Last Updated on February 24, 2021 by Audrey
I know spring is technically less than a month away, but let’s be honest…for a lot of us, it’s still going to feel like winter for a while. I’m a realist, which means I don’t sit around hoping for spring in February, March, or even April. Now seemed like the perfect time to create a few more winter printables so that we don’t lose our motivation to get outside!
If winter’s still going to be around for a while, I figure I might as well lean into it. And these winter printables really do help. If you find yourself clean out of ideas on some days or just short on time, these are my favorite quick solution.
Personally, I’m always up for just a simple walk or hike in the woods, but sometimes my little guy needs a bit more convincing. Luckily, these do the trick just about every time. I’m telling ya, he just needs a purpose besides walking and he’s good to go.
So if your little ones need some convincing or you need some easy activities to get you through the rest of this season, here are four winter printables that I’ve created! Click here to get the whole bundle to print out!
1. Winter Sensory Hunt
This is one of my favorite winter printables because it includes all of the senses, which leads to a much more immersive experience. It’s amazing how much more there is to take in than just what we can see! And kids already love touching everything anyway. (But on that same note, they also love licking things, so we won’t encourage that one.)
Using the senses is a great way to explore the world! I particularly love tuning in to sound, or sometimes in winter, the lack thereof. I also love touching trees as I walk. Sounds weird, I know. Ever heard of grounding? It’s a super interesting concept. You’ll start touching trees too 😆.
2. Winter Wildlife Scavenger Hunt
Sometimes it can seem like there are no signs of life anywhere during the winter. But if you get outside and really start to look around, you might be surprised what animals are out and about! Like the other winter printables, this one is a general compilation of of animals most people could easily spot in most places in North America during the winter time.
There’s also a spot for notes where your little one can write some observations about each animal and their habitat. And in case you spot a creature that’s not on the hunt, sketch it yourself in one of the blank spots!
3. Animal Tracks and Signs Scavenger Hunt
Winter is a great time to search for animal tracks! Look for them in the fresh snow or mud and see if you can figure out which animals they belong to! This printable comes with a page for sketching tracks as well as an additional page with info about other animal signs to search for beyond just tracks.
I was surprised to learn just how many signs are all around us that completely escaped my notice until I started to look for them! If you find yourself wanting even more animal tracks activities, here’s a blog post of 5 interactive ways to study animal tracks with kids.
4. Basic Winter Scavenger Hunt
Like the other winter printables, this one is great to take anywhere! We’ve used it on hikes and on walks through our neighborhood and are usually able to find the majority of the items. Recently, we were about to head out on a walk around the neighborhood when our 4-year-old (bless his soul) said he didn’t want to go with us.
I simply mentioned that I had something for him to do along the way and boom-he was immediately game to come along. I don’t want to say that these winter printables have magical powers, but…they just might. As we walked he would tell me things like, “I think the best place to look for squirrels would be up in the trees!” Sound logic, kiddo.
So there ya go! If you need a little extra push to help you and the kids get through the rest of winter, I hope you find these winter printables as helpful as we have! Make sure to grab them here.
If you’d like more winter inspiration, here’s our list of the essential winter activities to try! Or, if you’e an optimist looking forward to spring, here’s some of our favorite spring activities!
PS – Know someone that would like this blog? Please forward it to them!
