Go Wild This Winter: Embracing Naturally Creative Family Play
Shorter days and colder weather are not an excuse to hide away indoors behind flickering screens—they are an invitation to a different kind of adventure
Time for Different Adventures
We've created a new phrase "Winter Down", that's when everything is safely stored away.
But not the family, and definitely not the children. Its time to Go Wild this Winter as your family life moves into a beautiful new rhythm. Shorter days and colder weather are not an excuse to hide away indoors behind flickering screens—they are an invitation to a different kind of adventure.
Discover our independent guide to mapping crisp backyard nature trails, exploring misty castle walls, and turning rainy afternoons into a cozy journey of family history that everyone can share. We are dedicating this page to
The Seven Steps of Winter Wellbeing
from the book thriving in the colder winter months by chartered psychologist and self-care expert Suzy Reading
Introducing our Seven Steps for Winter
Here is a small preview of our seven steps to Go Wild this Winter
Light and Colour
Autumn and Winter days in typically British weather can create some spectacular light. This is the 1066 Battlefield at Hastings.
Cold winter air holds significantly less moisture and humidity than heavy summer air. This lack of water vapor strips away atmospheric haze, creating exceptional clarity.
Embracing Nature
The UK is a darker place than you might have thought!
Although we live in a densely populated country with significant light pollution in urban areas, there are 22 officially recognised International Dark Sky Places in the UK. This guide explores some of the best places to see the Northern Lights in the UK,
Spark Imagination
Make your countdown to Christmas special with Craftiosity's festive Advent Calendar Craft Kit.🎄
Create a beautiful handmade advent calendar with 25 little drawstring bags, each decorated with colourful felt, embroidery and sparkling details. Peg them along the gold twine to create a charming Christmas decoration.
Quiet Reflection
First held in 1907, and nearly annually since then, the Isle of Man TT (Tourist Trophy) is richly chronicled in our newspapers. The legendary annual motorcycle race spans two weeks on the Isle of Man's public roads.
This image in the Belfast Telegraph from June 2000 captures Ballymena's Billy McCosh in action.
🏰 01. Light & Colour:
The Story of England
To compensate for shorter, darker days, we must intentionally seek out natural daylight and vibrant surroundings.
Gathering the family to explore the ancient story of England at historic castles, be they ruins or wonderfully preserved will make us proud to be British. Autumn brings cloudless day when shading our eyes to absorb the low golden winter sun, is sure to lift everyone's spirits.
Secure your Exclusive 15% discount for your family visits to any English Heritage site quote AFFEH1526 at the checkout
Commit to one brisk weekend morning walk through historic open spaces to flood your system with natural light.
Welly Walks
English Heritage care for more castles than anybody else.
From Norman earthworks to mighty royal fortresses and from Cornwall to Northumberland, these castles and forts tell the turbulent and often surprising story of power, war and siege in England.
This Autumn and winter they are open for you to explore the history of castles through time, learn more about medieval life, and plan a memorable day out at a castle near you.
🌸 02. Nourishing Movement:
The Welly Walk at any RHS Garden
Keeping our bodies moving through the colder months shouldn't mean exhausting indoor routines.
Instead, we can cultivate gentle, nourishing physical habits like family Welly Walks. Strolling through masterfully designed winter borders around every Royal Horticultural Society Garden around England will keeps muscles active, joints warm, and lungs filled with crisp fresh air.
Establish a gentle weekly family walking habit through local green spaces and winter landscapes.
🧭 03. Embracing Nature: On a Botanical Adventure with OS
True winter resilience means stepping out to deeply appreciate the changing seasonal landscape of the natural world. Here is a real gift for your youngster. Allow them the dream of a real adventure? Ordnance Survey created a 256 page book especially designed to help ever enquiring minds to learn all the skills they will need from understanding a map, what the symbols mean to using a compass, plan a trip and even what to do in an emergency. Full to the brim of Top Tips, Fun Facts and advice on where to go to try out your new skills. Time for the kids to take Mum and Dad for the walk?
Buy The Ordnance Survey Kids' Adventure Book this weekend and let the children guide the family.
If you want to explore any of our National Parks with the help of Ordnance Survey try our OS Guide we've got all 15 covered.
🧸 04. Comforting Rituals: The Fridge Alphabet
When the afternoon chill draws us back inside, our focus shifts to creating comforting habits that bring absolute warmth, safety, and joy to our daily lives.
Setting up interactive, magnetic alphabet and animal number sets on the fridge door creates a peaceful, focused afternoon environment for early child learning.
Set up a quiet post-walk tea table featuring simple, tactile early childhood development play.
🎨 05. A Slower Pace: The Imagination Spark
Winter demands that we honor our body's lower natural capacity and accept the vital need for peaceful downtime.
We embrace a slower pace by setting up a cozy kitchen crafting space, introducing a joyful collection of children's craft kits designed to spark imagination and encourage mindful making.
Dedicate one dark rainy evening this week to slow, screen-free creative making. This month for grown ups we feature the timeless beauty of blue and white china: The Cyanotype Embroidered Wall Art Craft Kit.
They make it themselves.
The Garden Grow Tote Bag Little Makers Kit
Every Little Makers kit ends with something real — worn, used and shown off with pride. This month: the Grow tote, painted, decorated and ready for adventures.
06. Meaningful Connections: The Family Journal
Nurturing supportive relationships and deep community bonds is what keeps a family grounded over the long months.
This is a time we can gather around the table to share our memories, our photos in elegantly sustainable artisan journals and photo albums. These are precious family times that will capture your shared autumn memories and teach your children the value of preserving family history.
Share an intentional afternoon of storytelling and creative crafting across generations - ask your grandparents to share too.
🔍 07. Quiet Reflection: On This Day in History
We close our cycle by using quiet winter moments to look inward, process experiences, and cultivate deep gratitude for those who came before us.
Searching millions of local vintage press pages to see what happened 'On This Day' throughout history lets you find your own town or village via Find My Past.
Gather around a warm hearth to trace, record, and preserve your true family ancestry roots.
Produced by the Reliant Motor Company in Tamworth the Robin Reliant was once one of the most recognisable cars ever produced. With just three wheels the Reliant Robin was produced for 30 years and one of its most famous vehicles sold recently for a tidy sum. Here British Newspaper Archives celebrate the popular and yet eccentric car through adverts and articles found in our nation's newspapers.
A Gift for a Special
Friend
Self-Care for Winter
Seven steps to thriving in the colder months
The Seven Steps of Winter - Suzy Reading
- Harness light and colour: Compensate for darker days by seeking out natural daylight and vibrant surroundings.
- Make a healthy movement habit: Keep your body active with gentle, nourishing physical routines.
- Embrace nature: Connect with the outdoors and appreciate the seasonal changes in the natural world.
- Savour comforting rituals: Create soothing habits that bring warmth, safety, and joy to your daily life.
- Develop a compassionate pace (rest and sleep): Honor your body's lower natural capacity and need for downtime.
- Make meaningful connections: Nurture supportive relationships and community bonds to stay grounded.
- Practise reflection: Use quiet moments to look inward, process experiences, and cultivate gratitude.
Winter Wellness
Wellness with Nature's Eco-Therapy
Winter's Seven Steps a perfect partner to winter wellness
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