The joy of being a kid and finding out there’s fresh snow on the ground is unmatched. Racing to get my snow pants on, I would spend hours upon hours making snow people and animals. I would even dig myself burrows in the mounds my father would make on the side of my driveway from shoveling. Playing in the snow feels like a rite of passage for children, and I’m sorry for those who live in places that don’t get to experience it. But, as I’ve grown older, playing in the snow has become more of an activity of judgment and less of a bright, new canvas for my imagination.
Part of that I can attribute to the fact that when people my age say they’re going to play in the snow, they’re met with weird looks. I, however, don’t believe that anybody is too old to play in the snow.
Snow actually has many mental health benefits. It can create a calming environment because snow dampens noise. Cortisol, the hormone associated with stress, is also affected by being in the snow.
“The tranquil and serene environment created by snow can help lower cortisol levels, further promoting relaxation and reducing stress,” according to Psychreg.org.
Playing in the snow can also physically benefit you. Moving through the snow is harder than simply walking on pavement. That added challenge and the many associated activities, such as sledding, skiing, snowboarding and even building snowmen, can be good ways to get exercise in the snow.
“Being outside during the winter months is critical for physical and mental health,” P.E. teacher Jill Carpenter said. “You have a better chance of getting sick [when you stay] indoors with the germs than going outside and playing in the cold.”
If playing in the snow benefits us mentally and physically, then why is there such a growing judgment around playing in the snow as teenagers? If anything, we should be encouraging people to go out in the snow more as they age because of the benefits it can offer. Getting up early to help your neighbor get out of the driveway by shoveling snow, albeit tiring, can still be fun.
I’ll never forget the memories I made in the snow. It was a source of bonding with my family and an escape from harsh realities. After all of those memories, how could I say that anyone is too old to play in the snow? Don’t let anybody use your age as a reason why you shouldn’t don some boots, a coat, gloves, a hat and a scarf and jump in the white landscape for an hour or two.
