Indoor snow activities

7 Fun Ways To Play With Snow Indoors | Play

Some days it is simply too cold to go outside to enjoy the snow. You know, those days when you have extreme cold warnings or your kids have indoor recesses. So bring the snow inside! Try one of these fun activities for kids to play with snow indoors.

1. Snow Melting Experiment

For this activity you will need a large mason jar or clear container, dry erase marker and fresh snow. Fill the jar with snow and mark its height on the side of the jar using a dry erase marker. Leave the jar to melt. When the snow's all melted, measure the height of the melted snow on the side of the jar to compare the two heights.

To extend this activity further, have your child keep a journal throughout the experiment. Encourage them to look at the jar every 10-15 minutes and mark down the time and their observations until all the snow has melted.

2. Snow Painting

Fill a large container or sensory bin with fresh snow. Then supply watercolors and paint brushes and let the kids paint the snow! It's a fun and colorful way to work on fine motor skills and explore art.

As an alternative, fill spray bottles with liquid watercolors and water, and have the kids paint the snow that way!

Another way to extend this art activity is to supply cookie cutters. Let the kids use the cookie cutters to spray paint the snow or trace the snow with paint brushes.

You'll Also Love: French Vanilla Snow Cones (With Real Snow!)

3. Snowman Sensory Bag

If you have younger children, then they might enjoy making a snowman sensory bag. For this sensory bag, you will need:

• a small zipper-seal bag
• permanent markers
• snow

Draw a snowman face on the outside of the zipper-seal bag then fill it with snow. Let the kids squish, smash and examine the snowman's face. When they're done, let the snowman melt for a bit of extra science exploration and observation!

4.

You can always use snow as a sensory bin filler. Simply add a few more materials to the bin to make it more inviting. You can try adding:

• scoops
• measuring cups
• arctic animal figurines
• foam snowflakes
• Mr. Potato Head pieces
• essential oils or food extracts to scent the snow
• liquid watercolors to dye the snow
• cookie cutters

5. Mini Snowmen

Bring in a small tray of snow and let the kids build tiny snowmen. You can add twigs for arms too! That is, if you can find any twigs under the mountains of snow in your yard.

To extend this activity further, stand a ruler up next to the snowman (just stick the base of the ruler in some snow) and watch the height of the snowman go down as it melts.

You'll Also Love: Freeze Balloons To Make Cool Rainbow Orbs And Sculptures

6. Snow Writing Tray

The kids can practice mark making, sight words, or writing their name (depending on your child's age) with this simple fine motor idea. Simply fill a shallow tray with some snow and supply the kids with a chopstick to draw with — so easy!

You can also add cookie cutters for your kids to trace around using the chopstick.

7. Simple Snow Science Experiment

Invite your kids to see what makes snow melt the fastest! Set out equal amounts of snow into bowls, then set out materials such as:

• a cup of warm water
• a cup of salt
• a cup of cold water
• or anything else your kids might want to try!

Let your kids time how long it takes for snow to melt on its own, and compare to melting it with warm water, or salt, or a combination of the two! Be sure to keep a written journal of your child's observations while they try this experiment.

5 Fun Indoor Snow Activities for Kids!

When there’s lots of snow, but it’s too chilly to go outside, our kiddos can still embrace the fluffy white goodness from nature by bringing snow indoors for an afternoon of imaginative play! Best of all, all these activities are edible in case anyone takes a little nibble!

Make snow magical with a few shakes of majestic unicorn sprinkles! The snow turn pretty colors, and the sprinkles add to the sensory experience for kids. Use plastic scoops, cups, or cookie cutters to add to the fun.

• Large bowl
• Fresh scoop of snow
• Unicorn sprinkles (also available in Shark sprinkles at Walmart)

Directions: Scoop up fresh snow in a large bowl and a generous amount of sprinkles!

Little Picassos will enjoy adding bright colors to snow and can work on their hand-eye coordination skills, too!

• Spray bottle
• Paint brush
• Large bowl
• Fresh snow
• Packets of Kool-Aid

Directions: Fill a plastic squirt bottle with water and add in a packet of Kool-Aid. Shake well. Adjust the nozzle to have a straight stream and paint. Or, place different colored mixes in cups and use a paintbrush to paint on the snow.

Build a snowball tower, work on counting, or even mixing colors – the possibilities are endless! With only a few supplies, this activity will provide hours of chilly entertainment for kiddos of all ages.

