Don’t let cold temperatures keep you indoors this winter. Discover innovative ways to use your backyard in the winter and make the most of your outdoor space year-round.
As you explore winter-friendly backyard activities, you may also find inspiration in our guide on how to create a modern backyard, which seamlessly incorporates indoor and outdoor living.
Additionally, learn how to build a backyard driveway to enhance your property’s functionality and curb appeal. Dive in and uncover endless possibilities for your outdoor haven.
| Takeaways |
|---|
| Utilize your backyard in the winter with outdoor heaters and fire pits |
| Build a winter garden to enjoy fresh produce |
| Create a modern backyard with sleek furniture and statement pieces |
| Keep cool in the summer with shading and misting techniques |
| Host a cozy backyard party with warm drinks and a lounge area |
| Set up a backyard movie night with the right equipment and seating |
Learn to Ski or Snowboard
You’re in luck, because there are plenty of winter activities you can do right in your backyard. Whether you want to learn how to ski or snowboard, or simply enjoy the weather while practicing these sports on the weekends, this is one way to embrace winter and make it fun.
You can find lessons at a local ski resort, but if you’re just learning or don’t have anyone else who wants to join in consider taking a private lesson from an instructor who will teach both skiing/snowboarding and some basic safety tips that are sure to help keep everyone safe as they venture out into nature for their winter activities.
It’s important that everyone wears the right clothing when engaging in outdoor activities during colder months; gloves and scarves will keep hands warm enough for skiing or snowboarding without sacrificing dexterity (which would be dangerous!).
It’s also helpful if everyone has a helmet on hand when going downhill: accidents happen quickly when someone loses control while going uphill at high speeds!
Winter gardening doesn’t have to be limited to indoor plants. With a backyard greenhouse, you can enjoy fresh produce even in the coldest months. Check out our guide on how much a backyard greenhouse costs to start planning your winter garden today.
Build a snow fort
Building a snow fort is the perfect way to use your backyard in the winter months. For building materials, you’ll need:
- Snow
- Shovels/tampers/etc.
- A chair or two (optional)
Once you’ve gathered your materials and created your fort, it’s time to make it more comfortable by adding furniture.
The easiest way to do this is by placing chairs inside of the structure so that once it’s finished and there are people inside of it, they won’t have to sit on the cold ground!
| Winter Backyard Activities |
|---|
| Sledding |
| Ice skating |
| Snowball fights |
| Building snowmen |
| Winter birdwatching |
| Stargazing |
| Winter barbecues |
Build a snowman
The first thing you should do is get a snowman kit from the dollar store. You’ll need some twigs, rocks and buttons for eyes and buttons (it’s important that these are different sizes).
Next, use your carrot nose to mark where you want his head to go. Then dig out a cave-like space for his body using your hands, leaving him standing about 18 inches tall when complete.
Make sure not to pack too much snow around the bottom of his legs where they meet the ground because if he doesn’t stand up properly, then he won’t be able to move!
Now take one rock for each arm it’s important that these are different shapes/sizes so they look like arms more than just lumps on his body and put them in place above where his shoulders will be positioned later on down this process (roughly 6 inches apart).
Next grab two more smallish rocks to serve as hands and place those overtop of each arm so they’re sticking out towards us viewers (so we can see them more easily).
Lastly take two larger flat shaped stones underneath all four “fingers” on either side; these will make our snowman look like he has fingers instead of paws so don’t forget this step!
Transforming your backyard into a modern oasis is easier than you think. From sleek furniture to statement pieces, there are plenty of ways to update your space. Check out our guide on creating a modern backyard for tips and inspiration.
Build an ice rink in your backyard
Ice rinks are a fun way to get some exercise and enjoy the winter weather with your family. If you have a backyard, consider building one—but there are safety concerns that you should keep in mind.
Don’t use chemicals: Lime or other chemicals can harm the environment, so avoid them when possible.
Don’t use boiling water: Boiling water is hot enough to melt ice on its own, which means that it could damage your lawn if spilled on it while you’re making an ice rink in your backyard!
Don’t use ice melt products: These products contain salt, which can kill grass and cause other issues with plants in your yard.
