Fun Exercise Ideas For Your Family This Winter
If it’s extremely cold where you live, as it is here in Northern Ireland, going outside may be the last thing on your mind.
Perhaps you’re sick of scraping ice from your windshields, and dread driving the shortest distance in your car.
These things are certainly annoying. But, think back to your childhood, chances are you didn’t always associate winter with being miserable.
This is Boreas
The opportunity of a “snow day” was your idea of the perfect Christmas!
At the weekend, Armen and I attempted to reclaim some of that enthusiasm for the freezing cold, as we built our first family snowman together.
Meet Boreas everyone. Isn’t he grand?
Not only was it fun to build our snowman despite the cold weather, but all that moving around can burn some serious calories, too.
So, bring on the snowsuits, hats and mittens…
4 Fun Winter Exercise Ideas Your Whole Family Will Enjoy
1. Shovelling the Driveway
Okay, so perhaps it’s a bit of a stretch to say you will enjoy shovelling snow from your driveway, but try to think of it as a mini workout, at the very least.
Shovelling snow can actually help build muscle and burn fat. Just remember to maintain good posture and use your knees to lift.
Calories burned per hour: around 270
2. Have a Snowball Fight
"Operation Snowman!"
Get a few friends or family over and hurl some snowballs at each other… all in the name of good fun and exercise, of course! 
Calories burned per hour: around 300
3. Go Sledding
All that hiking up snowy slopes with a toboggan in tow is hard work, but so much fun.
Calories burned per hour: around 300
4. Build a Snowman
This is my one of my favorite ideas for winter exercise.
When you spend an hour (or two in our case) packing, rolling, and stacking snow, you’ll definitely know you’ve done a good workout.
Calories burned per hour: around 280
The Thomassian Family’s “Operation Snowman!”
Here are a few extra pictures of our weekend project…
Armen Starting Out
Elissa Overseeing the Operation
Melanie Adding the Finishing Touches
Family Fun in the Snow
Other winter exercise ideas include:
- Cross Country Skiing
- Downhill Skiing
- Snowshoeing — I love this idea
- Or, a simple walk or hike in the snow
Can you think of any other winter exercise suggestions?
If you don’t live in a snowy climate, there’s no excuse for you either — here are a few more fun fitness ideas for the whole family.
Enjoy!
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6 Comments
Bill Nad
12.23.2010
Melanie it looks like your family is the same as mine. The trouble with Winters here in Alberta Canada is that it gets too cold to do a lot outside for a week or two at a time so we make the most of things when it warms up again. The kids of course do get homebound a bit so we look for indoor play places for them to run off their steam.
.-= Bill Nad´s last blog ..Survey Says Echinacea No Help for Colds =-.
Melanie
12.23.2010
Hi Bill,
I’ve heard a little about the weather in Canada – it’s the “Cabin fever,” and the frozen eyeballs that scare me most about the weather over with you. Someday I would love to visit Canada, though, it sure looks beautiful.
Trevor & Joy
12.28.2010
Hi Armen & Melanie,
Just think of us down under, its 32 today and warming up for the weekend. So it might be beach weather with the canoes and jet ski on Saturday. Your weather is just a little bit cold for us.
Happy New Year
Melanie
12.31.2010
Hi Joy and Trevor,
Yes, I can imagine it would be a bit of a shock to your system to come over to NI in winter. I do love this time of year, but a little snow is enough for me… after a few days of driving in it! Happy New Year to you, too.
Raw Food Guys
03.21.2011
Hello Melanie we wanted to ask you what your take on a 100% Organic raw food vegan diet is? Also do you have any favorite Super Foods?
Raw Food Guys
imran
06.07.2011
Exercise in winter….! can be done if it is full of enjoyment..
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