to leave the warm room. But especially in winter, nature offers unique opportunities for shared family experiences and cool trips with children - and lots of advantages:

  ●     Health benefits: The fresh winter air not only strengthens theimmune system , but also stimulates circulation. Exercise in the fresh air reduces stress and ensures better sleep - for both children and adults. Being in daylight is also important for vitamin D production and has been proven to improve mood.

●     Quality time as a family : In times of smartphones and tablets , outdoor activities with children are particularly valuable. Out in nature, we are more present, more attentive and more open to real conversations. Shared discoveries and successes bond us together and create lasting memories.

●     Strengthening the connection to nature: Winter shows nature at its most fascinating. When children experience the seasonal changes up close, they develop a deeper understanding of natural relationships. This early connection to nature is the basis for many things, such as an awareness of environmental protection.

Whether you want to get some fresh air for an hour or plan a day trip into nature, let the following ideas for an adventurous winter inspire you. 

Great winter micro-adventure: following animal tracks in the snow!

Searching for clues: Who was here?

Winter is the perfect time for little nature detectives! Without thick leaves and tall grass , animal tracks are particularly easy to spot. Here are our top activities for your winter tracking trips with children:

 Recognizing and documenting animal tracks

●     Take a tracking book or an app with you for identification

●     Photographs interesting finds

●     Measures prints and notes special features

●     Makes plaster casts of clear traces

 inventing trace stories

●     Follow a series of tracks and think together: Where could the animal have been going?

●     Invent exciting stories about the traces discovered

●     Draw a treasure map for the next visit

 Photo Safari for Little Explorers

●     Organize a photo competition: Who will discover the most interesting animal tracks?

●     Also documents other clues such as nibbled cones or nests

●     Create a digital trace diary at home

 

Winter Botany: Exploring the Mysterious Plant World

Even though many plants have lost their leaves, winter offers exciting botanical discoveries :

 Discovering evergreen plants

●     Find different conifers and compare their cones

●     Explore mosses and ferns that stay green even in winter

●     Collects and presses wintergreen leaves for a herbarium

 collecting natural materials

●     Collect interesting finds such as bark, cones or berries

●     Create a small collection of natural materials

●     Label your finds and research interesting facts

 

Animal welfare in winter: small helpers, big impact

In winter, our animal neighbors don't always have it easy. You can actively help as a family with these outdoor activities:

Build your own bird feeding stations

●     Design bird feeders from weatherproof materials

●     Experiments with different natural construction methods

●     Observe and document your feathered visitors

●     Extra tip: Build a photo wall with profiles of your regular guests

 natural material art

●     Designed feeding wreaths from natural materials

●     Build decorative feeding bells

●     Set up an "animal snack bar" with various feeding stations

 

Architects of the Wilderness: Building and Constructing

Outside, there are endless possibilities to be creative and create exciting constructions :

 building shelters

●     Build a mini forest sofa out of branches

●     Build a nature-friendly shelter

●     Create cozy retreats for little forest visitors

 designing a natural art gallery

●     Create mandalas from natural materials

●     Creates landscape artworks

●     Photograph your ephemeral works of art

 

Family challenges for in between

 Exercise not only keeps you warm, it's also fun! You can start a little competition together on your winter trip with children. These activities promote team spirit and coordination in winter:

 mini-course

●     Uses natural obstacles such as tree trunks and stones

●     Develops various movement tasks

●     Measure time and set family records

●     Vary the course regularly for new challenges

 natural treasure hunt

●     Creates search lists with winter natural materials

●     Organize a photo rally with nature motifs

●     Develops creative collection tasks

 

City Explorer: Adventure in the City

 Exciting winter discoveries await you in urban areas too. Parks , playgrounds and even your own balcony can become exciting excursion spots with children:

 

city ​​park safari

Explore the park from a new perspective! Look for historical monuments or special trees, develop a photo rally or organize a "city-nature challenge" in which you document which animals stay in the city in winter. Feeding stations for ducks or swans on urban waters are also exciting.

 

playground expedition

Turn the playground into a winter obstacle course ! Slides, climbing frames and swings offer completely new movement experiences if you turn them into a skill challenge . Mark stations with (environmentally friendly) chalk or hide small treasures for an urban treasure hunt .

 balcony and terrace adventures

 Even the smallest outdoor area has potential: Experiment with hardy plants in raised beds or pots. Microgreens on the windowsill or an indoor herb garden also bring green adventures into the cold season. Use a thermometer to document the temperature differences at different times of the day or observe weather phenomena such as hoarfrost and icicles up close.

 

Equipment Guide: How to make your winter micro-adventure a success

To make your outdoor activities in winter really fun, the right preparation is crucial:

 Proper clothing

●     Onion principle: several thin layers instead of one thick

●     Waterproof, non-slip shoes

●     Pack spare gloves and socks

●     change of clothes for spontaneous mud activities

 Practical tools

●     identification books or nature apps

●     smartphone for photos and navigation

●     magnifying glass for detailed discoveries

●     Small scoop and cup for experiments

●     clipboard with paper and pens

●     card games with pre-made outdoor missions [A1] 

 snacks & drinks

●     Warm drinks in the thermos

●     Snacks for in between meals, for example from Dextro Energy*

●     Small rewards for completed tasks

●     Sufficient water

 

Safety & Organization: What you should consider

A quick plan or a situation check before you set off on your winter leisure activities will guarantee that your micro-experience will be a success: it is best to check the weather forecast the evening before and shortly before you start - temperatures, precipitation and wind speeds are particularly crucial in winter. Also keep an eye on the early dusk and plan your route accordingly. Small snacks and drinks provide a quick boost in between and motivate all adventurers. How about our dextrose cubes and minis , our school supplies with forest fruit flavor as a reward after completing forest adventures or a high-quality muesli bar for a little boost in between? [A2] 

 

Bonus: Indoor alternatives for bad weather

Not every winter day is suitable for outdoor activities - but you can also satisfy your family's desire for discovery indoors. For cozy family evenings, nature or animal documentaries are ideal, which you can watch and discuss together. Develop your own nature quizzes or play Activity with self-made terms related to your winter experiences. Winter time is also perfect for shared kitchen adventures . Cook a warming soup together or a whole meal to which everyone can contribute something. Use the time to plan upcoming micro-adventures. Create a nature explorer map of your area together or a seasonal discovery calendar.

 

Let's go out: winter adventures await everywhere!

 The best adventures are often right on your doorstep - you just have to discover them! With these ideas for outdoor activities in winter, even the smallest trips become exciting micro-adventures with children and for the whole family. It doesn't matter whether you only have an hour or a whole afternoon: every moment in nature is valuable and creates lasting memories. So, pack your equipment , dress warmly and set off on your very own winter adventure. Nature is already waiting for you!

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 * contains carbohydrates

A varied, balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle are important.