They also corrode metal surfaces like wood decks when used regularly; if you decide to make an ice rink outside of your home’s foundation walls instead of inside them like most people do
You should be okay using these products every once in awhile but not as part of daily maintenance routines over long periods of time because they’ll eventually take their toll on anything underneath them!
Go bird watching
You may have heard that bird watching is a good way to learn more about birds, or even just as a fun activity.
It can be both! Bird watching is also a great way to enjoy nature and spend time with family and friends. You’ll find that it’s easy to get started by using these simple tips:
Find a good spot to sit down in your backyard where you have a view of the sky without any trees in the way.
The best times for bird watching are early morning (before 10am) or late afternoon/evening (after 4pm). If possible, try not to go when there are heavy winds or rain—this will make it harder for birds to fly around!
Bring along binoculars so you can look at the birds closer up. It’s important that you choose good-quality binoculars so they won’t break easily from getting bumped around while walking up stairs or sitting down on chairs outside your house during wintertime activities like this one!
You might want them too because sometimes there are insects flying around which could hurt other people if touched directly; however if anyone does get stung by something like bee venom then please contact poison control immediately rather than trying anything else first yourself.”
When the temperature rises, it can be tough to enjoy your backyard space. But with a few simple tricks, you can keep cool and comfortable all summer long. Check out our guide on keeping your backyard cool for tips on shading, misting, and more
Do some winter grilling
There’s nothing like a hot dog straight off the grill. But you can’t just stick a hot dog on and expect it to cook all by itself, right?
Nope! You’ll need to know how to use your grill in order to get an evenly cooked hot dog without burning it or undercooking it.
First things first: if you’re using a charcoal or gas grill, make sure you have the proper tools for setting up your fire and cooking meat.
A meat thermometer is essential for checking internal temperature of foods being cooked on the grill, so make sure yours is working properly before firing up those coals!
Remember that most food safety guidelines recommend cooking meats until they reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit (71 degrees Celsius).
Once this temperature has been reached (and ideally not exceeded), remove any meats from heat immediately before serving them.
It’s also important not forget about cleanliness while grilling during winter months; after each use, scrub down all surfaces including grates with warm water mixed with soap followed by drying them completely before storing away again until next time!
Go stargazing
If you’re looking to go stargazing, a telescope is the best way to get started. Your backyard is one of the best places to set up a telescope.
The night sky can be so much more beautiful than what you’d see from your front yard or city street!
You’ll want to make sure that there’s no light pollution in the area otherwise, you won’t be able to see anything at all!
You can check online for how far your nearest city is from where you live and then measure back 15° (the angle between each direction on Earth) until it gets dark enough for constellations and shooting stars.
Once that happens, look into buying a good pair of binoculars so that even when there isn’t any sun out in winter months, there will still be some light from distant planets and stars shining down onto our planet’s surface.
Hosting a party in your backyard can be a great way to bring friends and family together, even during the winter. From setting up a cozy lounge area to providing warm drinks, there are plenty of ways to make your guests feel at home. Check out our guide on setting up a backyard party for tips and tricks.
Have a bonfire party
First, gather your friends and family members. You will need their help in order to build a bonfire that is safe, fun and burned down to nothing by the end of the night.
Next, you’ll want to prepare for building a bonfire. The first step is finding wood that’s dry enough to burn if it’s too wet, it won’t catch fire!
Look for branches on the ground or trees nearby that haven’t been cut down yet; they’re perfect materials for making a fire starter because they’re usually dry enough already (and if not just leave them out in the sun).
Then collect some more wood that isn’t quite as dry but still plenty flammable (this will be used later on).
Lastly gather up any paper products like newspapers or cardboard boxes so they won’t get wet while out in nature either before or after using them as kindling material during tonight’s festivities.”
Get Outdoors And Enjoy The It!
The winter is a great time to get outdoors and enjoy the weather. Take advantage of the cold weather by going for a walk, run or bike ride in your neighborhood.
If you’re feeling more adventurous, consider heading out on an outdoor hike or even an outdoor ski trip. You can also use the snowshoes for a snowshoeing trip!
Your backyard is full of fun activities to do during the winter months. The kids will love playing in their very own backyard playground with all of these snowy activities!
