Choose Your Own Urban Wild Winter Adventure!

Often a change in weather — to colder and shorter days, can pose some challenges to getting our family nature grooves on. It's cozier inside, close to comforts and other seasonal family activities. I totally get it, it happens to everyone — even those of us who eagerly anticipate the coming snow!

To support your winter family adventures I wanted to share a list of my favourite parks to visit with my family nature club during the winter. In addition I have also shared some fun nature inspired winter activities you can match-up with your park visits!  

​So here goes...

The first Urban Wild Family Nature Club: "Choose Your Own Adventure"!

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Mix and Match Parks and Activities Below for    

​Some Winter Family Fun!

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Parks to Inspire Winter Wonder;

1. Pearce Estate Park, SE
Fire pits, picnic sites, animal viewing blind and access, with admission, to the Bow Habitat Station (washrooms, cafe and nature inspired exhibits!) ​www.calgary.ca/CSPS/Parks/Pages/Locations/SE-parks/Pearce-Estate-Park.aspx
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​Bow Habitat Station:
aep.alberta.ca/recreation-public-use/bow-habitat-station/default.aspx

​2. Sandy Beach, SW  
​Fire pits, picnic sites,  picnic shelter
www.calgary.ca/CSPS/Parks/Pages/Locations/SW-parks/Sandy-Beach.aspx

3. Bebo Grove, Fish Creek Provincial Park, SW​Old spruce forest with fire pits, picnic sites and year round *heated washroom facilities!
www.albertaparks.ca/fish-creek/information-facilities/day-use/bebo-grove/

4. Bowness Park, NW
Fire pits, great play structure, picnic sites, picnic shelter and don't forget skating at Bowness Lagoon.
www.calgary.ca/CSPS/Parks/Pages/Locations/NW-parks/Bowness-Park.aspx

5. Confederation Park, NW
No fires. Great tobogganing and loops for walking.
For tobogganing park at the Rosemount Community Association Parking Lot off of 10th St NW
www.calgary.ca/CSPS/Parks/Pages/Locations/NW-parks/Confederation-Park.aspx

​6. Your own backyard and community!

Inspire your Nature Grooviness:

• ​Animal Tracks Detective Spray: Grab a spray bottle. Mix water with a few drops of food colouring. Look for animal tracks and give them a light spray for 'detection'. You can discuss size, possible animal and direction of travel!

• Ice Cube Hunt: Freeze ice cubes using a few drops of food colouring. Have yourself a scavenger hunt with your coloured ice cubes while on your walk! You can relate this activity to animals in winter searching for food. I like to relate it to red squirrels looking for cones they stored during the fall or Chickadees searching for winter snacks.

• ​Frame Nature: Take a medium or large paper plate and cut out the centre. This will be your nature frame. Go out and frame nature with your family and share what you find interesting and beautiful about your winter surroundings.

• Winter Colours: Grab some paint swatches from your local paint aisle and bring them out to look for winter colours. You'll be surprised by all the colours you'll find...not just white and green!

• ​Play Dough Prints: Go out on your urban wild adventure with a fist full of play dough and make some nature prints! (Can get sticky when wet from snow).

• Magnify the Winter Sparkle: Bring some magnify glasses or magnify sheets to check out snowflake shapes and sparkles. Or  just follow your nose and magnify anything that catches your eye!

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