Winter activities for children
31+ Winter Activities for Kids
Looking for winter activities for kids? Here’s our printable list with winter crafts, outdoor snow ideas, winter art projects & book list!
Updated December 2022
It’s winter here in the northern hemisphere which means it’s time for sledding, ice skating, building snowmen, hot chocolate, and, perhaps, more indoor activities than usual.
Here’s more than 31 ideas for winter activities for kids to keep busy all month long. This list includes both outdoor ideas and indoor ideas. It’s a mix of snow play, art activities, crafts, construction, and, of course, a winter book list for kids. These are great ways to keep occupied during the winter months!
For a printable version of the list, scroll down to the bottom of this post to get a handy PDF version!
Photo by Gina Vide5 Outdoor Snow Play Ideas
First up is outdoor play! These are probably going to be any kids’ favorite winter activities because they truly capture the special nature of this season. It’s a winter wonderland out there, so go enjoy it!
1) Make Swedish snowball lanterns
2) Send the kids on a winter scavenger hunt with colored ice sculptures
3) Build a snowman!
4) Host a backyard winter Olympics (on Rain or Shine Mama)
5) Go on a winter nature walk (on How Wee Learn)
Photo by Jean Van’t Hul5 Winter Art Activities
Now for some indoor activities. But just because you are warm inside doesn’t mean you can’t draw inspiration from the season. Here’s a bunch of fun art projects that your kids will enjoy:
6) Make glue resist snowman paintings
7) Paint winter scenes with this easy snow painting technique
8) Microwave puffy paint snowflakes and snowmen
9) Try a Jan Brett inspired winter art activity
10) Make a stained-glass bunting (with words & wishes for the new year)
Photo by Jean Van’t Hul7 Art Activities with Snow and Ice
Or combine the art & play outdoors.
Take art projects outside for some truly unique activities that you couldn’t make any other time of year!
11) Build colored ice sculptures
12) Paint snow with spray bottles (on The Resourceful Mama)
13) Make painted ice lanterns (on Willowday)
14) Experiment with ice, salt, and food coloring
15) Make glowing snow paint (on Growing a Jeweled Rose)
16) Try this snowy day tissue paper art (on Fireflies and Mudpies)
17) Create a nature ice wreath
Photo by Rachel Withers5 Winter Crafts for Kids
And here are 5 fun and unique winter art projects that are suitable for all skill levels.
18) Use bleeding tissue paper to make snowflake prints
19) Use contact paper and yarn to make sticky snowflakes
20) Paint with ice (on Easy Peasy and Fun)
21) Cut and paint coffee filter snowflakes
22) Sew paper plate snowflake yarn art (on I Heart Crafty Things)
Photo by Rachel Withers5 Indoor Winter Play Ideas
And for times when everyone prefers to stay warm here are some ideas for winter play indoors.
23) Try small world pretend play with fake snow (or real snow)
24) Build snowmen out of playdough and decorate with beads or buttons
25) Build and play with a lighted cardboard dollhouse
26) Try one of these winter-themed sensory play ideas!
27) Have a game night
Photo by Jean Van’t Hul5 Construction Ideas
Kids love to build things, and winter provides its own fair share of building materials right on the ground! You can build indoors or outdoors, and we’ve provided both options below:
28) Build with toothpicks and grapes, cranberries, marshmallows, or gumdrops
29) Make an igloo out of sugar cubes (on Dixie Crystals)
30) Build an indoor fort or igloo
31) Use these brick molds to build the perfect snow fort
32) Build the perfect snowman (from the Spruce)
Read Winter Books for Kids
33) Head to the library and check out some books about winter.
Need some suggestions? Ask your children’s librarian or try some of these:
- The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
- Over and Under the Snow by Kate Messner and Christopher Silas Neal
- The Mitten by Jan Brett
- Owl Moon by Jane Yolen
- The Tomten by Astrid Lindgren
- Red Sled by Lita Judge
- Walking in a Winter Wonderland by Richard B. Smith, Felix Bernard, and Tim Hopgood
Would you like a printable version of 31 Winter Activities for Kids to hang on your fridge?
