If you have snow around you then no doubt it's cold, but on the plus side, the children are probably loving it!  Wrap the children up in coats, hats, scarves and gloves, put on some cosy boots, and they can go out and play while the snow lasts.  Here are some game ideas to play outside in the snow:-

1. Snow Sculpture: Traditionally we build snowmen, but why not build snow animals and other sculptures like snow-castles or a boat?  Help your children to scoop up mounds of snow and sculpt it into a variety of shapes!
2. Animal Tracking: Look out for the footprints of different animals in the snow; birds, cats, dogs, foxes, squirrels, rabbits, deer...even if you live in an urban area you'll be surprised at how many animals wander in the wild!  Look for animal tracks and tell your toddlers all about the creatures that make them.
3. Footprint Art: There's nothing more inviting than pristine snow!  Have your children create a track of snow pictures by trampling through a pristine blanket of snow.
4. Obstacle Course: Build an obstacle course in the snow - draw a line that your toddler must walk 'tightrope' style, draw boxes that they must jump between and build hurdles that they must jump over.
5. Target Practice: Build a snowman then have your toddler pelt him (or is it a her?!) with snowballs.  Get a hat and have your children throw a hat onto its head!

You may be tired of the snow, but there are still plenty of games the children can have fun with outdoors!

Children love imaginative play and will enjoy our ideas for obstacle courses and treasure hunts!  You can adapt these ideas for indoor or outdoor play, and for the garden or a park.

Set up an obstacle course in the garden by taking a variety of items, such as balls, plastic toys (kids' garden tools or some basic toys from inside), string or rope, flower pots and anything else that might be found in the garden.  Create obstacles where your children have to balance, weave in and out of hurdles placed on the ground, jump over and climb under things.  Create a 'river' with two sticks placed a couple of feet apart and have your toddlers avoid the crocodiles in it by jumping over them.  Place a stepping stone in the middle that they must step on.  Have them weave in and out of flower pots to avoid a bear that's chasing them!  Make up different imaginary obstacles and your children will soon run riot with their own thinking!

If you're stuck inside, you won't have so much space but you can still create snake pits to jump over, furniture to manouvre around and other creative problems to tackle!

Create a treasure hunt by taking stones and wrapping them in foil.  Hide them around the garden or indoors and have your children search for them.  Keep your obstacles in place, so they still have to take care crossing the river, avoid the bears and so on!

You only need to invent a few different obstructions and imaginary scenes and your children will be happy running around for ages!