Don’t let the cold weather ice-olate you! Being cooped up all winter will give you and the kids a severe case of cabin fever. Fortunately, there’s an easy cure. Here are five activities to get you out of the house this winter in Des Moines, IA.
Freezing temperatures. Inches of snow. Slushy sidewalks. Long, cold winter months–with their short daytime hours–can make it challenging for anyone, let along busy families to stay connected with the outdoors. But too much screen time and a lack of fresh air can make children and adults anxious and depressed. It’s just as important during the winter as it is in summer to take in the fresh air and connect with nature. Nature can help your child or children learn, stay healthy and happy.
Welcome warmer temps! Here is a list of pools and aquatic centers in the Des Moines area. I have included hours, prices and special swim times. Please always make sure to double check before going. Happy swimming!
My first love will always be dirt trails but paved trails can be great if you want to use a stroller, wheelchair, have an early walker, or are trying to avoid mud. One drawback is having to compete with bicycles, but I’ve tried to note the trails below that seem to be more popular with cyclists. This is a subjective list, based off places we have hiked, that were paved but feel more immersed in nature than a typical sidewalk. There are lots of parks that have paved paths around them that might be great for little kids to bike on or shorter walks, you can find them all in the interactive map if you toggle it to show “places to take a walk” but I’ve narrowed that list way down to places that feel a little more wild without losing that paved footing.
When the weather starts to finally warm up and the snow melts, playgrounds with lots of dirt or sparse wood chips can turn into mud pits. I thought I’d put together a list of playgrounds with rubber footing around Des Moines, Iowa so you can get outside even if you don’t want to do a million loads of laundry! These are are all parks you can visit without getting muddy and burn off all that stir crazy winter energy.
