Home » Partners & Parents » Grandparenting » Cabin Fever Relief - Part 1

Cabin Fever Relief - Part 1

© Deborah A Pringle

Outdoor Activities

Sledding - OKAY Grandma and Grandpa you don't have to get on the sled, but you can pull toddlers on one. You could take your grandchildren to a favorite sledding/tobaccan hill and capture photos or video of them enjoying the ride down. Use safety precautions with little children, make sure they know the proper way to sit and hold on. Survey the area they are sledding in, look for sticks, branches, hard stomps, or rocks they may accidently hit. Remove all hazards, or go to another hill. Older grandchildren may enjoy snowmobiling, snowboarding, skiing and ice skating. For safety make sure they have taken a safety class for snowmobiling, and always go with someone. Snowboarding and skiing should be done on hills and trails designed for the level of skill or experience, and somewhere where there are snow patrols. Ice skating has always been a favorite winter activity, many areas have indoor and outdoor rinks. If you decide to venture out onto a pond make sure the ice is atleast 6" to 8" thick and deemed safe by the parks department. Pay attention to warning signs and do not go in restricted areas.

My Husband loves to ice fish, it is a sport that tests ones tolerence of the elements, it is basically a sport of solitude, patience and growing expertise. The ice must be thick and safe enough to support the fisherman, his hut, gear and a snowmobile. Rick has two favorite ice fishing spots and calls ahead to find out the ice and weather conditions. If there are breaks in the ice off shore, he will not go out on the ice. Common sense will take you far, taking risks may end your enjoyment of the sport forevermore. Rick always lets someone know where he is headed out on the ice and keeps a cell phone with him. He has plenty of gear to keep him safe. Ice fisherman are a unique breed, but they do watch out for one another and help each other when mishaps occur. It is a rewarding hobby when Rick catches more than a few, if it's only two, he has fun telling me about the ones that got away. You must be old enough to obtain a fishing license to enjoy ice fishing. For children under 16, I advise ice fishing with a seasoned fisherman for a few years before venturing out solo.

The copyright of the article Cabin Fever Relief - Part 1 in Grandparenting is owned by Deborah A Pringle . Permission to republish Cabin Fever Relief - Part 1 in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.