Winter wellbeing calendar of activities

It’s simple to take part! You can either:

• Download the calendar to print it out
• If you're using a phone or tablet, tap and hold the image below to save it to your device
• If you're on a desktop or laptop, right-click to save

Find extra information to help you take part in each activity below. We know on some days and for people with some conditions, getting out in winter can be tricky. We have highlighted all the activities that can be done indoors.

1. Go on a sensory walk. Enjoy nature with all your senses. If you would like some prompts, read our article on enjoying a winter sensory walk.
2. Clean pots and trays (indoor activity). Get ready for the new growing season by cleaning your pots and trays. Hot soapy water should do the trick, then leave them to dry.
3. Make compost in a bottle (indoor activity). Any outdoor compost piles may be very slowly decomposing in winter. You can have fun seeing the process at higher speed by creating your own compost in a bottle.
4. Sort seeds (indoor activity). Find any packets of seeds and check they are still in date. Decide which you would like to sow this year. If you would like to be super organised, you could arrange them in a box by the date they need sowing. A sort of seed calendar!
5. Watch a wildlife web cam (indoor activity). If it's too chilly to go to nature, let nature come to you! There are some wonderful wildlife web cams you can watch at home, like these from the Wildlife Trusts or these from Wildlife Kate.
6. Go cloud spotting. Head out and look up. What sort of clouds can you see? Perhaps there are high cirrus clouds, or dark, grey, nimbostratus. This Country Living article has facts and images about the main cloud types spotted in the UK.
7. Try some nature writing (indoor activity). Whether it's a short poem or a longer story, writing inspired by nature is a wonderful way to express what's around you. We have some helpful prompts in this introduction to nature writing.

1. Tend to your houseplants (indoor activity). Houseplants are a wonderful way to stay side by side with nature through winter. Check on them and give some care as needed. Find tips for in our guide to caring for houseplants.
2. Leaf art 1: printing (outdoor and indoor activity). You will need to pop outside for a bit to gather a selection of leaves for this activity. Get a decent quantity and variety and save some for the next activity! To make leaf prints, you can simply put a light coat of paint on the underneath of a leaf and press it carefully against a piece of paper. You could experiment with different colours and patterns.
3. Leaf art 1: rubbing (indoor activity). It's time to continue the creativity with leaves! This time, put the leaves under a piece of pencil and rub over the top with pencils or crayons. Enjoy seeing the pattern from the top side of the leaf emerge. Which leaf art did you prefer, printing or creating rubbings?
4. Bird watch / break ice on bird baths. Head into the garden, or another outdoor space, and quietly watch any birds. What species can you spot? If you have a bird bath, break the ice if it has frozen over.
5. Make a plan for spring. Part 1: research (indoor activity). Winter is a great time to think about your plans for your garden the next growing year. Our guide to making a plan for spring has lots of tips. Start by enjoying research. You could read garden magazines, look at websites or social media and think about any plants or other features you'd love to bring to your space this year.
6. Make a plan for spring. Part 1: create (indoor activity). Create a plan of your garden, including what you have already and what you would like to grow this year. You could do this in any creative form you like. Refer back to our plan for spring guide for helpful hints.
7. Take a winter interest walk. This could be a quick trip around your own garden, or a longer walk somewhere else. Notice all the beauty of nature in winter, from seed heads and leaf piles to the shape of trees without their leaves.

1. Make frozen plant art. A perfect activity for very cold nights. This activity involves collect plant material from the garden, placing in a shallow dish with a length of string, covering in water and leaving overnight to freeze. In the morning, you will have a gorgeous piece of frozen art to hang up and enjoy. Follow a step by step guide here.
2. Start an indoor herb garden (indoor activity). Many herbs can be grown all year round if they are sown indoors. From basil to thyme or chives, a few pots of scented herbs on the windowsill bring great scent, can be used in cooking and allow nature into your home. Our guide to creating a herb garden indoors has more advice.
3. Check winter garden protection. This is a good excuse to spend a few minutes in the garden. Check how everything is doing and if all protection is in place. Are all structures secure, such as fences or a trellis? Is horticultural fleece or any other covering still in place? Are shed or greenhouse doors firmly closed?
4. Review photos from your garden this year (indoor activity). Enjoy looking back at any photos of your garden you took this year. Think about the things you most enjoyed growing or doing and reflect on some happy times spent outside. This is a lovely activity to share with someone else.
5. Make an apple bird feeder (indoor activity). It's harder for birds to find food in winter. Create a homemade apple feeder for them to offer an extra treat.
6. Clean garden tools (indoor activity). Giving your tools a good clean will keep them at their best. The RHS has advice on cleaning tools if you would like some extra tips.
7. Sharpen secateurs (indoor activity). Secateurs are such a garden staple, but over time they can start to snip less effectively. Give them a good sharpen so they're ready for a new year of use. You can find extra advice here.

* Lead image credit: Sid Balachandran @ Unsplash

1. Take a wintry tree photo. Whether it's close up or from a distance, there are lots of interesting tree shapes to photograph in winter. Or, you may prefer to find an evergreen and take a photo that reminds you not all of nature is hibernating!
2. Make herbal tea (indoor activity). A warming cup of tea on a chilly day is good for the soul. You could try making your own herbal tea, experimenting with different types to see which you most enjoy. Our guide to making your own herbal tea has more advice.
3. Top up bird feeders. If you have any bird feeders in the garden, head out and make sure they are filled up for our feathered friends. If you can see them from a window, this will allow you to enjoy watching the birds come in and out to feed.
4. Deadhead winter bedding. If you have any winter bedding plants growing, like pansies, they may benefit from a quick deadhead. Simply remove finished flowers with some scissors or secateurs (or just your fingers) and hopefully even more flowers will follow.
5. Grow an avocado from its stone (indoor activity). Advanced warning. You are not going to get a crop of avocados any time soon from this. But, trying to grow an avocado from a stone is a fascinating lesson in plant life cycles and patience. We have a helpful guide you can follow.
6. Warm up seed beds. You could get a head start on planting by getting the soil nice and warm. You could add plastic sheets, or cloches. Find more advice on pre-warming soil from the RHS.
7. Look for signs of spring. As winter continues, we can spot increasing signs of the spring season to come. Snowdrops, daffodils and new buds on plants all build anticipation! Read our article on the signs of spring in nature for even more things to enjoy looking out for.