Straining to fit into a boot. Whining about a finger caught in the wrong mitten. Searching for that elusive toque. Getting your kids outside to play in the winter can feel like an hour-long ordeal—with the end result being piles of snowy mittens, dripping boots, and soggy snowpants. Yet once you step outside and start playing, the chaos of the front door melts away into a frozen winter wonderland.

Some of my fondest childhood memories are steeped in winter play, and some of the best moments with my own little ones have been spent outdoors during our Great White North’s longest season. The truth is, winter holds a frozen potential for fun, fresh air, health, and happiness—all waiting to be unlocked by embracing its chilly opportunities.

In this post, we’ll explore the powerful benefits of cold weather play for children and show you why embracing winter can be one of the best decisions for your family’s well-being and happiness. Let’s discover just how powerful winter play can be!

Wintertime wraps us in holiday cocoons of warmth and gatherings—a season that, despite its beauty, can easily turn into a “sick soup” of circulating germs, unhealthy food, and endless screen time. There’s no need for our children to end up listless, pale, and sniffly during this time of year when the antidote is nearby.

Kids need to get outside in the winter—and not just for quick penguin waddles from the house to the car and back again. Instead, they deserve to breathe in the crisp, invigorating air that can truly improve their health and well-being. The benefits of Vitamin N(ature) and spending time in green spaces are supported by science, and in winter, these benefits become even more crucial.

Cold weather often keeps us indoors and is frequently blamed for causing sickness. However, it’s important to remember that the cold itself doesn’t cause colds. While many viruses remain infectious longer and replicate faster in cooler temperatures—and dry noses and throats provide a more favorable environment for them—the solution isn’t to hunker down inside. By bundling up and stepping outdoors, we can harness nature’s healing power and even reduce our exposure to viruses that thrive in indoor environments.

To combat the sluggishness that often hits during winter season—which can be detrimental to children’s growing bodies—all you need to do is bundle up and get outside. Do you remember walking up the sledding hill for the fiftieth time as a child, panting for air while shouting about the fun? Snow and ice offer endless opportunities for physical activity and joy. From throwing your weight behind a giant snowball alongside your siblings, hurling snowballs at friends to digging epic forts, these activities work wonders for strengthening muscles, improving cardiovascular fitness, developing balance and core strength, and fine tunning motor skills, often without children even realizing it.

Spending time outdoors and connecting with nature reduces stress, depression, and anxiety in both adults and children. It also significantly improves symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and boosts self-esteem. There are a variety of theories as to why this happens, but one scientifically supported suggestion is that nature has restorative effects on the human body.

Nature captivates our attention and elicits feelings of pleasure, in contrast to the constant stimulation of urban environments and indoor settings, which can lead to mental fatigue. Additionally, nature provides an escape into a vast environment with which we feel connected. Although getting outside requires some effort, it often goes unnoticed due to the beauty and entertainment offered by the winter landscape—even if it isn’t covered in snow.

Playing in nature can also help support children in becoming more socially sturdy and psychologically resilient. Studies show kids increase prosocial behaviour (versus antisocial behaviour including bullying) after nature play. The sledding hill, skating rink, snow fort and beyond are where shrieks of laughter spark connection, cooperation, and teamwork. Helping each other back up the slope, building a jump or snowman, teaching skating or hockey skills, celebrating a snowball fight comeback all quietly contribute to a child’s self esteem and social skills.

Compared to summer, winter throws all sorts of challenges and opportunities at us. We have to brave the bitter cold, pivot our skating plans when the ice isn’t thick or smooth enough, overcome obstacles and maintain positivity with a face full of snow. 

Outdoor play in nature, as opposed to traditional indoor play spaces, has been associated with an increase in creative fluency, originality and imagination. It offers unique opportunities for problem solving, innovative solutions, and adaptability.

Snow and ice also serve as a blank canvas for creative play and wildlife discoveries, fostering imaginative scenarios and hours of self-directed entertainment. Besides being fun and providing a break for parents, studies show imagination, creativity, and dramatic play are crucial for child development—helping kids build a sense of the world while developing complex thinking skills and emotional intelligence.

During the winter season where it’s easier and (seems) healthier to stay indoors, cold weather play benefits our children more than can be imagined. Even if your kids are sniffly and have coughs, mild to moderate exercise and cold weather play can help relieve congestion and put a sparkle in their eyes. Steel your nerves against the bundling up process and let’s go play in the cold!