The #1000HoursOutside challenge has been inspiring families to get outside for years. We love tracking our hours and monitering progress but we’ll also admit, it takes more effort to get out in winter months. If you need a push to get out the door, here are 100 activities you can do to get closer to the 1000 hour mark (most of them are FREE!). Learn more about 1000 Hours Outside and its founder Ginny (a metro Detroit mom) in our #MomLife series and download a free 1000 Hours Outside printable tracker.
Snow Day Activities
- Snowball Fight
- Build a Snow Fort
- Make Art With Watercolors
- Play Match the Tracks
- Make suncatchers
- Blow unpoppable bubbles
- Shovel (it’s more fun for kids than for grown-ups and sometimes more work for grow-ups with kids)
- Snowman Contest
Winter Favorites
- Campus Martius Ice Rink (Detroit)
- Riley Park Ice Rink (Farmington Hills)
- Ice Festival (Plymouth)
- Winter Blast Weekend (Royal Oak)
- Winter @ Valade Park (Detroit)
Visit A Nature Center + Walk The Trail
- Leslie Science & Nature Center (Ann Arbor)
- Hawk Woods Nature Center (Auburn Hills)
- Farmington Hills Nature Center (Farmington Hills)
- Lake St. Clair Nature Center (Harrison Township)
- Red Oaks Nature Center (Madison Heights)
- Kensington Nature Center (Milford)
- Dinosaur Hill Nature Preserve (Rochester)
- Burgess-Shadbush Nature Center (Shelby Township)
- Stony Creek Nature Center (Shelby Township)
- Sterling Heights Nature Center (Sterling Heights)
- Indian Springs Environmental Discovery Center (White Lake)
Stay Up Past Bedtime
- Sit by a bonfire
- Roast marshmallows
- Play flashlight tag
- Use sparklers
- Star gazing – try a Dark Sky park
Visit Animals
- Domino Farms (Ann Arbor)
- Calder Dairy & Farm (Carleton)
- Howell Nature Center (Howell)
- Kensington Farm Center (Milford)
- Wolcott Farm Center (Ray)
- Detroit Zoo (Royal Oak)
- Toledo Zoo (Toledo)
Playground Playdate
- County Farm Park (Ann Arbor)
- Lower Huron Metropark (Belleville)
- Booth Park (Birmingham)
- George George Memorial Park (Clinton Township)
- Scarlet’s Playlot (Commerce)
- Innovation Hills (Rochester Hills)
- Shepherd Park (Oak Park)
- McClumpha Park (Plymouth)
- Bauervic Woods Park (Southfield)
- Kiwanis Park (Southgate)
- Merriman Hallow (Westland)
Take A Hike
- Matthaei Botanical Gardens (Ann Arbor)
- Cranbrook House & Gardens (Bloomfield Hills)
- Rouge Trailhead (Dearborn)
- Heritage Park (Farmington)
- Rotary Park (Livonia)
- Maybury State Park (Northville)
- Crosswinds Marsh (New Boston)
- Carpenter Lake Nature Preserve (Southfield)
- International Wildlife Refuge (Trenton)
- West Bloomfield Nature Reserve (West Bloomfield)
- Holliday Nature Trail (Westland)
Hit The Ice
- Buhr Park (Ann Arbor)
- Beverly Park (Beverly Hills)
- Barnum Park (Birmingham)
- Lake St. Clair Metropark (Harrison Township)
- Rosie’s Park (Madison Heights)
- Bear Creek Nature Park (Rochester)
- Spencer Park (Rochester Hills)
- Stony Creek Metropark (Shelby Township)
- Dodge Park (Sterling Heights)
- City Square Ice Rink (Warren)
Learn To Ski
- Mt Brighton (Brighton)
- Huron Meadows Metropark (Brighton)
- Pine Knob (Clarkston)
- Mt Holly (Holly)
- Stoney Creek Metropark (Shelby Township)
- Alpine Valley (White Lake)
Go Sledding
- Beverly Hills Village Park (Beverly Hills)
- Lincoln Hills Golf Course (Birmingham)
- Civic Center Sled Hill (Clinton Township)
- Balduck Park (Detroit)
- Shiawassee Park (Farmington)
- Vernier Hill (Grosse Pointe)
- Greenmead Historical Park (Livonia)
- Civic Center Park (Madison Heights)
- Maynard “Red” Aurand Memorial Park (New Baltimore)
- Cass Benton Park (Northville)
- Shepherd Park/Hamilton Hill (Oak Park)
- Lost Lake Nature Park (Oakland)
- Jesse Decker Park Sled Hill (Orion)
- Brandon Township Community Park Sledding Lift (Ortonville)
- Bloomer Park Sled Hill (Rochester)
- Borden Park (Rochester Hills)
- Marshbank Park (West Bloomfield)
- Hines Drive Sledding Hill (Westland)
- Rolling Hills Park (Ypsilanti)
If healthy living and building community is on your 2023 goals list, check out The YMCA of Metropolitan Detroit. With 7 convenient locations you can find one near you AND your friend. Check out different classes at locations, enjoy time independently while your kids have fun in the FREE child watch and spend time together as a family in the pool, in the gym or at a special event.
