When the Playground Becomes the Classroom

How WinterKids helps turn frozen fields into

laboratories and libraries for Maine’s students

words by kristel hayes
photography by stephen davis phillips and
courtesy of participating schools

In most places, when the first snow falls, recess gets shorter, and outdoor education moves indoors. But here in Maine? That’s just when things start to get interesting.

At Rangeley Elementary, there’s a crew of kindergarteners in snow pants measuring snowfall with rulers taller than they are. At Lamoine Consolidated, they’re studying wind direction by watching the steam of their breath swirl above the playground. And at Community Regional Charter School in Cornish, the science lesson for the day has students building Al the Snowman to test the albedo effect, which measures how much sunlight reflects rather than absorbs, by wrapping their creations in dark or light coverings and keeping daily logs to see which snow figure melts faster.

WinterKids is a nonprofit that helps Maine kids and educators turn the outdoors into a classroom.

These aren’t snow days. This is school, as imagined through the lens of WinterKids, a Maine nonprofit that helps children and educators turn our longest season into a hands-on, boots-on, minds-on classroom.

If you grew up here in Maine, you might remember “Active Academics Workshops,” “WinterKids Challenge,” or “WinterKids Winter Games” from your own school experience—that first time snowshoeing across a frozen field or sipping cocoa after building a snow fort during science class. For many of today’s kids, those moments still happen, and thanks to a growing movement of teachers and caregivers, they’re happening more deeply, more often, and more intentionally.

“We faced below zero temperatures all week,” says Erin Tateishi, a teacher at Woodland Consolidated School, “but we still bundled up to dash outside to check temperatures, and measure precipitation [for the Winter Games].”

Over the last 25 years, WinterKids has grown from a pilot ski passport program into a statewide pioneer in outdoor winter learning. The programs are research-backed, free or affordable for schools, and built for real Maine weather, meaning the learning heats up when the temperatures drop and it moves outside.

And the people showing up? It’s not just the kids.

In March 2025 at Black Mountain of Maine, more than 140 middle and high school students from across the state joined a community winter adventure day. Some had never been on skis before. For others, it was their first time seeing snow up close. A WinterKids grant helped cover gear, transportation, and lessons. They’re able to do this in part by our flagship fundraising event, the annual Downhill 24, where teams ski, ride, and skin around the clock to support kids across the state.

It’s a tradition that’s growing in more ways than one.

“We’re now experiencing people who once participated in WinterKids as students, returning to the organization,” says Executive Director Courtney Holub. “Now they’re back, not just as caregivers, but as donors, volunteers, and event participants, passing down this legacy of joyful winter learning and movement.”

That full-circle story is echoed in schools and playgrounds across Maine. The Winter Games, now one of the largest education programs, turns January into a statewide celebration of active learning. Last year’s theme, Weather Explorers, had students tracking cloud patterns, charting temperatures, and experimenting with snow science. Teachers reported not just stronger STEM engagement, but also a boost in resilience and confidence as children discovered they could learn just as well—if not better—outside.

“We faced below zero degree temperatures all week, but we still bundled up to dash outside to check temperatures and measure precipitation.”

This is where the magic of WinterKids lies: in the way skiing, sledding, snowshoeing, and science experiments weave together to create lifelong habits. The education programs show kids that movement and learning are inseparable—that curiosity is as natural as play. And when students carry that mindset into middle and high school, they’re not only more likely to embrace winter recreation, they’re also better prepared to thrive in the classroom.

Closing ceremonies of the 2022 WinterKids Winter Games in Presque Isle.

In recent years, the Downhill 24 has seen a remarkable rise in youth participation on the slopes and at fundraisers, where team leaders advocate for outdoor access. From middle schoolers organizing bake sales to high school teams skiing through the night, young people who already have access to winter recreation are stepping up to help create those same experiences for others who aren’t as lucky to enjoy them.

“It’s amazing to see kids rally around the idea that winter fun shouldn’t be a privilege,” says Holub. “They understand that not every classmate has a pair of snow boots or a ride to the mountain, and they want to change that; they want to help in their own way.”

In doing so, they’re learning the joy of giving, and building a Maine winter culture that’s as generous as it is adventurous. As one teen skier, J.J. Sevigny, put it at last year’s event, “I love skiing. Everyone should get a chance to fall in love with it, too.”

One of those legacies is the newly refreshed WinterKids Passport, a digital pass that gives families access to free or discounted winter adventures at dozens of locations across Maine. It’s perfect for weekenders, school vacationers, and longtime locals alike.

“I used the original Passport when I was in school,” says Whitney Blethen, a mom of two. “Now my kids are getting to experience that same joy, skiing, exploring, making winter memories we’ll carry for years.”

WinterKids gets kids out and enjoying the coldest days of the year.

And in a state where vacationers often marvel at our willingness to head outside in February, for fun, no less, it’s worth noting that for many of us, winter isn’t just a season. It’s a way of life.

A snowy playground isn’t just a place to get out the wiggles. It’s a living lab, a storybook path, a launchpad for STEAM lessons, resilience, community, and joy. With a little guidance, and a lot of mittens, it becomes the kind of classroom that sticks with you long after the bell rings.

So, whether you’re a teacher helping students create snow volcanoes in Rangeley, a family logging miles on a snowy trail in Kennebunk, or a grandparent watching your grandchild’s first ski run at Mt. Abram, know this: here in Maine, winter is for everyone. And for the next generation of WinterKids, it’s just getting started.

Watch a video by Liam Nickerson at Again Creative about WinterKids‘ Winter Games and learn more about WinterKids
by visiting winterkids.org.