Kids Under 5 When It's -5°: Surviving a Minnesota Winter with Little Kids
Emily Kossila
Winter has seemed to creep up on us once again here in the great big north, or at least that’s all everyone is talking about. As we enter the joyous season (blech I’m kidding) that is winter, I’ve begun squirreling away ideas and coping strategies to potentially enjoy the next 4-6 months with my two monsters, er I mean children.
Winter Gear
Don’t let the elements scare you, getting outdoor time is still important for both you and the kiddos. Though I’ve found you do need to make it more of an intentional priority since there’s a lot more entailed than just stumbling out the door.
If you’re babywearing your child, this is a great blog post for Winter Wearing. I’ve really enjoyed wearing my kiddo’s outside and it will surely make you feel Minnesotan.
For kid’s that will be walking on their own, here are my suggested layers to keep everyone warm but not getting overheated, the list is also in order of what to put on first:
Light weighted, long sleeved pants and shirts (no thick sweaters, they will roast)
Warm socks, wool if you’re fancy
Bib Overall Snow-pants, we stick with Columbia because they’re fairly lightweight and have a nice “grow with me” option to extend pants and sleeves to squeak out some extra months
Waterproof mittens with long sleeves, we use Columbia, but I’ve seen and heard great things about Head brand mittens from Costco.
Warm Hat, and potentially a short scarf tucked into the hood pending on the temp and wind
Winter Coat that’s geared for subzero outdoor wear, again we’ve done Columbia because I’m a millennial with too fierce of brand loyalty, and they’re really lightweight but warm
Boots, Katy Bown has great resources for selecting shoes/boots so kids and yourself can move more effectively around. I’ve found for MN winters though, I tend to get more clunky boots then I would normally to protect their feet. We’ve had OK luck with Kamik or actually targets Cat and Jack brands aren’t too bad
Getting Out and About
It’s so critical to have a good long list of places to get out of the home, whether for days if you’re at home, or for killing time during those long dark evenings. Honestly, I just can’t have these people in my house all day. We gotta get out of here, and I’ve found everyone’s far happier when we do. Here’s my favorite go-to budget-friendly locations to keep everyone appeased.
Free Forest School of Minneapolis and St. Paul- Free forest school is a weekly meetup group led by volunteers to get out and enjoy our forests! I actually end up going more in the Winter than summer, because it gives me the motivation to bundle up the kids when I know other people are going to be there as well.
Mall Of America- I know I know, hear me out. There is a great way to kill a day at the mall without blowing your wallet. Toddler Tuesday’s is GREAT, and worth the crowds, though if you go right when it opens, the crowds aren’t too bad. Kids eat free and you can buy a 5-hour toddler wristband at Nickelodeon Adventures for 13$ (which is normally an ungodly amount). The parent/adult also ride free with the kids on select rides. There are also free events, so it’s a pretty good time.
Hennepin and Ramsey County Libraries- You cannot beat the library for great education and resources. Some of our favorites are Roseville, North Regional Library (they have a bunch of older children’s museum displays), and Brookdale Library. Heard good things about Brooklyn Park too, just haven’t hit it up yet.
Choo Choo Bob’s Train Store- Choo Choo Bob’s was a staple in our activity schedule when we lived near St. Paul. They have a bunch of train tables set up in the back, and it’s great. The train tracks are glued down. so really great for younger kids, but my older’s have gotten frustrated with not able to redo the tracks.
Ridgedale Mall- Gasp! Two malls on one list, what is this lady thinking. The new play area in Ridgedale is fantastic (and free), and way better than your typical mall playplace like area. They just redid it and it’s honestly like Children’s museum quality stuff.
Children’s Museum- Speaking of the Children’s Museum, it’s definitely on our survival list for long winters of not being able to run/climb like the summer. Not the most budget-friendly option, with annual memberships, starting at 129$, but it typically pays for itself after 3-4 visits and makes a nice Christmas gift. There is also free Target Saturday’s once a month, where it’s free admission.
Bell Museum of Natural History and Science Museum of Minnesota- Both the Bell Museum of Natural History on the University of Minnesota St. Paul Campus and the Science Museum of Minnesota have added accessible ticket and membership pricing for lower income families. They are both great options to get your kids learning about science and engaging their mind. We enjoy checking out the dinosaurs at the Science Museum and exploring all the collections at the Bell Museum (they had a narwhal skull and I about lost it. SO cool.)
Setting Up Weekly Themes and routines
Something else I’ve bee doing lately is creating mini-lesson plans to focus our week on. It’s been giving me and the kids lots of direction, and everyone’s been more content with our week. I’ll typically go on Pinterest the week before and pick out a few activities, and then we’ll get designated library books on the topic.
I try to also pick a Social Justice Topic/Person to learn about, as well as a classical art piece and song to make it feel like I’m giving my kids a little more culture and life skills then cutting cats out of construction paper (though we also have done that).
Some of our weeks so far have been:
Pet Week
Star Week (we went to the new Planetarium at the Bell Museum and learned about Mae Jemison, super fun)
Ballet Week
Bird Week
Bee Week (September was B’s if you didn’t notice)
Sticking to a similar routine day after day can also move things along a little smoother. We’ve also been meal/snack planning which removes a lot of stress, and all the warm soups make me much happier about the dread of winter.
Hope you found some good tips to enjoy the season with your little ones, especially if you just had or are expecting a new baby, definitely helps to stack your deck.
What are your favorite ways to pass the winter months?
Hope all is well and Much Love!
References
https://www.nutritiousmovement.com/shoes-the-list/