The cold weather can make it a little more challenging to think of kid-friendly activities. In summer, taking a ball and a picnic to the park makes for a fun, simple day out for all the family, but in winter parents may have to get a little more creative. Here are three examples of fun activities that the little ones can enjoy even when temperatures start to fall.
Winter Wonderland
Winter Wonderland, in Hyde Park, has so much going on that it won’t just keep the kids entertained, adults will find plenty to do as well. If you’re looking for an activity that all the family can get involved in, then the ice skating rink is ideal. With the largest open-air rink in the UK, you’ll be afforded plenty of room to impress the kids with your skills or entertain them by falling over. The rink is open from 10am to 10pm, so you can decide whether you’d prefer to skate in the glorious midday sunshine or under the twinkling stars.
If you do arrive nice and early, you can treat the kids to the Sooty Christmas Show and afterwards wander through the Magical Ice Kingdom, complete with magnificent sculptures of mermaids, gods and undersea creatures. There is a lot to see here though, so you may not want to tire the kids out by cramming too much in during a single trip. If that’s the case, there are a number of hotels near Marble Arch that would provide the perfect family base for your Winter Wonderland visit.
Get active outdoors
As long as you remember to wrap up warm, there’s no reason you can’t get involved in some physical activity outdoors this winter. Hopefully, you’ll be treated to some snow this year, so you and the kids can enjoy some sledding, snow angels and building a snowman. If not, you could always take a trip to a part of the UK where snow is much more common: Scotland.
Scotland is home to a number of ski resorts that are great for family visits. Even if your children have never skied before, they’ll only need a little bit of guidance before they’re picking up the basics. In fact, investing in some beginner lessons might help the whole family enjoy their time on the slopes a little bit more – and you may even discover that your child is the next speed skiing world champion in the making.
Visit your local farm
Farms are not just places where food is grown, many of them now open their doors to visitors so they can pet the animals and gain a better idea of the work required to rear livestock and harvest crops. Kids, in particular, love being able to see the animals up close and many farms will let you purchase pellets that can be fed to them. What’s more, during the festive period, many farms aren’t just home to sheep, cows and chickens – you’ll also find Santa Claus hiding there! Willows Farm in St Albans, Millets Farm Centre in Oxfordshire, and many others are putting on Santa’s Grotto events, so be sure to bring the whole family down.
I would definitely recommend going to Winter Wonderland especially with kids as there are so many fun attractions like the rides and the ice sculpture show!