We love a solid adventure outdoors: sledding at the park, hiking in the mountains, ice skating on a frozen lake, or building a snowman in the frontyard.

Here’s our list of our top safety tips we follow in prepping for playing outside in the winter:

1. Always check the weather forecast
   • If you are driving to a different location, check both the forecast of where you are leaving from AND where you are arriving to.
2. Tell someone you’re going on an adventure
   • Have a go to family member or friend you can call or text
   • Give them the following info:
     • when you’re leaving
     • where you are going
     • when you plan to be back
   • If going somewhere more remote, make sure you know what level of cell service is available, if any.
3. Don’t put all layers on for the drive, put them on at the destination!
   • The trunk becomes the dressing room
   • We have a layering guide! Check it out here!
4. Always have a first aid kit and sleeping bags (or Rumpl blankets) in the trunk
   • Pack the car with:
     • first aid kit
     • sleeping bags or insulated blankets
     • small shovel
5. Stay hydrated – but don’t eat the snow
   • Pack lots of water
   • Throw in some hot coco, because why not?
   • Why not eat snow? It actually dehydrates you!
6. Sunscreen – snow reflects!
   • Yes even in the winter, weather the dang sunscreen
   • NBWmom, Sam, saw lots of skin cancer when she worked in dermatology from skiers!
7. Pack extra layers/clothes – if you get wet then you can change immediately
   • The most important thing to do when someone gets wet is to get those clothes OFF ASAP and dry clothes ON ASAP.
8. Wear appropriate footwear (we have so much info on the right kind of boots for winter!)
   • Check out our boot recommendations here!
9. Windproof clothing if possible
   • Windchill can ruin your day instantly
10. Snacks, always
    • Especially for kiddos. A hangry kiddo can ruin any outdoor fun.
    • Here’s a list of our fav outdoor go-to snacks:
      • Fruit: apples, bananas
      • Veg: carrots, chopped cucumbers
      • String Cheese
      • Gogurts
      • Fruit Snacks
      • Chomps meat sticks
      • Protein bars
      • Granola bars
      • Catalina Crunch protein cereal
      • Snickers bars (freeze them so they can be mini ice packs in your cooler)
11. Simply be smart. Pay attention to the weather and how those in your party are handling the activity. Watch for irregular signs in people and sudden weather changes. If anything seems off call it out, take action. From the neighborhood park to backcountry trails, nothing is worth the risk. Sometimes you have to end the fun early and that’s ok. Because in theory, you’re getting back out there soon enough, right?
12. Exercise more caution. You’re the parents (or guardians), so you need to be more cautious than normal, especially an outing that is remote. It’s your responsibility to get everyone back to the car. If something happens to you how does the rest of the party get back to the car or get help? Don’t be a debby downer, just use your best judgement.

And it’s all fun and games until … it’s not. Stay safe NoBads!