• Fresh bowl of snow
• Packet of Pop Rocks, or
• Food Coloring, or
•  Kool-Aid packets
• Ice cream scoop
• Shallow bin or edged cookie sheet

Directions: Mix in pop rocks, food coloring, or Kool-Aid to color the snow. Scoop the snow into balls and stack them on a cookie sheet or shallow dish. Be creative, make patterns or see who can build the tallest tower! 

Let’s face it; it’s never too cold for a delicious treat, and kids will enjoy making their own at home! This a fun activity and a fun way to celebrate our abundance of snow!

• Bowl of fresh snow
• Large mixing bowl
• Serving bowl
• 1 small can of Sweetened Condensed Milk
• 2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
• Sprinkles or candies
• Spoon

Directions: Gather some fresh fluffy snow in a bowl and mix in sweetened condensed milk and vanilla, stir well. Scoop into a serving bowl and add sprinkles or candy as desired. Enjoy!

From a jungle to an ocean or farm, with a little color and imagination, kids can transform snow into a wonderful world of play!

• Clear shallow bin
• Food coloring or Kool-Aid packets
• Plastic animals or toys
• Spoon or scoop

Directions: Gather fresh snow and make sections of different colors. Choose a theme and build it by packing snow or using a spoon or scoop. Add in animals, toy cars, boats, and more to transform snow into a little world!

No matter how you scoop it, snow is a fun and free activity to enjoy in Wisconsin. It can provide hours of creativity and help kids ditch the screens for a bit. What is your kiddos favorite way to play with snow?

related articles

FIND MORE THINGS TO DO

thanks to our sponsors

Winter fun: 17 active games and other outdoor activities

January 2 Likbez Life

When skates and skis are already tired.

1. Modeling a snowman and other figures

If loose and sticky snow has fallen, then it's time to make a snowman! You can not limit yourself to a standard snowman with a bucket on your head, but show your imagination and make something unusual. Watercolors or gouache, old clothes and any other props that come to mind will help you with this. nine0003

Show your imagination ☃️

• 20 snow figures that are easy to make by yourself and with children

Also, making a snowman can be turned into a fun game: who will roll up the biggest ball in a limited time. To do this, you need to divide into teams (it is better that there are no more than two participants in each), note the time (5 or 10 minutes) and give a signal to start the competition. After the time runs out, the participants determine the largest ball, and those who blinded it become the winners. The resulting snow globe can be made the basis for a common large snowman. nine0003 Photo: FamVeld / Shutterstock

2. Building a slide

You can build an ice slide on your own property or even in the city yard. It is not difficult to make it: heat the snow, tamp it down, fill it with water and wait until it freezes. See our separate article for more detailed instructions.

Children will be happy, especially if they are involved in the process.

3. "King of the Hill"

For this game you need to find a high snowdrift of dense snow or throw a snowy "mountain" yourself. Its height depends on the age of the players. nine0003

One of the players rises to the top and becomes its "king". He must prevent the rest from taking the "throne", because the goal of each other participant is to become the king of the hill himself. Since during the game the participants will often fall, it is necessary to take care of safety: make sure that there is a layer of soft snow under the “mountain”, and there are no fences, trees, corners of buildings and cars nearby that you can hit or get hurt.

4. "Icicles"

For this game, a circle with a diameter of about 5 meters is drawn on the snow with a small depression in the center. 10-12 pieces of ice are placed in it. It does not have to be just pieces of ice: you can use small pieces of wood, cardboard, and so on. nine0003

Players choose a driver who stands in the center of the circle. The rest of the participants are distributed outside of it. Their task is to pull (or knock out) all the ice pieces outside the playing area. Players can enter the circle, and the driver can only be inside it. If the driver touches one of the participants, the "singed" takes his place. The game ends when all the pieces of ice have left the playing area.

5. Playing snowballs and building snow forts

Both adults and children like to play snowballs, as this is a great opportunity to spend time actively with friends or family. The construction of snow fortresses will help to diversify the process. In this case, the snowballs will turn into a full-fledged snow battle. You can introduce a rule: the one who is hit by a snowball is out of the game.

6. “Who is on the mountain?”

