Day 30: Go Icicle Hunting

Welcome to Day 30 of 31 Days of Backyard Nature Fun, a month-long series offering simple ways to get outside exploring the natural world. To see activities from earlier this month, head here.

Well, folks … it’s hard to believe that the end of January is staring us in the face. I’ve had a lot of fun sharing ideas to help you get outside every. I hope you’ve enjoyed it, too.

But before I welcome February with open arms and resume my more manageable schedule of posting just three to four times a week, I’ve got two more wonderful ideas for backyard nature fun to share.

The first is one final activity for my friends in the snow. I’ve called back in Jessica from Bring The Kids one last time. (She’s written about stargazing and painting snow angels for this series already.) Thank you, Jessica!

Day 30: Go icicle hunting.
Do your kids like treasure hunting? Scavenger hunts? Bug hunting? Well, then they’re going to love today’s snowy day adventure – icicle hunting.

Let’s face it – although we all love being outside with our kids, some days you just don’t want everyone covered from head to toe in snow. Icicle hunting is the perfect middle ground. Your kids still get to play outside, but with a little help from you, they’ll stay pretty snow-free and dry.

Think of icicle hunting as your average walk around the neighborhood with a twist. Remember: This is a hunt, so hype it up to make it exciting for the kiddos.

As you walk around your neighborhood, be on the lookout for icicles. See who can find the biggest, the smallest, the fattest, the weirdest shape, or whatever other fun categories you can think of.

Make sure that your kids are wearing snow boots so they don’t slip and gloves to keep their hands warm. After all, they will inevitably need to snack on some of the treasure they’re hunting for!

As always, a reward for the best treasure hunter is always appropriate. I choose to reward the kids in mini marshmallows to throw in their post icicle hunt cocoa!

If the weather isn’t cooperative enough to provide you with icicles, check out our making icicles and learning science to find out how to make your own!

Just joining us? Catch up on what we’re up to at 31 Days of Backyard Nature Fun.