Liz Baird of the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences shares this about playing outside when the weather's not so great.

The phrase "no bad weather, only bad clothes" is a good one to remember this time of year. The past few weeks in Raleigh have varied from below freezing temperatures that require long underwear to an incredibly warm day that made me glad the shorts were not all in storage!

This is a great time of year to go outside. Revisiting a favorite trail from the summer will give you new perspectives. The American Tobacco Trail is one of my favorite places to bike and hike. During the summer, the leaves form a shady and cool tunnel of green. It is still and quiet and feels a bit like a secret place. Winter rides reveal the forest, and signs of animals such as beaver ponds, insect galls, and woodpecker holes.

The winter rains leave lots of mud, perfect for finding animal tracks. It is fun to try and figure out both what the animal is, and what it was doing, by looking at the tracks. You can preserve the tracks using Plaster of Paris. My favorite method is to put the dry plaster in a big zip top bag, and add water slowly, mixing it in until it is the consistency of pancake batter. I then snip off the corner of the bag and carefully squeeze the plaster into the track. After about 30 minutes, the plaster will harden and you can lift the track out of the mud. There are lots of field guides and online resources that will help you identify the animal that left the track.

Winter rains also fill temporary or vernal pools - favorite salamander breeding spots. These pools are dry during the summer, so they don't have fish in them that might eat salamander eggs and larva. On warm rainy nights in the winter and early spring, Spotted Salamanders make their way to local pools to breed and lay eggs. You can watch the eggs over time - they will hatch in 30 to 55 days. It is exciting to discover the large globular masses attached to twigs in the water, but it is even more exciting to venture out in the rain and watch the salamanders make their way to the pond. Rain gear, boots and layers will help keep you warm!

Our unpredictable winter weather should not keep you indoors. "No bad weather, only bad clothes" is a good reminder to get out and explore year-round.

Every Thursday, a rotating group of writers offer new ways to play with your kids.

Check out our other daily themes at TriangleMom2Mom:

MONDAY: Meet!
TUESDAY: Ask!
WEDNESDAY: Eat!
THURSDAY: Play!
FRIDAY: Out!
WEEKEND: Relax!