Hold An Igloo Building Competition
Hold an igloo building competition. You’ll want to make sure that your location is well-suited for this type of event, so think about whether or not there’s enough snow in the area, how safe the area is (you don’t want anyone falling into an open hole)
And whether or not any other activities are going on in the same space that might interfere with your igloo building competition.
Having prizes for the winners can help motivate people to get involved!
Movie nights aren’t just for the summer! With a little creativity, you can host a fun and cozy outdoor screening in your own backyard. Check out our guide on how to host a backyard movie night for tips on equipment, seating, and more.
Create Wintertime Art Projects
Art projects can be fun and creative, especially when done with a group of people. They’re also a great way to spend quality time with your family and friends.
It’s easy to work on art projects alone, but they become even more fun when you share them with others. If you have the space, invite friends over for an afternoon of mixing paints and creating art together!
Backyard Winter Garden Plants
| Winter Garden Plants | Description |
|---|---|
| Winter pansies | These vibrant flowers can bloom all winter long and add a pop of color to your backyard |
| Ornamental kale | This hardy plant can survive even in below-freezing temperatures and adds a unique texture to your winter garden |
| Hellebores | Also known as the winter rose, this plant can bloom in the winter and come in a variety of colors |
| Evergreens | These trees and shrubs provide greenery year-round and can add structure to your winter garden |
Conclusion
Winter doesn’t have to be a boring time of year. There are so many things that you can do in your backyard as the temperature begins to drop and snow starts falling.
You can build an igloo, go stargazing, hold a bonfire party and grill some food on the fire pit! The possibilities are endless when it comes to how much fun you can have in your backyard during wintertime!
Further Reading
Here are some additional articles that may be of interest:
How Much is a Backyard Greenhouse? Find Out: This article explores the costs associated with building a backyard greenhouse and offers tips for those interested in winter gardening.
How to Make Your Own Aquaponics System: This article provides a step-by-step guide for building an aquaponics system, which can be a great way to grow plants indoors during the winter.
What Fruits Can You Grow in Your Backyard? 11 Best: This article outlines the best fruits to grow in your backyard, including those that thrive in cooler temperatures.
How to Create a Modern Backyard: Pro Tips: This article provides tips for creating a modern and stylish backyard that can be enjoyed year-round.
How Do You Do Backyard Movie Night Experience?: This article offers ideas and tips for hosting a movie night in your backyard, a fun and cozy activity for the winter months.
How to Extend Patio Season into the Fall and Winter: This article offers tips for enjoying your patio during the cooler months, including using outdoor heaters and lighting.
How to Prepare Your Backyard for Winter: This article provides a checklist for getting your backyard ready for winter, including tasks like cleaning gutters, storing outdoor furniture, and preparing your lawn and garden for colder temperatures.
FAQs
How can I use my backyard in the winter?
There are many ways to enjoy your backyard during the winter months. Some ideas include building a fire pit or outdoor fireplace, installing outdoor heating lamps, creating a cozy seating area with blankets and pillows, and hosting a winter BBQ or hot cocoa party.
Can I grow plants in my backyard during the winter?
Yes, it’s possible to grow plants in your backyard during the winter using methods like cold frames, hoop houses, and indoor gardening. Some plants that can thrive in colder temperatures include kale, spinach, carrots, and beets.
How can I protect my outdoor furniture during the winter?
To protect your outdoor furniture during the winter, it’s important to clean and store it properly. Remove any dirt or debris, wipe down surfaces with a gentle cleaner, and cover or store furniture in a dry, protected area like a shed or garage.
How do I prepare my lawn and garden for winter?
To prepare your lawn and garden for winter, it’s important to clean up any debris and remove any dead or dying plants.
You may also want to add compost or mulch to your soil to help protect it from the colder temperatures. Additionally, it’s important to water your plants regularly and prune any trees or shrubs that may be at risk of damage from snow or ice.
How can I make my backyard more energy-efficient during the winter?
There are several ways to make your backyard more energy-efficient during the winter. Some ideas include using LED lights for outdoor lighting, installing energy-efficient outdoor heaters, and insulating your home and outdoor structures to help retain heat.
You can also use composting and other sustainable gardening practices to reduce your energy use and carbon footprint.
For 15 years, Hellen James has worked in the gardening industry as an expert and landscape designer. During her career, she has worked for a variety of businesses that specialize in landscaping and gardening from small firms to large corporations.