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We hope our winter activities provide your family with inspiration and ideas for embracing creativity with your family through the winter months.
How about you? What are your favorite winter activities for kids?
More Winter Activities for Kids
- 12 Winter Sensory Activities and Creative Play Ideas for Kids
- How to Make Swedish Snowball Lanterns
- 13 Winter Crafts for Kids
- How to Do a Winter Scavenger Hunt for Kids
- How to Paint Snow with This Winter Painting Idea
- DIY Snowflake Decorations: How to Make a Wintry Window
Pin It for Later
40 Fun Winter Activities for Kids
Days With Grey / Play & Learn / 40 Fun Winter Activities for Kids
Author: Beth
Inside: 40+ fun winter activities for kids – These wintery ideas are broken down into four categories: outdoor snow play, winter art activities, Indoor winter play ideas, and a winter book list.
Need fun winter activities for your kids?
Me too! From outdoor snow play to indoor art ideas, here are 40 winter activities for kids.
As a parent to three small children, I often wonder how my parents put boots on wiggly feet and mittens on small hands. It can be a test of patience as my independent children take on these tasks.
So in between suiting up for snow play and heading inside for hot chocolate, we are all left wondering how I can entertain my kids in the winter when the days can feel so long!
How do I entertain my kids in the winter?
Here in the southeast, snow is highly unlikely. As a native northerner, I can say that although I enjoy the warmer weather, I also miss a snowy Christmas equally as much. Since I can’t have it all, I hope for one solid snow day each season.
– Is that asking for too much? Maybe.
In the meantime, we have a solid list of winter activities to test out and share with you!
Outdoor Snow Play
Hats on, scarf found.
Let’s head outside for some snow play ideas that will entertain children longer than it took to get the left foot inside the boot.
- Winter Activities for Kids in the Woods – The Workspace for Children
- Snow Frozen Yogurt Melts – Here Wee Learn
- Snow Spray Painting – Mama Papa Buba
- Colored Ice Sculptures – Happy Hooligans
- Easy Outdoor Ice Rink – Mama Papa Buba
- Snow Volcano – Messy Little Monster
- Snow and Ice Experiment – Here Wee Learn
- How to Make Snow Paint – Messy Little Monster
Winter Art Activities
I love a winter craft. Here are some favorite ideas to try with toddlers, preschoolers, and big kids from process art to product!
- Tissue Paper Mittens – Days with Grey
- Snowflake Garland – Art Bar Blog
- Tape Resist Art – Toddler Approved
- Watercolor Snowmen – Days with Grey
- Sparkle Snowflakes – Toddler Approved
- Cut and Glue the Snowman – Days with Grey
- GIANT art banners – Friends Art Lab
- Winter Solstice Lanterns – Here Wee Learn
Indoor Winter Play Ideas
For starters, I have already created an enjoyable list of indoor activities here.
But let’s take this one step further and pull out the great ideas that align with a winter theme.
- Ice Skating Bears – Days with Grey
- Winter Bear Rescue – Days with Grey
- Snow Pups Winter Sensory Play – Busy Toddler
- Squishy Snowman Bag – Mama Papa Buba
- Decorate the Mittens – Days with Grey
- Giant Snowman Buddy – Toddler Approved
- Design a Snowman House – Days with Grey
- Snow Paint – Busy Toddler
- Snow Trucks – Toddler Approved
- Feed the Snowman – Busy Toddler
- Snowman Name Hunt – Toddler Approved
A few more indoor ideas that don’t carry the winter theme, but are a great break from the snow!
- Indoor Mini Golf
- The Claw
- Magnetic Tiles Bowling
- Cloud Dough Construction Play
- Transportation Toy Sort
Winter Book List
Snow play is a blast, but we will also carve out some time for some fantastic books. Again, we are in the southeast.