For this fun, a big snowball is molded, which will play the role of a mountain. Participants stand around him, holding hands. On command, each of them must pull the neighbors to the "mountain" and try not to fall on it himself. Those who still touched the “mountain” are eliminated. nine0003

7. Dodgeball

To play this game, participants stand in two lines opposite each other. There should be 3-4 steps between players, and 12-15 steps between lines. A leader is also selected who will give commands. He must either know the participants by name, or distribute them by numbers (the same for both teams). The host calls the names or numbers of the participants, and after they have responded, commands: “Pli!” After that, the named players must make snowballs and throw them at each other. nine0003

It is allowed to dodge and crouch, but not to move. The one who is hit by a snowball is out. The participant who “knocked out” his opponent can throw a snowball at any of the opposing team. The team with no players left loses.

The facilitator must give instructions quickly so that the game does not stall and is fun.

8. Vorottsa

Ordinary slides can be made even more fun. Below, under the hill, build a gate of snow, sticks without sharp ends or spruce branches. They do not have to be in the center of the descent, because the task is just to slide down and get into the gate. You can ride on anything: on a snow scooter, ordinary sleds, tubing or just on an ice rink. nine0003

9. “Battlefield”

For this game, you also need to split into teams: “shooters” and “targets”. "Targets" are divided into two lines and stand 15 steps opposite each other. The “arrows” do the same, standing in two lines perpendicular to the “shooters”. The resulting square is the battlefield.

On a signal, one of the "targets" group runs to his teammates from the opposite side. His task is to dodge snowballs, and the goal of the “shooters” is to hit the runner on the spot in order to knock him out of the game. As soon as one of the "targets" ran to another line or dropped out of the game, the next one starts moving from the opposite side. After several rounds, the teams change places. nine0003

10. "Snowball tag"

For this fun, you need to designate a large square, which will become a playground. All players are on it, except for two drivers. It is impossible to run outside the square, otherwise the offender will join the drivers. They must hit the rest of the players with snowballs: in this way, the drivers knock other participants out of the game. You can add a rule that the dropouts also throw snowballs. Those two, in which they could not get into, become the new drivers.

11. Winter football

If you miss summer and its entertainment, arrange winter football! Mark the goal in the snow, split into two teams and simplify the rules a bit, because playing in the snow is not only more fun, but also more difficult. For example, you can cancel goalkeepers and not penalize random handball.

12. Sled racing

You can arrange real races on sleds if you divide into crews: one person is carrying, the other is driving. You can come up with a difficult route or just compete on a straight line. It is best if parents or older children are carrying. nine0003

In another version of the race, you can remove the drivers so that the “riders” ride on their own with the help of their legs. To do this, it is better to find a flat area and mark the start and finish lines on it. For more fun and excitement, participants can sit on the sled in pairs.

Another variation of sled racing can be the relay race. In this case, it is also desirable to choose a flat area with marked start and turn lines. To do this, you need to break into teams with an even number of participants in order to make several pairs of them. The first crews get on the line, start at the signal, reach the opposite side of the site, turn around and come back. Then the next pair goes. The team, all the “crews” of which complete the relay faster, wins. nine0003

To add to the fun, you can come up with additional conditions. For example, leave one sled for each team so that the “crews” change each time. Or arrange a relay race in which each participant must pass his stage himself, sitting on a sled and pushing off with his feet.

13. "Who is stronger"

You can also arrange an analogue of tug of war on the sled. To do this, two participants sit on the same sled with their backs to each other and with the help of their legs try to leave each in their own direction. Also, one participant may try to leave, and the second must slow him down. nine0003

There is a third version of this fun: participants on two sleds are placed opposite each other. Each holds a rope from the opponent's sled. On a signal, they should try to pull each other to their side.

Unfortunately, not all regions of our country have enough snow in winter for the activities described above. Therefore, we offer several options for a situation where there is little or no snow at all.

14. "Two Santa Clauses"

For this game, with the help of a rhyme, you need to choose two drivers - Santa Clauses. After that, mark two lines at a distance of 15-20 steps. On one of them stand the rest of the participants. nine0003

To add a New Year's mood (especially if children are playing), Frost can say: “I am Red Nose Frost!”, “And I am Blue Nose Frost!” Then they give a start to the beginning of the game: “Well, which of you will decide to go on a path?” The players answer: “We are not afraid of threats, and we are not afraid of frost!”. And the Frosts command: "One, two, three - run!"

