January 8th

By Mutt Mulligan

Too Cold to Go Outside? Humbug!

When the temperature drops, it can be challenging to motivate your family to bundle up and get outside. But outdoor activity is important year-round – for the humans and the dogs in your family.

So bundle up and head out! Here are just a few fun ways to peel your family away from the computer and TV screens.

• Look for animal tracks in the snow. See if you can identify the species, or take pictures of the tracks and look them up on the Internet when you go back inside.
• Play snowball fetch with Fido. Dogs love chasing balls of any kind, so have your kids roll snowballs to throw for a great game of fetch. Or use a rubber ball if there isn’t much snow.
• Play flashlight tag. Winter nights are the perfect backdrop for a twist on the classic game of tag…with flashlights. Be sure to specify a safe play area.
• Blow bubbles. Even though this might seem like a summertime activity, try it! In the winter bubbles turn icy and beautiful.

What’s your family’s favorite outdoor activity during the wintertime?