How Will You Explore the Great Outdoors This Winter?

Venturing outside in the winter can be intimidating, but there is so much to discover when you step out of your comfort zone and embrace the chill in the air. From supporting native wildlife to practicing engineering and design concepts, don’t let your family’s STEM learning freeze over. Keep reading to uncover a few of our own favorite winter activities to get your season of exploration started!

Feed Our Feathered Friends

For many birds, winter means scarce resources. While gardens filled with plants that can feed birds naturally are ideal, providing access to food in other ways also will help support their cold-weather survival. A few common choices include nuts, suet, seeds and mealworms, but you also can research local birds that remain active during winter to better cater to their feeding needs. As a festive winter activity, your family may want to consider making these bird cookies and hanging them outside. It will be a great opportunity for your family to practice observation and bird identification skills!

Take a Winter Hike

With a bit of extra preparation, this season can be a beautiful time to uncover the joy of nature by hiking in your local park! This likely will offer a completely different experience than other times of the year – from weather to views to animal encounters. Keep safety tips in mind by dressing in warm layers, reviewing the park’s website for special equipment or conditions, checking the forecast in advance and packing plenty of water and snacks.

Not able to make the journey out? Don’t worry! The National Park Service has live and archived webcams at hundreds of park locations so you can observe wildlife up close without ever leaving the comfort and safety of your home.

Build a Snowman or Snow Fort

If you live in an area filled with snow and cold temps galore, you can explore engineering concepts from your own backyard! From brainstorming an icy hideaway or a frozen best friend to carefully crafting your build, you’re following a powerful design process. Experiment with freezing and thawing, learn about balance and stability, and practice creativity with these fun outdoor activities. Looking for inspiration to get your family started? Explore our blog to add STEM fun into your winter plans.

Uncover the Science of Snowflakes

You may have heard that every snowflake is different, but do you know what makes each of nature’s miniature masterpieces so unique? The path each snowflake takes from the sky to the ground exposes it to slightly different conditions – like temperature, humidity and atmospheric pressure. Every journey leads to a one-of-a-kind pattern! Read this blog to learn more about the special journey of a snowflake, then try freezing a dark piece of construction paper and taking it outside to see small snowflake details as they land on your homemade observation station. To get a closer look, you can grab a magnifying glass or high-zoom camera lens to see the intricate differences between snowflakes on your windows, driveway or other outdoor surfaces!

Keep Exploring

To discover more interesting, everyday science in the world around us, be sure to keep an eye on our blog!