If you’re stuck in the doldrums because the weather is frigid, take heart – there are a lot of fun, stimulating indoor winter activities that will not only pass the time, but can also help keep you healthy. They’re not only great for adults, but entire families as well.
Here are just a few indoor activities for winter that can be fantastic during cold weather, whether you’re living on your own or you’re looking for something that’s family friendly.
Note: Be sure to talk to a doctor if you’re going to do something that requires extensive physical exertion.
Why It’s Important To Stay Active – No Matter The Time Of Year
Plenty of people love to get their exercise outside. But when the temperatures turn frigid, some people prefer to hibernate inside at home. Just because it’s chilly doesn’t mean it’s not an excellent time to get some exercise.
Even if it’s cold, you don’t want to stop working out. You might see a substantial decrease in your fitness in as little as three weeks if you stop exercising. Any improvements you’ve made in your overall fitness might disappear. In fact, people who remain sedentary for three months or more could wind up back where they were before they started their fitness routine.1
On the other hand, you can reap some significant potential benefits if you partake in indoor winter activities to stay active. Getting up and off the couch might help lighten your mood and help you keep your weight under control. Staying active might also help support energy levels and healthy sleep.2
Ideas To Stay Active During Winter
When it comes to indoor winter activities, you’ve got plenty of options. Find what works best for you, and stick to it.
Walk Around Your Local Shopping Mall
If you’re looking for some great walking places in your city, consider taking a trip to the nearest shopping mall. You can walk inside, out of the elements, and burn some calories. You might also meet some new friends — or you could gather up your own group of buddies for some daily exercise.3
Great Indoor Activities For You And Your Children Or Grandchildren
Of course, staying active isn’t just for grown-ups. Kids can also get the winter blahs, eating too much junk food and staying inside playing games on their smartphones or tablets. After all, it’s too cold for them to jump on the backyard trampoline or take part in any other outdoor activities. You could take road trips to various museums around town, but that may become costly.
Thankfully, there are a lot of fun, inexpensive ways to keep your kids moving that can potentially benefit you as well. Need some good ideas?
- Plan family dance parties every couple of days. This will help keep everyone in shape, and it’s great fun.
- Play games that make you move. If you already have a game system such as Xbox or Wii, break it out and find some activities the whole family can enjoy.
- Think about setting up an indoor obstacle course with pillows and cushions.
- Make an impromptu hopscotch game by putting tape on your living room floor.
- If you have older children, you could install a bar for pull-ups or set up a home gym.4
Just make sure you clear out plenty of room so they can move around without bumping into something and being hurt in the process.
Find Some Great Indoor Sports You Can Play Outside Of The House
If you love sports, there are plenty of competitive activities you can play indoors.
- Curling – This sport is having a moment thanks to the Winter Olympics. If you can find a curling center, it might be worth looking into. You’ll be playing on a sheet of ice (usually indoors), but you won’t have to worry about getting cold. You’ll be moving around enough to stay warm.
- Bowling – What’s more fun than a spirited game of bowling? It’s a simple game to learn if you haven’t played before, and it also gives you a pretty good workout – as long as you avoid the temptation of eating nachos between turns.
- Ice Skating – This is another fantastic activity that you can pursue anywhere in the country. You’ll find ice rinks in just about every state. If you’ve never been on a pair of skates, don’t worry. Rinks usually have qualified staff to help show you how to skate safely.
- Indoor Volleyball or Basketball – Consider joining up with a local indoor sports league. Many offer indoor volleyball, basketball, or other activities you can enjoy inside when it’s too cold to play outside.5
Check Out Local Rock Climbing Gyms
If you want to get outside of the box, why not consider finding a place in your city that offers indoor rock climbing? This is one indoor activity that challenges you physically and mentally. There are paths built for beginners, so don’t worry if you’re a newbie. It’s also safe, since climbers wear mechanisms to keep them from hitting the ground.6
Rock climbing is a fantastic way to keep fit. You’ll increase your grip strength and give your muscles a great workout.7
Try Yoga
You might have thought about giving yoga a try in the past, but you were either too busy, or the weather was too nice outside to make you give up your regular fitness routine. The winter months are the perfect time to give this ancient form of meditation and exercise a try. After all, you can practice yoga nearly anywhere, and you can find plenty of tutorials to show you how to do it online.
While you could practice yoga at home, it might be more fun to think about going to your local community center and practice with a group. There’s a good chance you’ll have no problem finding a class, whether you’re just starting out, or you’ve been doing it for years.
Whatever You Choose, Have Fun And Be Careful
The winter months don’t have to be dull and boring. Just because the weather is dreadful outside, you have to resign yourself to being inactive. If one of the above suggestions works, fantastic. But don’t limit yourself – there are many other activities you can try indoors on a cold winter day.
Again, it’s important to get a doctor’s okay before you engage in any sort of strenuous activity – especially if it’s been a while since you’ve exercised.
Learn More:
Beginners Fitness: How Many Days A Week Should You Workout?
Top Vegetables That Give You Energy
Can Daily Posture Exercises Help To Support Better Posture?
Sources
- https://www.anthem.com/blog/living-healthy/indoor-workouts-for-winter/
- https://www.anthem.com/blog/living-healthy/indoor-workouts-for-winter/
- https://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/fitness_articles.asp?id=1594
- https://www.chop.edu/news/health-tip/fun-ways-keep-kids-active-through-winter
- https://www.ohow.com/2020/12/21/7-winter-activities-to-keep-you-active-in-the-cold-weather/
- https://www.beaumont.org/health-wellness/blogs/10-fun-indoor-workouts-to-try-this-winter
- https://www.beaumont.org/health-wellness/blogs/10-fun-indoor-workouts-to-try-this-winter