If my children don’t experience the snow, we will read about it!
Days with Grey is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Read more about these links in my disclosure policy.
- Snowmen at Night
- Loud Winter’s Nap
- The Snowy Day
- Goodbye Autumn, Hello Winter
- The Mitten
- Little Owl’s Snow
- Sneezy the Snowman
- How to Catch a Yeti
Which winter idea or book will you try first?
10 winter activities for kids with and without snow
What would you like to do outside in winter if there is no snow? No weather will prevent children from having fun and having fun! The main thing is to know what to do. Ksenia Buksha suggests recalling a dozen familiar and unusual winter activities.
1. Decorate trees and bushes in the yard
At plus three degrees bushes in yards, squares and parks look dull: no leaves, no flowers, not even snow.
This can be helped. The Christmas trees are over, but the desire for beauty is eternal. We take colored paper, strings, small Christmas decorations - we decorate a familiar bush, take pictures against its background and post pictures on Instagram! If they decorated it not only with paper, after some time it would be good to remove it all and collect it so that there is no garbage left.
2. Feeding the birds
Birds have a hard time even in a snowless winter. You can feed pigeons with millet, ducks with oatmeal or pearl barley. Just not bread: it is harmful to birds. And if you want, try to make the right feeder (there are a lot of ideas, including those not made of wood).
3. Launch LED helicopters
It's still getting dark early, but it's getting late. On a walk in a snowless winter, you can play with the darkness. Buy LED helicopters with slingshots for kids and launch colorful lights into the overcast sky of the era of global warming. It’s definitely impossible to freeze even in a very fierce wind: a gambling, joyful and festive activity, no worse than playing snowballs.
4. Break the ice in the puddles and make an ice mosaic
Suppose it got a little colder, there is no snow, but ice appeared on the puddles. It is very fun to break it by jumping from all over. Children love to test the strength of the ice in shallow and deep puddles. It is at a temperature of about zero that you can get "puddle" ice floes and lay out an ice mosaic from them. Well, yes, of course, the ice in the city is dirty, but this usually does not bother children, and then you can wash your hands.
5. Watch the weather and daylight hours
The most interesting thing is to start doing it in winter. After all, whatever one may say, it’s coming to spring. And even if the weather does not indulge us, then the daylight hours increase a little all the time and give reasons for joy. It may be difficult to track the movements of the sun itself in the city, but we can tell for sure when the lanterns are turned on and off. And write down the results of observations.
You can also note other indicators - air temperature, precipitation and wind. Many younger students and even older preschoolers love this.
6. Leave footprints in the snow
Oh, and here comes the snow! True, there is very little of it: a thin layer covered the asphalt and the ground in the squares. But even this amount is enough to draw footprints in the snow. Draw a Christmas tree and a sun from the footprints, alternating small and large footprints, make a battlement wall - in general, fantasize yourself.
7. Making small colored snowmen
Miracle: a little more snow (well, let's say). Of course, it is wet - at zero degrees, how else? We also take advantage of this whim of the weather and make tiny colored snowmen out of wet snow. The body is the size of three snowballs, eyes and a mouth made of berries or sticks. Let's take a sprayer with us for a walk and prepare water strongly tinted with gouache (recipe: a teaspoon of gouache well mixed in a half-liter bottle).
And now let's paint our snowmen and rejoice at how unusual they are! If you bring a little more snow, you can build a whole tower.
8. Throwing snow and playing snowballs
It all depends on how much snow we have and what kind it is. Everyone knows that you can really play snowballs only in moderately frosty weather. If the frost is strong, you can throw fluffy loose snow. If there is little snow, we collect it from different surfaces (preferably not from the ground) and throw armfuls at each other! Only with very young children it is better to be careful: they may cry out of habit. It is better to accustom them to snow gradually. As for strong, well-made snowballs, try not to hit anyone in the eye: you can leave a black eye and harm your health.
