Fun, Inexpensive Winter Activities

Outdoor Activities for Winter Months That Will Keep Your Kids Busy.

Feb 6, 2008

With an abundance of short, gloomy, and not to mention cold, days, the winter blues seem almost inevitable, however there are some activities to warm up the winter blues.

Whether you’re trudging through snow banks or trying not to slip on ice-covered sidewalks, it’s no surprise that winter isn’t the most favored season to be outside, but it doesn’t have to be that way. So, you may ask, what are some winter activities that will cure the blues?

While sports like skiing and snowboarding are always the popular choice for winter sports, they tend to be pretty expensive to partake in when you factor in ski/snowboard rentals (or purchasing your own equipment), the cost of lift tickets and transportation to and from the mountains. There are, however, a few inexpensive options for outdoor activities in the winter. Here are a few popular, and not-so-popular, ideas for a fun day in the snow.

Old Fashioned Tobogganing

Nothing beats the rush of flying down a hill at what feels like a mile a minute. While when most people think of tobogganing, the image of a candy-cane shaped wooden sleigh comes to mind which tend to cost upwards of $100, but there are other, much cheaper options in sleds. With an abundance of plastic toboggans to choose from like the Twister Snow Sled, many of which cost less than $10 US. Also popular, are “magic carpets”, which are, simply, sheets of thick, flexible plastic with two holes cut out for you to hold on to. They usually run for less than $5.

Another perk about snowshoeing, is that there are no ticket or transportation fees, just find a hill in a local park and slide down!

Snowshoeing

Who said you can’t take a nature hike in the dead of winter? By strapping on a pair of snowshoes, walking down un-slow-plowed trails is a lot easier. Many mountain resorts have snowshoeing trails (similar to how they may have hiking, biking or cross-country ski trails) for your enjoyment.

While if you plan on purchasing your own pair of shoes will cost you upwards of $150, many people just looking for one or two days of snowshoeing can rent a pair at most resorts for a fraction of the cost. At many mountains, like Jasper in Alberta for example, snowshoes can be rented for as little as $8 for half a day. Although it may be difficult to find snowshoe-rental places in the city, some large urban parks that rent cross-country skis may have snowshoes available as well.

Skating

Another inexpensive activity to do during the cold, winter months is ice skating on a local pond/river. Here, although the ice may not be as smooth as a local rink, since there is no cost to maintain the ice, there is no cost to skate on it. Always be sure, if skating on a frozen waterway, to know if it is safe to skate on before getting on the ice.

When it comes to skating equipment, cheap skates are available at many stores that sell sports equipment or larger toy stores. Stores like Wal-Mart, Canadian Tire and Toys R Us are sure to have figure skates selling as low as $20 or $25, and hockey skates for a little more starting around $35.

While there are all kinds of inexpensive activities to do outdoors in the winter, nothing beats a good, old snowball fight. Whether throwing from behind a snow fort, or just a free-for-all, having a snowball fight is the ultimate, inexpensive (there aren’t any expenses!) outdoor winter activity.

The copyright of the article Fun, Inexpensive Winter Activities in Winter Sports is owned by Alex Keshen. Permission to republish Fun, Inexpensive Winter Activities in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.