Dear reader, I know you have been cooped up forever and are yearning to get outside again without risk of being blown away or getting frozen! But never fear – things are on the turn and soon we will have brighter, warmer days to play with.

Until then, I recall the old adage: ‘There’s no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong clothes’. There is certainly something in that, especially when trying to keep the children entertained.

Let children enjoy the wet and cold outdoors

No matter the weather, our children need fresh air and exercise to be able to run about and let off steam every day. By taking some simple precautions and making a few preparations, it can be possible to let children enjoy the wet and cold outdoors, even if we as adults wouldn’t choose to venture out!

Starting with clothing; layers are the beginning for us all. Choose warm, close-fitting leggings and tops to cover the skin, followed by light jumpers and trousers, and topped off with a good coat. Add a hat and gloves, and don’t forget warm socks under those welly boots. If you can, invest in waterproof all-in-ones – they’re fab for little people to get up close and personal with all the muddy puddles they desire.

Keeping a set of dry clothes in the car can help facilitate days out, where you can get as wet and muddy as you like, knowing you have a warm set of clothes to change into if necessary. Add a flask of hot chocolate and some picnic cups and you have the perfect end to a winter adventure.

This brings me onto snacks. Of course it does – everything leads to food eventually and never more so than when trying to amuse little ones on a cold day.
When planning an outdoors day, keep little tummies satisfied with carbohydrate-rich snacks like flapjacks. Yes, they are sugary, but that sugar is much needed when building snowmen or having running races in the rain! The slow-release energy from the oats will also keep them going for longer.

A trip to the beach or a simple walk to the park

Remember that outside play can be as adventurous as a trip to the beach or as simple as an hour in the garden, a walk to the park or a wander around a local market, with opportunities to scamper where it is safe to do so.

I used to pace my kids between behaving well in the shops and free scampering in a paved area, preferably with pigeons to chase – as activities go, this is an oldie but a goodie.

Whatever the weather throws at you this month, take the time to get outside, find your children’s playground and free their spirits – I promise you will all feel better for it.