If you’ve turned your eyes northwards recently you may have noticed that the mountains around our fair city are dusted with white. In fact, Cypress and Grouse recently opened for the season. The Vancouver winter appears to be upon us. If you’re wondering what to do with your little ones to celebrate the cold weather, we have a number of suggestions for you. So bundle up, grab some hot chocolate, and enjoy!

Kid-Friendly Vancouver Winter Fun

Snowshoeing

Taking a trip up one of the local mountains to do some snowshoeing is a great way to enjoy a Vancouver winter day. While toddlers and preschoolers may find snowshoeing challenging, you can load a baby in a carrier and enjoy some exercise with your little one in tow. In fact, both Grouse and Seymour offer “Baby and Me” snowshoeing clinics. And – bonus points – the price includes hot beverages and snacks!

More info:
www.grousemountain.com/snowshoe
mountseymour.com/snowshoe
cypressmountain.com/snowshoe-trails

Tobogganing

If we get a good snowfall in the city, you may be able to find a spot to do some tobogganing or sliding right in your neighbourhood. If not, you can pay a visit to the North Shore mountains. Both Seymour and Cypress have sliding zones. Seymour’s is open to all ages, with no height restrictions. The sliding zone on Cypress is for children six and under who can walk up and slide down. On Cypress tickets are $10 per child, and one free chaperone can slide per child. On Seymour tickets are $10 per person on weekdays and $12 on weekends and holidays. Children three and under are free when accompanied by a paying adult.

More info:
cypressmountain.com/snow-tube-park
mountseymour.com/tobogganing-mt-seymour

Skating at Robson Square

The Robson Square Ice Rink opens on December 1, 2015 for free skating in the heart of the city. It’s a quintessential Vancouver winter activity. The rink is open daily, even over Christmas, though holiday hours are reduced. While skating is free, if you don’t have your own skates you’ll need to pay $4 for rental skates. Don’t worry about keeping your kids safe – helmets are included with skate rental. Or you can rent ice cleats for $2. If you need to warm up, stop by the concession stand for warm drinks. The Robson Square Ice Rink is open until late February 2016.

More info:
www.robsonsquare.com

Winter on Grouse Mountain

Of course you’ll find Vancouver winter activities like skiing, snowboarding and snowshoeing on Grouse Mountain, but there’s actually a whole lot more. If you buy an Alpine Experience ticket – which isn’t cheap, we admit – you can enjoy a fun-filled day on the mountain. There’s an outdoor ice skating rink and sleigh rides. From November 27, 2015 to January 4, 2016 you can enjoy the Peak of Christmas. Kids can see reindeer, visit Santa, take in the Light Walk and work off their energy in the Sliding Zone. And there’s lots more happening, too.

More info:
www.grousemountain.com/location-hours#winter-activities

Play in the Snow

Okay, okay, so you probably could have figured this one out for yourself, but it bears repeating. If we get a good snowfall in the city head outdoors with your children. Kids love snow! Making snow people, throwing snowballs, making snow angels, building snow forts, sledding and sliding, making patterns in the snow … there’s no end of fun. We adults don’t always enjoy it, but get out there and make some Vancouver winter memories. Your kids will thank you for it – and the pictures will be great.

How do you enjoy a Vancouver winter with your kids?