For those nestled near the Equator and far away from the Arctic tundra, there isn’t much hope of a White Christmas.  But if you live in the Southern region, don’t worry; There are plenty of winter activities that will make you feel all the holiday happiness without one single snowflake touching the ground. Making the best of the winter months while your weather is a little more hot than frigid, is a lot more fun than you might think. In New Orleans, Papa Noel helps bring presents on his boat pulled by alligators while in Australia, residents head out to buy a big blowup palm tree. Here are ten awesome winter activities that your kids will love sans the white stuff.

Snow Fun

Who says you have to have snow to do those fun snow activities? Roll up some old socks to have a snowball fight, use a cardboard box for sledding or make snow angels in the sand. Even though there isn’t any snow, your kiddos will have the most fun participating in these fun activities.

Ice, Ice Baby

To feel like winter is near, head to your local ice skating rink for some great fun. Your little ones can rent ice or hockey skates and feel the breeze off the ice as they zip around. They’ll love watching the Zamboni clean the ice and they’ll feel the fun of winter when they gather by the fireplace with their hot cocoa.

Winter Movie Night

Invite a few of your children’s friends over for a winter movie night. You can watch all the snowy classics like “Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer,” “Frosty,” and “Frozen.” Serve yummy, snowy treats for extra effect. Think ice pops, snow cones, hot chocolate.

Campfire Snacks

Nothing is more fun than sitting around the glow of the campfire. To up the winter ante, serve s’mores to tiny guests. Combine the graham cracker with chocolate and a roasted marshmallow for a yummy and unique treat that screams winter. Other fun snacks to serve include popcorn and warm apple cider.

Winter Canvas

Send your kiddos out in the world armed with some black and white film or a black and white filter to take some great winter pictures. A polaroid camera works extra well. Encourage them to shoot trees without leaves, muddy footprints, leaves on the ground or anything that sparks their imagination. When they bring back the polaroids or the shots, have them create a collage either on a posterboard or digitally.

Walk For Lights

No matter how warm your weather, there’s probably a good chance that your neighborhood will transform into a sea of Christmas Lights. Take advantage of the warm weather, and go on a walking tour of all the festive decorations. You’ll get to breathe some fresh cool air and admire the hard work of your neighbors. Just a glimpse of twinkling lights can inspire the happiest of holidays.

Experience Nature

There are so many outside activities that are so fun to do when there’s a chill in the air but it isn’t cold enough to snow. Try taking a winter hike or visiting a local park. For fun activities with a game-like feel, try going geocaching, a fun global recreational game where you use a GPS to find little containers (called caches) marked by specific coordinates all around the world. Another awesome game to try is disc golf, a game that’s played like golf but uses discs that you throw. The activity is free at many local parks.

Make It Snow

Have your kiddos make fake snow by mixing common household items! They’ll have fun making a snowman and you’ll love that they get a mini-experience of a real snow day. Finish it off by making homemade ice cream that you can actually eat!

Have A Scavenger Hunt

Write up a list of items from A to Z, then hit the outside streets to look for all the items. Your kiddos will love that they get to explore outside and you’ll love that they’re able to get some fresh air and exercise. Bonus points or a special reward to the winner who finds the most items.

Build A Fort

Have your littles build a fort inside with pillows and blankets. Let them make the place their own. To add a little winter theme, have them make paper snowflakes and hang them inside their snow fort from the ceiling. It will be a magic time in a magic place for them. You can even let them spend the night inside.

Even if you think a winter day isn’t truly a winter day without snow, you’ve got to admit that these fun activities bring all the joy of the winter season into full effect for your family. The real key to having a memorable winter season is to participate in activities that incorporate the whole family, like a board game night or a karaoke sing-off. Another way to have a winter holiday your kiddos will never forget is to give back to others, either by baking cookies and delivering them to neighbors or the local fire department or donating old toys to charity. It’s the special moments that make the season magic, no snow required.