50 things top activities to do in winter

Winter is the perfect time for playing in the snow, stargazing, bird watching, cooking on a campfire and lots more. You’ll just need to wrap up warm and you can take them all on.

Enjoy splashing in puddles this season — Puddle jumping and running in the rain

No.6 run around in the rain

Of course, it doesn’t have to be winter for it to rain, but it’s a good a time as any to tick this one off the list. Make sure you’ve got a warm (and waterproof) coat though, or you’ll be soggy and cold, which isn’t as much fun. Splash through puddles and stomp in ditches as the rain falls all around you.

Decorated logs for the 50 things trail — Look out for the decorated rounds on our 50 Things trail

No. 12 make a trail with sticks

Winter is a really good time to complete this challenge as there are lots of sticks around and it’ll be easier to spot them on the ground when you make your trail. Can you make your family follow a course through a field or park once you’ve marked out the way?

Children making snow angels — See your snow angel take shape

No.15 play in the snow

This is an activity made for the winter, simply wait for it to snow, pop your coat on and head out into the white stuff. Whether it’s sledging, snowball fights, snow-angel making or snowman-building that you fancy, you’ll be busy for ages.

Two young boys looking up, stood inside a tree — Explore inside a tree

No.22 explore inside a tree

When trees lose their leaves in autumn it’s easier to see if there’s anywhere inside them to explore. So grab your coat and get out there.

Picture shows children searching for fossils at White Park Bay — Children searching for fossils at White Park Bay

No.26 hunt for fossils and bones

It might not seem like an obvious activity to try in the winter as the ground is so hard when it’s cold, but if you’re anywhere near a beach or fields in winter when there are less people and animals around, then you could easily find your own bones or fossils.

Family sitting in garden gazing up at the sky — Go stargazing

No.27 go stargazing

Now you’ll need to wrap up warm to go stargazing in the winter, but cold nights generally mean clear night skies – perfect for watching the stars come out. You might not see Beyonce, but you’re almost certain to spot Orion with his bow and arrow in the winter sky.

Girl and boy gingerly walking across rocks looking at floor — Track wild animals

No.34 track wild animals

It would be amazing to do this after it has snowed, but even if there isn’t any snow, tracking animals is another challenge that works in the winter. Look for footprints in mud, soil and sand or other signs such as droppings and see what you can track.

Visitors in the bird-hide at Wicken Fen National Nature Reserve, Cambridgeshire. — A young girl birdwatching

No.44 go bird watching

Thousands of migratory birds come to the UK’s shores in the winter, so it’s one of the best times to go bird watching if you’re making a special trip. Of course, as the trees lose their leaves it’s much easier to spot birds anyway, and winter is a great time to put feeders out, increasing your chances of seeing lots of different birds in your garden.

A family toasting marshmallows over an open camp fire at Colby Woodland Garden, Pembrokeshire. — Cook on a campfire

No.47 cook on a campfire

It’s how our ancestors cooked everything and when it’s cold outside there’s something just right about toasting marshmallows on a campfire, or jacket potatoes in the embers. Think of the fires on Bonfire Night and you’re half the way there, so what are you waiting for? You’ll need to make sure your wood is dry and then you’re good to go.

Two GPS devices on table used for geocaching — Find a geocache

No.49 find a geocache

Heading out on a geocache hunt in winter is another great idea, it might be a bit cold, but the caches are all still there waiting to be found. And you probably won’t have much competition either!