9. Snow romance
Romance needs quite a bit of snow. It is enough to powder your hair with it a little or collect snow in your palm and breathe on it, watching how the crystals melt. You can watch snowflakes on a sleeve or mitten.
And if there is a little more snow, make a “snow angel” (lie down in the snow and wave your arms so that a trace remains like from wings) or throw snow at each other like sand. In general, you can meditate on snow, and this is not only children's entertainment. A familiar mathematician admitted that his interest in the subject began with the contemplation of three snowflakes through which the only possible plane passed endlessly.
10. Rolling downhill
For children under three years old, it is most useful to go downhill not on a cheesecake or sled, but on their own buttocks, stomach or back. The ice track allows them to feel their body better, control traffic safely, and they won’t develop high speed like that. Needless to say, the hill for this should not be too steep and long, but also not too gentle. Teach your child to immediately get up and go to the side so that no one runs over them.
Older children master ice-sleds and sleds, and it is very harmless for teenagers to learn to squat and ride on their feet.
But the cheesecake is not quite what you need. On small hills, it rides slower than a sled, and on large and steep ones it loses control: the speed is often still less than on a sledge or on an ice rink, but at the same time it is almost impossible to turn to the side. If a child rides on a cheesecake with a parent, he has almost no contact with the surface of the mountain, which means he does not get the pleasure that “rolling and wallowing” gives him (tactile sensations, in smart words).
However, no matter what you ride, this entertainment still needs winter weather - at least a little, at least not for long. What we all wish for.
Winter fun, children's games and outdoor activities for children
One of the most important problems of mankind is boredom. Sometimes it makes us suffer incredibly, but often it is she who becomes the source of new grandiose discoveries. And yet the main task is not to accomplish great things, but simply to entertain yourself and others.
This question is relevant at any time of the year, but most of all in winter. Outside, it gets colder, big snowdrifts appear, and the roads are covered with ice. That and look: you will slip, you will fall and you will freeze. It makes you want to stay at home, wrap yourself in a warm blanket, make hot tea and spend time reading a book or TV shows, only occasionally looking at the bad weather outside.
But traditionally it is believed that fun at this time of the year is not only possible, but also interesting. Such games will help not only to have a good time, but also to earn yourself a sound sleep and even improve immunity.
And most importantly, it is not adults who are most bored, but children. In this article, we will look at how to make a winter walk with a child enjoyable and useful by turning it into a game.
Usually the problem of what to do with yourself is not so great. Adults work all day, and children go to school. Only a couple of hours in the evenings remain for joint fun.
But is it possible to do at least something interesting during this time? In such cases, weekends come to the rescue, when it becomes possible to throw out all the accumulated emotions and realize the most daring ideas. But what if it's not just another weekend, but the winter holidays?
Children's entertainment during the winter holidays
The vacation period in the middle of winter can be safely distinguished as a separate season. And let the weather conditions at this time remain the same, but the world around takes on completely different colors. Crowds of boys and girls, despite the severe frost, ask their parents for a walk on the street, while promising to study perfectly and clean the room. And this all happens for a reason. Winter opens up a lot of new games and fun for kids of all ages. It is no secret that many adults are very sympathetic to this time of year.
Outdoor activities, games and fun for children in winter
As mentioned earlier, most plans and ideas can be easily implemented in a couple of days.
But what if the vacation lasted for a week or even two? Remember what impressions have been preserved in your memory from childhood and think about what you can offer your child? Or maybe you can draw something for yourself? Let's take a closer look at what you can do with children on a snowy day.
Sledding
The first thing worth mentioning in a conversation about winter is, of course, skiing. Take a sled and go to the nearest mountain. Believe me, the trip will bring great pleasure not only to your child, but also to you. But it’s worth being patient, because after each descent you will have to not only climb back, but also drag transport along with you.
