Fun Activities Outside When It's Snowing

Snowball Tossing

• Not only can kids make snowballs for a snowball fight, they can also use them for other activities. If you have a tire swing, kids can take turns trying to throw their snowballs through the middle of the tire. If you don't have a tire swing, use unsweetened juice powder packets to create colorful snowballs. Each child should have his own assigned color. Once each kid has a dozen or two colored balls, they should take turns trying to throw the snowballs the farthest or at a certain object, such as a cardboard target or tree.

Obstacle Course

• A soft, padded snow floor is a perfect place for an obstacle course. Use your feet to stomp down a winding path or crazy maze for the kids to follow. Along the way, set up obstacles such as a hula hoop propped up with a mass of snow, 1- to 2-foot packed snow hurdles to jump over and an area where you get to toss snowballs at the obstacle course participants.

Snow Forts

• Building a snow fort is always a hit with children. No need to let those sand buckets collect dust during the winter, grab as many as you can find. Pack snow in the buckets and tip them over to create blocks of snow for the fort̵7;s walls. Stack them as high as you want. You and the kids can make this a group effort or each can make their own fort. Add the finishing touch with a little snowman by the doorway to greet the fort̵7;s visitors.

Animal Tracks

• You can take the kids outside to hunt for animal tracks. Freshly fallen snow is the perfect canvas for this search. Walk around your home, the neighborhood or a park with the kids. Once one of you finds some tracks, take guesses on what kind of animal could have made them. Ask the kids whether it is a two- or four-legged creature. For a more accurate activity, take an animal track book or guide with you on your quest.