How to learn to love winter
Winter days are short, but if you spend the season pining away for summer, it sure can feel long. Try this instead: instead of wishing winter away, lean in and embrace it.
Here’s how:
Beef up your winter wardrobe
Whether you’re walking in the rain in Vancouver or shoveling snow in Montreal, the first and most essential step to enjoying winter is to stop pretending it’s not that cold out. Dress for the weather you have!
- 4 practical tips to keep kids warm and safe during winter play
- How to dress for the weather in every season
If you’ve got room in your budget to kit out your whole family in merino wool base layers, awesome. If you don’t, don’t worry: it doesn’t have to cost a fortune to stay toasty on even the most frigid days. Watch the sales or shop secondhand stores, or ask around for hand-me-downs.
If you’re always cold, wear one more layer than you think you’ll need. Pro tip: you’ll never regret bringing an extra pair of socks or spare mittens with you on snowy (or soggy) adventures.
Get outside
It sounds crazy, but you really will feel less chilly if you get active outside every day—even if it’s just for a few minutes. The sunshine, fresh air, and physical activity will also boost your mood and give you more energy too.
Gear up and get out! When you come back home it’ll feel so much warmer and cozier than when you left.
Find a winter hobby you can look forward to
It helps to find an activity you love that’s extra special in winter. Whether it’s skiing, skating, tobogganing, snowshoeing, fat biking, winter hiking, or just creating funny snow sculptures in your yard, keep trying different activities until you find something you can look forward to when the temperature drops.
- Starter guide to mastering movement skills on ice and snow
- Try this active winter bucket list
- Budget-friendly winter activities to do as a family
As long as you’re in Canada, there’s no escaping winter. Why not learn to enjoy it? Learning to love winter now will bring you joy each and every year—and will help your children develop the healthy habits they need to become active for life.