Ride on ice skating
Great alternative to sleds. Glaciers are much lighter and more compact, which will allow you to save energy on the ascent. Also, ice slides are much more common than good sledges. Do not miss this opportunity and enjoy the process with the children.
Have a snowball fight
A logical continuation of the summer game of knights and superheroes. Only now wooden swords have replaced balls of snow. You can play alone or with a large group. In any case, it will bring you a whole bunch of positive emotions and impressions.
In addition, such a pastime will help your children become more accurate and dexterous. After all, it will be necessary not only to hit the opponent, but also to evade his attacks.
Have a photo shoot
Another reason to once again take a walk in the winter with children. Here, photographs with colorful leaves have been replaced by photographs of the kingdom of the snow. Such entertainment will give you more than a dozen beautiful pictures with bright and genuine emotions. So you can not only have fun, but also save this episode as a keepsake.
Build a fortress
What is a game without its own headquarters? Help your children build their fortress.
With the help of snow you can make a real castle. Remember that your result will be limited only by your imagination.
In addition to the usual tower or wall that protects, for example, from snowballs, you can even build your own, your own slide for skiing.
Make a snowman
But how to spend the winter without its faithful symbol and companion - a snowman? Usually they do this at the first snow, but you can build your hero at any opportunity.
You can also try yourself as a sculptor and replace your snowy friend with any other creation. By the way, after completion of work, it can even be painted. To do this, take gouache diluted with water and create.
Skate
In winter, many ice rinks open throughout the city. There are open and closed, paid and free. But only one thing remains unchanged - a large number of happy people and a good mood.
Go skiing
Better than a winter walk in the forest can only be the same skiing.
Your movement will become easier and more enjoyable. Therefore, you will have more energy to enjoy the scenery.
In addition, it is a great option to combine entertainment with sports.
Play tracker with the children
Fun should bring not only laughter and joy, but also benefit. So, for example, snowballs develop accuracy, and skating increases coordination of movements. Another good example is the game of trackers. Show the children footprints in the snow and tell them who left them. So you can better study the traces of birds and animals. And also play a real detective and watch the traces of specific people.
In addition to just watching the animals, you can also take care of them. Finding food becomes more difficult at this time of the year, so instill a love of nature in your children and set up bird feeders with them.
Blow soap bubbles in the bitter cold
Another very creative way to surprise a child is bubbles.
If they are allowed in the winter, then their effect increases significantly. With their help, you can show the children how the ice crust appears. It will be not only interesting, but also very beautiful.
Just get ready for the fact that the performance will be followed by questions about how it all happens. This will give you the opportunity to introduce your child to physics. At the same time, take some snow home and show how it turns into water.
Decorate the trees in the garden
On the eve of the New Year, you should not only hope for a miracle, but also create it yourself. After decorating the Christmas tree and rooms in the house, go outside. Collect the remaining toys, garlands and tinsel. Make more snowflakes and start decorating the plants in the yard. Around will become much more beautiful, and the atmosphere will be filled with magic.
Gather a big party
All the games and fun presented are interesting in their own way, but everything can quickly get boring if you do it alone or together.
Gather more friends and ordinary slides or snowball fights will become a big event. So you will have not only more emotions and impressions, but also topics for conversation with friends.
Stay indoors
Winter activities and fun with kids are great. But not always the weather outside the window allows you to have fun carefree no matter what. At such moments, it is still worth staying warm at home. Here you will find countless entertainment from board games to all sorts of creative processes.
If you still want to go outside, then dress warmly and enjoy a walk along the way to the theater, cinema or cafe.
One has only to remember that such games require high activity from both children and adults. Dynamics will provide you with warmth and will not let you freeze even with a strong cold snap. And the comfortable state of your body will allow you to focus on snow fun.
It is simply impossible to list all the entertainment, because their number is limited only by your imagination.
