Check out this list of outside activities and a brand that helps you stay warm while you fight your cabin fever
This post is sponsored by ClimateRight but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.
If you follow me on social media, you'll notice a common theme: my kids and I spend a LOT of time outdoors! We're outdoors year round. It is absolutely one of the very best parts of living in Texas; we get to be outside all 12 months of the year. That's not to say that it doesn't get cold here. It does! But it's a manageable cold that's made even more manageable with the right wardrobe choices. If you're getting cagey and building up a decent cabin fever, check out these outside this winter activities! Break out, get outside and have some fun while staying warm.
Every day - literally, every single day - we spend at least an hour outside. In the winter months, the afternoons are most favorable because they're the warmest. I bundle myself and my kids up and we head outside to our backyard. The rope swing is always a favorite! It's big enough for both kids to be on at once and low enough to the ground for one to push himself around to have some fun solo. Swings work in snowy climates too. I remember growing up in Minnesota, we had a tire swing in our back yard. We'd pile some snow up, get some good height going with the swing, and jump into the snow piles. The snow cushioned the landing, and as a child, I never minded getting snow in my face and up my pant leg. Adult Paige would likely feel differently about that!
My kids are never going to have enough snow for swing-snow jumping, but our lack of snow means we can ride our bikes in January! And by 'we' I mean the boys... I don't actually own a bike. I bundle up and walk while the kids ride. Bikes and toddlers can easily become overwhelming, so we have a couple of rules in place. My Instagram shows that I don't make my kids wear a bike helmet, as long as they're riding in the back yard (which is mostly grass and flat, so there's no hills to pick up any real speed for injuries). But when we head out on the streets, helmets are mandatory. I also give them a point they have to stop by, which is usually only a few houses down. So they can 'ride fast' up to the next mailbox, or as far as the big free in someone's front yard, then they have to wait for me to catch up. This way, they're never too far from me in case something should happen, but they also feel some independence and have more fun.
Gardening is another thing we enjoy year round. We're fortunate enough to enjoy digging in the dirt and planting veggies all year long. Unfortunately, the boys dug up all the winter seeds I planted. While I'm glad I'm instilling a sense of understanding of where their food comes from, one day they got a tad too excited to "garden with mommy", went outside before I was finished nursing the twins, and dug everything up. At least seeds are cheap and they got their hands dirty, right?! If you're in a colder climate than me, I'd teach my kids how to shovel snow. In fact, I almost (*almost*) wish we had some so I could channel their dirt-digging energy towards something productive like shoveling! You could also build a snow fort, make snow angels, or go sledding. Those were all favorite activities of mine growing up in an extremely cold climate.
While all of these outside winter activities sound fun, let's get to the bottom of the looming question. As the parent, you've got to be outside to supervise them. That means, you've got to bundle up to withstand the elements you're facing! Bundling a child up is easy and cute, but an adult in hot pink snow pants? Not so much. Not to mention, there's not a store in Dallas that would sell such a thing! And if they did, it would be atrociously expensive. For, you know, the rare occasion it was ever cold enough to need them. So whatcha gonna do? You're going to head to Walmart and check out Climate Right.
Here's what I like about this brand: there are different options for the level of cold you have where you live. I've given you options of outside winter activities based on where you might live - now you've got clothing options to match that climate! There are options in "mild" "cold" and "frigid" for you to pick from. There are solids and cute prints. And the best part is that they're fitted, so you can wear them under your normal clothes or wear it as an outfit itself! I know I need more athletic type clothes on to hang with my active boys, but if I were headed to a tail gate, I'd want cute jeans on. These pieces allow you to do both.
You don't have to have cabin fever all winter. Get out and do some of these outside winter activities! Bring the kids with you and burn off some of their energy. Bundle yourself up with Climate Right so you're not miserable (it's funny how kids don't notice the cold as much as supervising adults do, right?) The brand has products to meet your needs no matter what state you reside in. It's in trendy colors and prints or classics. So soft and fuzzy! And so affordable at Walmart.
