Winter is a truly beautiful time of the year, but it’s so cold that many of us forget to appreciate it! So why not emerge from your blankets and get involved in winter this year? There are so many things to do in the winter that will make it fly by, and you’ll be looking forward to next winter by the time spring rolls around! So here are our top activities for you to do that will keep you busy all season.
Go Ice Fishing
- Cost: ££££
- Duration: A day
Although it requires quite a bit of equipment and preparation, ice fishing is the perfect boredom buster for those who enjoy fishing in the summer. Unless you plan on fishing in public space, you will require a fishing licence. Ice fishing also calls for a bit of equipment, including a fishing rod, reel, ice scooper, bait, portable seat, and an auger. So, if you’re an experienced fisherman, make sure you wrap up warm because ice fishing may be the perfect winter activity for you!
Go Dog Sledging
- Cost: £££
- Duration: 2-3 hours
For a fun, hands-on experience to warm you up on the coldest of days, try your hand at dog sledging. There are plenty of indoor sports centres that will allow you and your family or friends to try this fun activity indoors in fake snow. However, several centres will provide a vehicle with wheels so you can dog sledge through real scenery with or without the snow. Centres always ensure that their dogs are well looked after, and you’ll no doubt have time to get to know them, so bring along your favourite nature and animal lovers for a fantastic wintery afternoon.
Start A Scrapbook
- Cost: £
- Duration: 1-3 hours
As a new year begins, take some time to reflect on the old one while it’s still too cold to go outside. Collect memories of last year and compile them into a scrapbook for you and your family to look back on in the future. You could print out photographs you took, add any mementoes you’ve kept and make notes, so you remember your favourite days of last year for many more to come. Carry this fun hobby throughout the year for a detailed account that you can look back on next New Year.
Take A Hike
- Cost: £
- Duration: An afternoon
Nothing will warm you up on a cold winter’s day like getting moving and re-energising your blood flow! Make the most of the crisp fresh air with a long, revitalising hike. Hiking will strengthen your muscles, particularly those in your legs, and a higher muscle mass has been proven to regulate heat loss¹, so a regular hike will keep you warm in the long run! Whatever the weather, hiking is incredibly good for you, so grab your wellies and hit that trail you’ve been eying up since summer.
Go and See The Nutcracker
- Cost: £££
- Duration: 2 hours
Immerse yourself in the elegant world of ballet by attending one of the most popular festive shows ever written. The Nutcracker is a beautiful tale made even better through the medium of dance and has enchanted adults and children since its conception in the late 1800s. This thrilling ballet will warm you from the inside out, so whether you go for a big city production or your local drama group’s adaptation, make sure you don’t miss it this winter!
Make Some Mulled Wine
- Cost: £
- Duration: 1 – 3 hours, depending on the recipe
Indulge in this festive drink throughout the winter season to warm your fingers and your tastebuds. Mulled wine is traditionally made from sweet red wine and infused with spices and citrus. Isn’t your mouth watering already?! There are so many recipes for this classic drink online, and the steps are short and easy to follow, so surprise your friends and family with a pot of freshly brewed mulled wine this winter.
Attend An Ice Hockey Game
- Cost: ££
- Duration: 2 hours
Although it may not be as followed in the U.K. as other sports, ice hockey is an exciting game perfect for watching on winter days. Athletes have to be incredibly talented to control an ice hockey game, and there’s nothing like witnessing their talents first-hand. Whether you’re a sports fanatic or not, there’s no doubt that you’ll get swept up in the excitement of this action-packed game.
Host An Indoor Picnic
- Cost: £
- Duration: An afternoon
Just because the weather outside is frightful, it doesn’t mean that you have to abandon all your favourite outdoor activities. Clear a space on your living room floor, lay out a blanket, gather your favourite picnic foods and give this summer activity a wintery makeover. You could pack your food into a wicker basket for a traditional touch, and you could even bring the outdoors in with some sparkling icicle lights. However you choose to create your indoor picnic, make it a dining experience to remember!
Light A Bonfire
- Cost: £
- Duration: An evening/night
There’s no better time for a bonfire than a cold winter’s day! Come armed with the people you love, plenty of food and drink, blankets and enough firewood to keep the flames burning all night. There’s something quite nostalgic about gathering around a firepit, so take advantage of the atmosphere by putting technology away and swapping stories with family and friends for an evening everyone will enjoy. If it’s not too cold, you could even camp out for a memorable night beneath the stars.
Have A Games Night
- Cost: £
- Duration: An evening
Plan an evening in for a board games marathon! You could ask your friends and family to bring along their favourite board game for everyone to get involved with, or you could break out the classics – think Monopoly, Scrabble or Trivial Pursuits – for a night of plain, old-fashioned fun.
If you’d like, you could even offer prizes to the winners. Sweets, gift cards, little toys and small cosmetic products are perfect prizes for board game nights.
Go Bowling
- Cost: ££
- Duration: 1 – 2 hours
Of all the fun things to do in the winter, this is surprisingly the last one many of us think of. Of course, bowling is a fun pastime throughout the year, but never will you appreciate it more than in winter. You can stay cosy and warm indoors, enjoying time with your friends while the cold weather rages on outside! So get your bowling arm ready for an afternoon of fun, laughter and (hopefully!) plenty of strikes. And, if it’s still too cold for you, you can always go back for another game!
Visit A Local Museum
- Cost: £
- Duration: An afternoon
If you don’t live in a bustling city, it’s easy to forget that your small town has its share of history too. So, indulge in that local culture on the chillier days by having a walk around your local museum or gallery. Not only will this keep you warm, but you’ll likely learn things you never knew about places you walk past every day. Luckily, many local museums and galleries don’t charge an entry fee, so this could be one of the cheapest winter activities out there.
Start An Indoor Workout Routine
- Cost: £
- Duration: 30 minutes – 1 hour
Get stuck into those New Year’s Resolutions nice and early by starting an indoor workout routine. Exercise is vital for our health, and although the benefits of working out outdoors are plenty, sometimes it’s just not an option. However, there are plenty of home workout tutorials on YouTube that you can have a go at from your living room. So whether you’re looking for some relaxing yoga or some hardcore HIIT, with an indoor workout routine, you’ll have no excuse!
Stay The Night At An Ice Hotel
- Cost: £££
- Duration: One night
If you’re going to be cold, you may as well do it in style! Ice hotels are a fantastic venture for you to try in winter because everything is made of ice, from the bed frames to the bar. Don’t worry, though – the temperature is kept regulated to keep guests warm and the ice cool, so you won’t freeze to death! Although you’ll be fascinated by your ice suite, take some time to wander around the magnificent ice sculptures. You’ll still be marvelling at the craftsmanship long after you’ve left!
Take A Walk Around A Light Display
- Cost: ££
- Duration: 30 minutes – 1 hour 30 minutes
The festive season may be almost over, but that doesn’t mean the festive cheer has to follow it. So wrap up warm and take a walk through a beautiful light display while you still have the chance. With so many themes, illuminations and projections to keep your senses busy, you won’t even feel the cold! You can find your nearest lights display here.
Banish The Winter Blues
Although may be the coldest season, there’s still so many things to do in the winter. So, don’t let those seasonal blues keep you inside this year! Instead, give some of our warming winter activities a try and make some memories you’ll never want to forget.
What are your favourite things to do in the winter? Let us know in the comments below!
Sources
¹https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/02/180214093909.htm
