As another incredible season comes to a close, we’re reflecting with gratitude on the thousands of children, educators, families, volunteers, and partners who made this our most impactful season yet.
Together, we helped more children discover the joy of winter, build healthy habits, and create lasting memories outdoors.
By the Numbers
During the 2025–2026 season, WinterKids reached:
- 24,000+ children through our educational and family programs.
- 51,000+ participants, including educators, families, volunteers, and community members.
- Children and educators in all 16 Maine counties, helping make outdoor learning and winter recreation more accessible than ever.
Behind every number is a child who spent more time outside, a teacher who brought movement into the classroom, or a family who discovered a new winter tradition together.
Learning Beyond the Classroom
Our Winter Games once again inspired thousands of students to embrace physical activity, nutrition, outdoor exploration, and family engagement throughout the winter months.
Teachers shared stories of students who were more engaged in class, families who spent more time outside together, and classrooms that discovered new ways to make learning active and fun. These experiences reinforce what research continues to show: time spent outdoors supports children’s physical health, emotional wellbeing, and readiness to learn.
As we look ahead, we’re excited to continue strengthening our educational programs by incorporating the latest research, listening to educator feedback, and expanding opportunities for schools across Maine.
Opening Doors to Outdoor Recreation
The WinterKids Passport continued to help families explore Maine’s incredible outdoor recreation opportunities by reducing barriers to participation and encouraging children to try something new.
This season:
- More than 6,100 individuals participated in the Passport program.
- Over 2,900 Passport offers were redeemed across Maine.
- Families explored skiing, snowboarding, skating, snowshoeing, and many other winter adventures together.
Perhaps most encouraging, we’re seeing that many families continue their outdoor recreation journey long after using the Passport. Nearly one-third of our highest-frequency Passport users have gone on to purchase season passes, demonstrating the program’s ability to build lifelong connections to outdoor activity.
Powered by Partnership
None of this work happens alone.
We are deeply grateful to the schools, educators, community organizations, volunteers, outdoor recreation partners, healthcare leaders, foundations, corporate sponsors, and individual donors who believe every child deserves the opportunity to experience the joy and benefits of winter.
This season also brought our community together through events like the Leadership Summit, Family Days, Welcome to Winter, and Downhill 24—each creating opportunities to celebrate collaboration while advancing our shared mission.
Looking Ahead
As WinterKids begins implementing our 2030 Strategic Plan, we’re building on this momentum with an ambitious vision for the future.
Over the coming years, we’ll continue expanding access to outdoor learning and recreation, strengthening partnerships across Maine, investing in research and evaluation, and ensuring more children have opportunities to move, learn, and explore outdoors.
The challenges facing today’s children, from declining physical activity to increasing rates of anxiety and disconnection from nature, require thoughtful, collaborative solutions. We believe the outdoors is part of that solution, and we’re excited to continue working alongside our partners to create healthier futures for Maine’s children.
Thank You
To every student who bundled up for recess, every teacher who took learning outside, every parent who said “yes” to one more winter adventure, every volunteer who gave their time, every partner who opened their doors, and every donor who made this work possible, thank you.
Together, we’re helping children build confidence, resilience, healthy habits, and a lifelong love of the outdoors.
We can’t wait to see what we’ll accomplish together next winter.
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