If you are anything at all like me when it gets cold and dark (three words: December in Canada) all I want to do is listen to my instincts to curl up and hibernate–and that means stuffing my face and staying inside doing diddly squat.

BUT (if you don’t want to gain a pile of weight, you want to combat depression, and get invigorated) then what you need to do–even if you have to force yourself–is to jump off the couch, brush the shortbread crumbs from your chin and don your skates. And while you’ve at it, toss some on your kids as well. (Of course.)

Playing outside in the winter is as equally important (if not more so) as during the warmer months. During the winter months it can be difficult to get vitamin D (from the sun) which is important for bone development and strength–scary fact, some kids are getting rickets due to a vitamin deficiency! But going outside can help! As well, being active helps with mood and seasonal affect disorders which can be a serious issue if you live in regions with less sunlight at this time of year.

The problem is… it can be difficult to get out during the day if the kids are at school and at night it is cold and dark. But you know what else? The night is still a great time to be active, get out, connect with others and boost your mental health as well as physical health with an activity like night skating.

The best part? Time together. This family time can create memories and experiences that help build individual as well as family resiliency. Plus, being active can help with confidence, body image, and more.

And how about night skating (night ice skating, that is)? It’s good for many things. Let’s see… balance, coordination, muscle strength, gross motor skills, and if you add a hockey stick–eye-hand coordination and timing.

How about you? How do you keep your family active during the winter months?

Have you subscribed to the It’s All Kid’s Play newsletter? It’s not too late to get December’s copy–it includes an interview with SANTA!! Click here to subscribe now and get a free ebook of travel games for your holiday vacations!

The nice thing about winter is that it gets dark early, making it easier to stay up to see those stars. You will need a cloudless night away from streetlights in order to see the stars. Use your imagination to make your own constellation and make up your own story to go with it.

Make this a family activity: See if you can convince your parents to drive out to a place without a lot of lights (like a large park or out of town) and make up your own constellations.

This activity promotes an awareness of the universe as well as imagination and storytelling (communication) skills.

Make this a family activity: Admire the northern lights together.

This activity promotes an awareness of the Earth’s atmosphere and the beauty of nature.

Learn more about stars and planets at your local observatory (a place with a large, high-powered telescope—sometimes they have nights where the general public can come and look through their big telescopes), in an astronomy book or online. The best viewing is done away from big cities and towns where streetlights interfere with seeing the stars.

Make this a family activity: Have the whole family go out to look at the stars.

This activity promotes awareness about the universe and creates wonder.

If you live in Canada, find out if your local city or town is having a fireworks display tonight. If you are in the United States, wait until July 4th (Independence Day) to see where and when the displays will be.

As well, at this time of year, sometimes there are fireworks competitions. This is amazing to see as fireworks specialists pull out their best fireworks and coordinate their fireworks to music. It is worth watching.

Make this a family activity: Gather up your family and head out to watch the fireworks display together.

This activity promotes appreciation for one’s country and admiration for the visual display put on by fireworks specialists.