Favorite Outdoor Fun NYC Winter Activities

fun nyc winter activities

As I was walking to pick up the boys from school yesterday, I heard a little girl who was playing in the snow sing “the cold never bothered me anyway”… (Frozen!)

I couldn’t stop myself from laughing, because that line sums up how most kids (whom I know) feel about snowy, cold weather.  While we city dwellers usually need to travel a little to experience things like snow tubing, snow boarding and skiing, there are still many fun NYC outdoor winter activities. Below are some of my favorite free and low-cost outdoor fun NYC winter activities:

1. Snowball fights: They aren’t just for the kids. Grab your gloves and join in on the fun.

2. Making snow angels: Don’t let the kids have all of the fun. Lay down on the ground and start flapping those arms/gaining your wings. *Just make sure that you’re in a clean area. One season, SOMEONE in my family wasn’t aware that they were making snow angels in a poop-filled area. (Yuck!)

3. Building snow people: This season really is Frozen themed. Do you want to build a snow man? Of course you do.

4. Sledding: There are many great parks in NYC.  Crotona Park in the Bronx, Fort Greene Park in Brooklyn and (of course) Central Park in Manhattan are all top sledding spots. For more sledding options, you can read the NY Daily New‘s Where to go sledding in NYC after the big winter storm of 2015.

5. Ice skating: Many parks and other outside locations offer ice skating. If you don’t have a favorite rink, read NewYork.com‘s 10 Top Ice Skating Rinks in New York City (Here’s where to take a turn on the ice, from the famous rinks of Midtown Manhattan to Brooklyn’s newest hot spots)

6. Snowshoeing/winter hiking: Put on your snowshoes or winter boots and take a walk together as a family. Inwood Hill Park, Prospect Park (which has great hills and tends to be less crowded) and Central Park are all great options.

If you have any other favorite outdoor fun NYC winter activities, please let me know. (If you prefer to stay indoors, that is fine too. I will be sharing my favorite winter indoor activities next week!)

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7 Fun Family Events in NYC (January 2015)