By Rich Niccum, Education Services Manager
Though it isn’t officially winter, it is upon us, complete with frosty mornings, bone chilling wind and shorter days. There are some people who love winter, but many would gladly leave it behind for the sunny skies and warm temperatures of more southern climates.
Many people dislike winter because of the perception that there isn’t anything to do. It is cold and gray outside and the shortened days make it seem even worse. Unlike the groundhog or bat, we can’t hibernate all winter, but there are things that we can do to make winter go by much faster. Try the following outdoor activities to get the blood flowing and enjoy some quality family time, outside. For more winter outdoor activities, check out Winter Fun
- Take a walk and look for animal tracks.
- Develop a scavenger hunt for winter nature items.
- Look for bird nests. Without leaves on the trees to hide them, winter is excellent time to see them.
- Shovel a fun maze pattern path in the snow in your yard.
- Have a snowball fight.
- Go out at night and watch the stars.
- Pretend you are a family of explorers on an expedition to the Arctic.
- Do a neighborhood animal survey. What animals do you see while taking a walk? Once back inside, look up interesting facts about the animals you saw.
- Have a winter picnic.
- Attend a winter owl prowl or other winter programs offered by Preservation Parks.
To demonstrate that winter doesn’t have to be ho-hum, we are kicking off the fun with our winter owl prowl series on Friday, December 7 at 6:30 pm at Gallant Woods Park. This program is a great opportunity to introduce owls to your family members ages 7+. We will learn various owl calls, what makes owls so unique and hike the trail in search of these mysterious nocturnal creatures. The program is free, and registration is not required. We look forward to seeing you out in the parks this winter!
