Guest Post: Getting Out & Active In the Winter

I'm happy to introduce another guest blogger for you today, Amelia Mayer. I guest posted for her a while back and have to again say how much I love their family policy of getting outside for at least 15 minutes every day. Amelia joins us today to share a few quick tips on getting out and being active in the cold of winter and the busy holiday season. Amelia loves adventuring with her husband and two young boys in the mountains of Wyoming. As a family they believe in the power of fresh air and hot chocolate.  Amelia blogs at www.talesofamountainmama.com.


I admit it: Getting outside as a family for us is just easier in the winter. As weird as it sounds, we are not huge fans of the heat. We just perform better when the air is a bit cooler (and our attitudes are a lot better too!)  Plus, with Daddy being a wildland firefighter, summers are just CRAZY for us. We relish the winter months of being able to be together as a family.

However, like everyone with kids, it also means finding a way to keep everyone warm and happy.  We work hard to fit in adventures (which also translate into workouts for at least Mama and Daddy) nearly daily. Here are some of our tips for making it work:

Ways to get outside:

A little snow + a sled = family fun!

* Go sledding (with little kids this always turns into more work for Mama and Daddy, but the laughter is priceless!)
* Make a snowman
* Go biking (we tend to have less snow in town so this is possible for us.  We love Strider bikes for the kids and they work great in the snow too!)
* Make a fort (use snow, fallen sticks, old leaves, or firewood! :))
* Go skiing or ice skating even if you don’t know how or aren’t very good at it.  It is healthy for our children to see us learning too. And laugh at yourself (they will laugh too!)
* When all else fails, do a family “Chinese Fire Drill”.  Translation - throw on a pair of shoes/boots and run around the house 2 or 3 times (carry the little ones if needed!)  Your heart will be pumping, your blood flowing from the cold air and I guarantee you will be laughing (in fun AND possibly shock!) 

Ways to Keep Warm:

layers +layers+layers=warm!

* Layer, layer, layer!  Our kids almost always have a liner glove inside their mittens and numerous other layers depending on how cold it is. We love Icebreaker long underwear as a base layer.
* Along with layering, stay away from cotton.  Wool and synthetics will keep your  kids warmer longer (and KEEP them warm when they get wet...which inevitably happens...)
* Encourage them to keep moving by moving yourself!  Monkey see, monkey do!
* End the day/adventure with warm drinks.  Hot cider or hot chocolates are big winter treats around here!

“I am WAY too busy for that, especially around the Holidays!”
* Even 15 minutes outside (with or without your kids) makes for a happier and refreshed perspective.  I have learned over the years that there is a time for everything, but that “thing” I HAVE to do can wait for a few minutes of recharging in some fresh air.  Plus, everyone is in better spirits AND more productive after some time outside.
* Remember, that you are your children’s primary teacher. If they see you making a million excuses about why you don’t want to go outside, they will do the same. Hence the “indoor kid” epidemic/obesity epidemic. 

‘Tis the season for fun in the snow/wind/fresh air.  Don’t let it pass you by!  Get out there!

Getting Outside

Amelia over at Tales of a Mountain Mama and her hubby have a family rule about getting outside for at least 15 minutes every day regardless of the weather. I love it and think it's an awesome way to instill a love of the great outdoors, appreciation for fresh air and nature, and enjoyment of physical activity in your children. I'd be lying (to you and to me) if I said I could that here with my family. I mean everyday is tough and I'll be honest, as much as I love being outside and active, I am a fair weather gal... meaning those cold winds of the Atlantic ocean and the wet Newfoundland snow are some what inhibitive. What I can do though and what I am really trying to do is simply get outside more often.

Late yesterday afternoon, Hudson was getting a little antsy (aka whiny) sitting around the house with me. I can hardly blame him. After two plus weeks of being under the weather with laryngitis followed by a head cold and me still with a head cold, there's been a limit to his out-of-the house excursions. And let's face it, too much time between four walls will make any of us antsy. We had already worn out our jolly jumper, excersaucer, play table, book nook, treehouse TV and sing-song games for the afternoon. Nap had been had and belly was full. At a loss of what else to do, I thought of Amelia and her notion of getting outside.

Hudson's sniffles are all but gone and we had been at the doc for a check-up earlier yesterday, leaving with a clean bill of health. Des was already out back with a fire in the firepit, so I bundled H up in his bunting suit, put his hat on him, and out we went.  It was exactly what we all needed.

We showed H the fire again and talked about it a little bit. Got close enough to feel the warmth and talk about hot, but stayed far enough away to be safe!

We enjoyed some baby love. Seriously, how cute is a baby so bundled he can't move his limbs?

love from daddy

and love from mommy too

I walked Hudson around the "back nine" showing him trees and branches and leaves. There was plenty of exploring and fortunately the bunting suit immobilized him enough to keep dead leaves out of his mouth!

We played some peek-a-boo with daddy from behind the birch tree, quite the fun game!

While outside, I remembered I wanted to take in a fall sunset with the fam before the end of November and the timing was perfect. H enjoyed the late afternoon bottle outside by the fire as the sun went down before we finally headed in for supper. While we couldn't see the sunset into the ocean from the backyard, we could watch disappear behind the trees and watch the sky change colours from a bright blue to a pale blue edged with orange and gold before it finally darkened up. Lovely way to wrap up a day.



the mid-sunset sky

Getting the fresh air, seeing new things, playing a few games and simply enjoying each others company was the perfect cure for a bored little boy. Note to self: remember this. Remember this afternoon mid-winter when it seems too cold and go outside anyways. We were all happier after our 15 (plus!) minutes outside. It is amazing what a little fresh air can do.

A bonus: seeing those sweet cheeks turn oh so rosy pink. Too cute.

love you handsome boy