With the abundance of snow we get, building a snowman is a winter rite of passage for most kids in the Pikes Peak region.

However, something as simple and fun as building a snowman isn’t possible if you’re sick and stuck indoors.

That’s where Generation Wild comes in.

The organization has partnered with Children’s Hospital Colorado for the 2021 Winter Campaign, #SayHiWithASnowman, which launched this month. Children who are patients in the hospital are encouraged to submit drawings of their dream snowmen, then families volunteer to bring those drawings to life. A post on social media that includes the hashtag #SayHiWithASnowman lets everyone see the wonderful creations.

“It has been a joy seeing the “Say Hi With A Snowman” campaign brighten the days of patients staying at our hospital,” said Shawna Grissom, director of Family and Patient Services at Children’s Hospital Colorado, Colorado Springs.

Generation Wild was created with the sole purpose of getting children outside longer. Great Outdoors Colorado launched the statewide effort in 2017.

“There’s nothing like bundling up and bounding outside to play in the fresh snow,” Chris Castilian, executive director of GOCO, said in a news release.

“This winter, Generation Wild hopes to inspire more kids and families to enjoy the outdoors, lift spirits and spread a little kindness through building a snowman together for Grandma, a neighbor or even a child who is hospitalized. We believe that simple act can go a long way toward reducing the stressful feelings children are experiencing during this difficult time.”

Carla Oliver, director of Child Life at Children’s Colorado said, “The ‘Say Hi With A Snowman’ campaign is a fun way for kids to use their imagination and creative play in the hospital and have those drawings realized in real-life snowmen builds. It’s also a great way to honor kids who are not able to partake in normal snow-day activities.”

Castilian said these days everyone has some barriers to spending time outdoors. Parents are working more and the safety and security of playing outdoors all day has changed over the years.

“It is a particularly high barrier to underserved communities,” he said. “That’s why Generation Wild studies a variety of neighborhoods to understand the specific barriers to going outdoors, then uses what they learn to serve similar communities.”

Generation Wild of the Pikes Peak Region is one of 15 communities statewide. The group partners with local agencies. Here in the Pikes Peak region the lead organization is the Catamount Institute, 740 W. Caramillo St.

“The benefits of the outdoors is great for any age,” said Christopher Aaby, executive director of the Catamount Institute. “The effects of nature on our brains, by spending time outdoors reduces the brooding thoughts,” moving us toward the happiness scale.

Aaby said he’s seen many snowmen created already for the campaign with more coming in every day.

The initiative will continue as long as there is snow on the ground. And while the snow from the most recent storm has already melted away, you can be sure more is coming!

To sign up to build a snowman, go to tinyurl.com/w5vd6r4z to fill out a volunteer form. Volunteers are tasked not only with fashioning a snow creature from a child’s imagination, but also recording it with photos and video.

So, find a scarf, some twig arms and rocks for eyes, or whatever props the child who’s drawing comes to you has dreamed up, and get to snowman making. After making your snow creation, use the hashtag #SayHiWithASnowman and post on Facebook or Instagram.

Look to Generation Wild’s Facebook or Instagram pages for updates, and to be inspired.

Here the patient’s snowman drawing is interpreted in fresh snow, along with another snow creature, by two local children.

Courtesy of Children’s Hospital Colorado

Photos courtesy of Children’s Hospital Colorado

A patient at Children’s Hospital Colorado, Colorado Springs, drew this snowman.

Courtesy of Children’s Hospital ColoradoSnowman 6 (2).jpgCourtesy of Children’s Hospital Colorado

A patient at Children’s Hospital Colorado, Colorado Springs, whose favorite color is blue, drew this snowman for the #SayHiWithASnowman campaign.

Courtesy of Children’s Hospital Colorado

If you want a blue snowman, you got it!

Courtesy of Children’s Hospital Colorado

The young volunteer builder of “The Snowy Chipmunk Man” poses with the snow creation.

Courtesy of Children’s Hospital Colorado

A young patient at Children’s Hospital Colorado drew this outline for “The Snowy Chipmunk Man.” A youngster in the Pikes Peak region made the drawing come to life after the area’s recent snowstorm.

Courtesy of Children’s Hospital Colorado

Photos courtesy of Children’s Hospital Colorado

This Colorado kid brought a snowman to life for a young patient at Children’s Hospital Colorado.

Courtesy of Children’s Hospital Colorado

A young patient at the Aurora campus of Children’s Hospital Colorado requested this drawing come to life as a snowman.

Snowman 8.png

Courtesy of Children’s Hospital Colorado

A sweet snow creature with sass was made to order by a Children’s Hospital Colorado patient.

Courtesy of Children’s Hospital Colorado

A snow girl drawing by a Children’s Hospital Colorado patient.

Courtesy of Children’s Hospital ColoradoSnowman 9.jpgCourtesy of Children’s Hospital Colorado

A snowman drawn by Children’s Hospital Colorado patient.

Courtesy of Children’s Hospital Colorado

Did someone order up a bat-snowman? Actually, this one is “Snow-Cula,” so named by a Children’s Hospital Colorado patient and created by a volunteer as part of the #SayHiWithASnowman” campaign.

Courtesy of Children’s Hospital Colorado

A young Children’s Hospital Colorado patient drew “Snow-Cula” as his or her dream snowman.

Courtesy of Children’s Hospital Colorado

Two young snowman building volunteers pose with their creation.

Courtesy of Children’s Hospital Colorado

A patient who’s a cheerleading fan drew this one.

Courtesy of Children’s Hospital Colorado