By Katie Elizabeth
Winter is tough on birds, so now is a great time to have your kids put out some suet or birdseed and watch some very hungry birds come to feast. If there is any snow on the ground, you will end up with plenty of interesting tracks to check out as well. This is a great time for kids to learn more about bird migration and what birds have stayed for the winter, as well as to go scouting for old nests that will now be visible in trees.
Visit a Duck Pond
Take a trip to a local pond to feed the ducks and other water birds that may be gathered there. Go for a walk around the pond and see if you can spot any other wildlife or signs of winter activity. Look for tracks in the snow and record what you find. Your kids could even sketch them out and try to identify the animals when they get home.
Take a Winter Explorer’s Expedition
Take your kids on a nature walk with the specific purpose of exploring the winter landscape and discovering how it differs from the same place in other seasons. Take photos of or draw trees to compare with in the summer, observe what winter plants are still growing and what wildlife is active.
Blow Bubbles – or Even Paint with Them
This is often seen as a summer activity, but blowing bubbles in crisp, chilly air can be even more fun as the bubbles look and behave a little differently in cold air. You could also try bubble painting on snow by adding a couple drops of food coloring or kool-aid to your bubble solution and seeing what interesting color effects you get when the colored bubbles land.
This post was published first in 2014 and edited in 2019.
My name is Katie Elizabeth and I’m a content coordinator for several different companies. I currently live near the Pennsylvania state capitol and am also attending grad school in a communications program. Other passions include new music, concerts, road trips, reading, animals and volunteering.
