Our Top 11 Picks for Winter Fun

Oh, to be a baby again—the endless sleeping, eating, and being comfortably towed along on snowdrifts. This upright baby sled with canopy from Pelican Baby is both inexpensive and effective and perfect for sitting age (up to 18 months). The covering keeps them warm (note that it can fog up initially outside but does go away after a few moments) and the clear covering allows them to enjoy the elements, without being affected by them.

Is there a stroller more built for Canadian babes than the Chariot? Designed and partially produced in Alberta, the Chariot Carrier allows for a huge range of outdoor excursions (walking, jogging, biking, hiking or cross-country skiing) thanks to its zippered enclosures and easy-to-attach conversion kits. If only converting babies to a full night sleep was as simple.

Called the ‘nifty Zipfy' in many households (try that five times fast), this popular sled comes in several sizes and colours, including a junior size for younger kids ages three to six. Inspired by the Olympic sport of luge, the centre handle allows for speed, safety and control and its lightweight design means even the smallest toboggan fan can probably carry their own sled back up the hill. That definitely deserves a gold medal in design.

Even the lowly snowman gets an upgrade these days. Cancel the annual hunt for coal and a pipe and surprise the kids with these ready-made kits that allow for a new take on an old classic. They'll love making a SnowDINO or SnowBEAR with carving tools to help make the right shapes, and all the accessories are guaranteed to make them smile with pride afterwards. (There's a classic Snowman kit, too.)

Young artists need space to be creative—and they'll have all the room they need thanks to Cadaco's Sno-Art Kit (for ages five and up) which turns a snowy backyard into a huge, reusable, natural canvas. Kids imprint the fun moulded shapes into the snow and then colour them in with Sno-Crayons of varying colours. It gives a whole new meaning to the term ‘the beautiful outdoors'.

These Woolpower Long Johns, manufactured by a small textile company in Sweden, are favourites among hearty Canadian outdoor types (as well as the cold-loving Swedes). Designed with a circular knit fabric, without lengthwise seams, they contain maximum warmth. Even if your love for frigid weather is less heartfelt, these long johns still make you feel all warm inside.

Lucy may have relentlessly teased Charlie Brown about being a blockhead, but cool kids and adults will clamour for Ottawa-based ODR Gear's block heater hat designed specifically to fit under hockey helmets to keep ears warm—and excuses for not wearing a helmet—to a minimum. They're great for runners, winter cyclists and any outdoor sport requiring a helmet.

Warm hands can mean the difference between a long day of fun or a short, exasperating day outdoors. There's no magic behind how the Heatmax hand warmers work, just a basic chemical reaction between elements. These warmers are 100% natural, which means no harmful chemicals or batteries. Composed of iron, water, salt and wood fibre, they are environmentally friendly, too. Now that's cool.

Get out of the boring-old-boot rut and get them enjoying a winter workout with these kids' snowshoes for children ages six and up. Whether you live in the city, or in a rural locale, these snowshoes will start out as a novel way to get around, and likely become their mode of choice for foot-trips. Available in adult sizes too, it's a shoe-in for a favourite family activity.

Make this the easiest thing you'll put up in your backyard all winter—the inflatable Polar Palace Igloo made for cool temperatures outdoors, and indoor play, too. Kids will love pretending they have their own outdoor (and indoor) ice castle with accessories, and you'll love that it doesn't need to be shovelled, watered or maintained all winter long.

Next to tissues, the most mandatory item a mother should have in winter is a pair of warm gloves. If you're not pulling on skates or skis, picking up backpacks, pushing strollers, packing snowballs, or pounding on frozen car doors, you're at least trying to balance a coffee and a kid—all in the middle of winter. Treat yourself to a solid pair of gloves like these MEC Harmony mitts, and wait for the days when they can do it all themselves (and then you'll wish it hadn't all gone by so fast).