As a child, any chance I had to go tobogganing, skating, or do any outdoor winter activity had me all over it. If there was something going on outside, I was there— no matter what the temperature was. Then I grew up and any temperature below zero became my nemesis. Cozy, heated indoor activities replaced those once-loved, outdoor winter activities.
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Then I had kids. Kids who have the same love of snow and winter activities I once did. So, what was I to do?
Here's what I did:
At first, I reluctantly took part in outdoor winter activities with them. Building a snowman, ice skating, tobogganing. Admittedly, I dreaded the thought of going outside and being cold, but once I got out there, I had tons of fun and wondered why I didn't do it more often. I pushed myself to do it because kids are only little once and this time with them is precious.
Nowadays, I still don't love the cold (I really don't think I ever will!) but if it means creating memories with my kids, having fun, and getting a bit of exercise and nature-loving in, then I'll do it.
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And that is what the David Suzuki Foundation's 2015 Winter Challenge is all about. To encourage all of us to get outdoors as a family and enjoy nature—even in the winter.
Now I KNOW I'm not the only one who cringes a little bit at the thought of being out in the cold, so this challenge is a great way to get you motivated to get outdoors more often and having fun with your family. Once you are out there, I promise, you will also wonder why you don't do it more often.
Here's how it works:
1. Sign up to be part of the challenge here (it's free!). The challenge starts on January 26th.
2. Each week for one month, you will receive an email containing details about your next challenge. The challenge can be anything from animal tracking and bird watching to sledding and skating.
3. If you'd like, you can share pics of what you are doing on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. If you do choose to share your pics, tag them with the hashtag #winterfun so other participants can see what you are up to. You can also search the hashtag after the challenge starts to see what others are up to.
I'm all signed up and my kids and I are excited to start the first challenge. Will you also be taking part?
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