Take the Leap This Year and Do Something Different on February 29th!

Every four years we luck out and are given a gift; the gift of time. A leap year means an extra 24 hours are tacked on at the end of February and you can do whatever you like with it; for the most part anyways. 🙂 Over the past couple of leap years I have noticed that places like theme parks and other entertainment venues challenge their patrons to spend that entire 24 hour period playing at their establishments. Go for the gold and all that. But I have a different challenge in mind for you.

This year instead of staying inside, embrace your inner snowman and try some invigorating winter activities in the outdoors! The winter season will soon be over and the opportunities to hang with your kids and make snow angels will soon be gone. Here are some other ideas you can try:

Go snowshoeing: Snowshoes have come a long way from the tennis racket-esque versions you probably remember and they are often available to rent for one time use. Find a national park or scenic trail near to your home (don’t want to waste your precious 24 hours driving too far 🙂 ) and pack some supplies for a day of adventure! Snowshoeing is a great way to get lots of fresh air and enjoy the beautiful scenery our country has to offer. Your kiddos will love the novelty of floating on top of the snow and I guarantee the exercise will have them sleeping like babies when nighttime falls. Your welcome. 😉

Build a snow cave:  I can remember  building snow caves with my sister and friends when we were kids. It was the absolute best time!  If you lack snow in your backyard there will still be places not too far away, like ski hills, that will have ample amounts for you to play in. Get the whole family in on the act and make sure you have shovels for everyone. Pile on that snow and when your cave is complete let it harden for a bit while you make some snow angels.  Once it’s ready you can carve out your doorway and scrape out all the snow to your satisfaction. Decorate your snow cave with any sticks or stones you may find or even colour your snow with those fancy dyes you can purchase for exactly this reason – to colour snow.

Make an obstacle course: This may seem difficult, but it is worth the effort. Using a large area like a park or local field to create your stations. You can have a snowball making station, a snow angel station, a snow hill climbing station (if you don’t have a ready made hill, make one!) and even a snow crawl station where you literally crawl from one spot to the next in the snow! Use your imagination to come up with more stations and get the neighborhood kids involved. Create teams and compete for the fastest times. Some more ideas are a snowman making or dressing station, a toboggan pull or a treasure hunt in the snow (for items you bury before hand).

Ice Skating: Another great memory from my childhood was going skating at the local outdoor rink. Every city has one and they are usually well maintained even in the warmer temps of winter. Make sure to wear a helmet and have the little ones wear snow pants.  Gloves are a must for everyone as well. Have a leisurely skate, race someone or try out your spins. Skating is a great form of exercise and just plain fun to do!

All of these winter activities can be physically demanding not to mention trying to keep up with your kids. The next day is usually when those aches and pains set in. Topical pain relievers like RUB·A535™ Extra Strength Heating Cream have you covered. It starts to work on contact and provides fast acting pain relief of muscle and joint pain.

Trying a new activity will not only be exciting, but will also break up the monotonous schedules we adhere to when juggling work and family. Taking your fun outside will not only be good for your health, but will make some wonderful memories to laugh about for years to come. Make the most out of your leap day this year and get outside!

What is your favourite outdoor winter activity to participate in?

FT&PD

Suz

Disclosure: I am a 2016 Church & Dwight Ambassador.  All opinions expressed are my own.