Although many of us associate the winter period with moments spent together at home, it is worth remembering during this time to undertake physical activity outdoors. Low temperatures and glistening snow or ice are ideal conditions to try your hand at popular winter sports, which are great fun for the whole family. The multi-generational rivalry can even draw in absolute beginners!
The list of games that can be arranged together on the ice is as wide as our imagination. Some, such as overcoming obstacles in pairs, require advanced skating skills and appropriately selected equipment (the so-called figure skates won’t work in every case). In the less complicated ones, such as tag on ice, even a few years old children can participate.
The lack of own equipment is not a problem here, after all, we can rent it – such places are usually located within the ice rink. Many of them also offer special discounts for families (even up to several dozen percent), which significantly reduces the cost of the whole game. The most important thing is to remember about safety – a protective helmet is an absolute must, it is also worth getting waterproof gloves and knee pads.
This is for those families whose members can already skate very well. Apart from footwear, what’s needed for a field hockey game is a skating rink with set goals, appropriate clothing (including helmets), a stick and a puck – all of which can be made available by the clubs of the Polish Hockey League or professional rental companies for a fee of several hundred zlotys.
To participate in a friendly game, you don’t need two teams of five players, as is the case with the pros. The 3×3 or even 2×2 rivalry with a flying goalkeeper will make each of the participants have a bigger share in the game, and its intensity will be additionally intensified. Large families can afford the so-called quick substitutions, which distribute the effort of individual players evenly.
In the Olympic version, this is a very risky sport – tobogganers on specially adapted tracks can reach speeds of up to over 150 km/h, which in the event of a possible collision can end tragically. It’s much safer to opt for the amateur option – a simple sled and a nearby hill covered with snow will suffice.
In such a setting, you can hold a family race in sledding. The winner is, of course, the person with the best time on the predetermined route. Additional variety can be provided by playing a few scoring rounds or introducing additional obstacles on the route in subsequent stages. Lots of emotions and fun guaranteed!
The most classic of all proposals for winter madness. Children as young as a few years old are already bitten by the ski bug, so if they master the skiing technique at a satisfactory level, they can try their hand at confronting their parents or grandparents.
As in the case of sledding races, time is of the essence. Specialized ski resorts have slopes of varying difficulty – just choose one that creates equal conditions for everyone. The chances of winning will increase with the optimal choice of skis (in this case, downhill skis should work best, not the popular “cross-country” skis).
This sport is not very popular in our country, yet its practice can develop – especially in children and young people – many desirable qualities, such as self-control, precision, and strategic thinking. However, before we go to the curling lane, it is worth to get acquainted in the Internet with the rules of this game called “chess on ice” (they are available, among others, on the website of the Polish Federation of Curling Clubs).
In official competitions, teams of four players take part, but for our family needs two teams of two players are enough – while one player is rolling the stone on the ice, the other one is brushing. These roles can also be played alternately. The cost of such entertainment oscillates around several hundred zlotys per hour.
Featured photo: Freepik
