Fun Friday activities are quick-and-simple ways to explore nature in your own backyard.
When it comes to outdoor holiday traditions, one of my favorites is taking a walk through the neighborhood to see the lights’ displays.
What made this adventure even better was building up the excitement with the kids all month. They were thrilled to finally get outside at night and see how everyone had decorated.
Although we might not have snow on the ground here in Los Angeles, it doesn’t mean we don’t have snowmen!
Perhaps seeing their first snow caused their fascination with this blow-up creation – it was “snowing” on the inside!
We also loved these oversized ornaments, which were hanging from a tree in a neighbor’s front yard. Check out the beautiful lights adorning the porch, too.
We noticed a lot of nature’s decorations, too (although I don’t have photos of those!). Some parts of the sidewalks were covered in beautiful leaves of yellow, orange and red. The leaves still hanging on the trees looked like perfectly placed ornaments set against the night sky.
I’m always amazed what a magical time of year this is – made even more so when you spend time outdoors slowing down and noticing the changes that come with the season.
Take-Home Tips
- Let your kids don their jammies. The holidays and warm jammies just go together, don’t they? We also wore jackets and hats to make our walk feel wintery.
- End the adventure with hot cocoa or a treat. This is especially helpful if the kids need some encouragement to brave colder temperatures.
More Ideas for Outdoor Fun
Winter break has officially begun! We’ve got all sorts of fun plans for the weeks ahead – many of which involve spending time with friends and family outside. If you need a little inspiration to brave the dropping temps and head outdoors, I’ve got a few:
- Collect items from nature to make nature in a bottle – a great gift for kids to give loved ones.
- Create rock bugs to keep in your garden or give away.
- Take a winter nature scavenger hunt.
- Or try one of these 50 ways to explore nature in your own backyard.
Happy exploring!
@Mel: Good for you – the lights just seem to "make" the holiday for the kiddos. Well, that & Santa! Have fun on your walk!
This is on our agenda for this week. We'll have to be super bundled, but we are willing to brave the cold for the light show! Looks like you have a festive neighborhood!
@Juliet: Thanks for sharing your idea – counting Christmas trees sounds fun!<br /><br />@Abbie: While being outside to see the lights might be preferable, at least you're enjoying the season. The lights are so magical for little ones, aren't they?
That is so fun. We actually have so many lights right in our neighborhood that we could do this too if it wasn't in the negative temps by the time it is dark! So jealous that you can still be outside without losing a finger after the sun goes down. We have to drive around to see our lights, bummer.
Hi Debbie<br /><br />You read my mind! I was just thinking about doing a similar post – I love Xmas lights! I know it's a waste of energy but for children, they are so pretty! <br /><br />An activity we used to do when travelling was to count the numbers of Christmas trees we could see when going somewhere in the dark. <br /><br />Best wishes<br />Juliet