After that, the players run to the opposite line, and the Frosts must touch the participants so that they stop on the spot - “freeze”. When all the players, except for the “frozen”, reach the goal, the drivers give the command for the next start. During each subsequent race, participants can “unfreeze” less fortunate teammates with a touch. nine0003

Another version of this game involves dividing the participants into two teams and standing facing each other so that there are 15–20 steps between groups. Frost is chosen from each team. On a signal, one player runs out from both sides. Their task is to run to the opposite team. Frosts, on the other hand, try to hit the members of the other team with snowballs in order to “freeze” them. "Frozen" should freeze in place. As soon as the player reaches the opposite side or is “frozen”, the next one starts moving. nine0003

15. “North wind, south wind”

For this game, participants choose two drivers. One becomes the North wind and the other becomes the South. The rest of the players run around the court. The north wind catches the contestants and "freezes" them to make the contestants stop. And the South wind “thaws”, touching them with his hand and saying loudly: “Free”. Moreover, the South wind can also be “frozen”.

It is best if the game takes place on a limited area, and the South Wind could not be frozen permanently - for example, only for the time in which he counts out loud to 30.

16. Twelve Sticks

To play Twelve Sticks, you need a wooden board set on a stone or block so that one part of it is up and the other is on the ground or snow. It turns out a kind of "swing". On the half of the board that lies on the ground, put 12 small sticks. The first driver is also selected.

The game begins when one of the players, having stepped sharply on the top edge of the board, scatters the sticks. After that, the driver must collect them, and the rest are hiding at this time. The task of the driver is to find them. Having learned where one of the participants is hiding, the driver must loudly shout his name, and also indicate the place where he took refuge. If the driver named everything correctly, the one found should go out. nine0003

While the driver is searching, one of the participants can imperceptibly run up to the board and, shouting “Twelve sticks are flying!”, scatter the sticks again. While the driver collects them, all the detected players can again hide, and they will have to be searched again. 17. Winter has come . The driver says: “Today it’s warm, the sun is shining, go for a walk!” - and the players run out of cover to the site. When the driver says “Winter has come! Hurry home! ”, the other participants in the game again run for cover. And the driver tries to catch them before they have time to hide. nine0003

Dress warmly, go outside more often and enjoy life!

Read also ☃️🛷🎄

• 50 activities that will not let you get bored on New Year's holidays
• What to do in order not to gain weight over the holidays
• How to celebrate the New Year: 25 ideas for every mood
• How to fill the ice rink right in your backyard

Three ideas for a winter outdoor event

WINTER OUTSIDE EVENT

Most often, teams plan field trips from May to October, when the weather is warm. But there are also those whose industry holidays or the company's birthday fall in the winter. Celebrate indoors or go outdoors? Is the unpredictability of weather conditions compensated by a fabulous winter picture? Make up your mind, here are 3 ideas for an outdoor event:

1.

Go to the field or forest, grab shovels, build fortresses and shelters, make snowballs and have a real snow fight. If there are a lot of men in the company, arm them with snowball guns. In the battle for your fortress, there will be more passion and will to win than snow around. Be sure to take pictures. nine0003

If you don't have enough passion for full-fledged construction, play King of the Hill, there will surely be enough emotions for everyone.

When the staff is predominantly female, then creative activities are suitable - modeling a snowman and a snow woman, decoration, a contest of characters.

After competitions and battles, you can ride a snowmobile, a quad bike, or, in the Russian tradition, in a sleigh.

Mikhail Klimanov, Event-expert in the field of team building, managing partner of the Agency for Courageous Decisions "We", Moscow : “Winter is a great time for all kinds of outdoor activities. The participants of our winter events trampled pictures in the snow, underwent intelligence training under the guidance of special forces officers, and participated in local lore rogaine with elements of hard reality. The main thing to remember is that winter is a time of increased danger, and to foresee all possible “thin places”, to organize the duty of doctors, etc., so that the snow battle does not end with a concussion, and ice fishing does not end with frostbite. And of course, you need to calculate the strength of the participants. I still remember a ski trip organized by the top management of a company about 10 years ago for their employees, assuring them that “physical culture is at the highest level in the company”. As a result, it turned out that only 6 leaders can ski, and the remaining 50 people on the 15th kilometer of the route, having completely lost sight of them and not feeling their arms or legs, stopped and began to confer on how to determine the coordinates in order to call the Ministry of Emergency Situations to this point in the forest. ” nine0118