Fun Winter Activities For Kids: Creative Indoor and Outdoor Ideas to Beat the Cold Weather Blues

Winter doesn’t have to mean bored kids stuck inside complaining about the cold. There are tons of fun winter activities to keep children happy both indoors and outdoors, from building snow forts to making winter crafts. Whether you’re facing a snow day or just want some seasonal fun, the right activities can turn those chilly months into something special.

It helps to have a mix of options for different weather and moods. Outdoor activities like sledding and building snowmen let kids burn off energy and get some fresh air. For days when it’s just too cold, indoor projects are a lifesaver.

Winter’s also a great excuse to try new crafts, science experiments, and learning games that fit the season. From making paper snowflakes to exploring how ice forms, winter activities for kids can sneak in a little learning, too.

Top Outdoor Winter Activities

Winter brings all sorts of chances for kids to play outside, stay active, and make memories.

Build a Snowman

Building a snowman is a classic outdoor winter activity for kids. Start by rolling three snowballs—big, medium, and small.

The snow needs to be a bit wet and sticky, or it just won’t work. Powdery snow falls apart. Test it first by making a small snowball.

What You Need:

• Carrots or sticks for the nose
• Buttons or rocks for eyes
• An old hat and scarf
• Sticks for arms

Let kids get creative with what they find outside. Acorns, leaves, and pinecones are perfect for decorating. You can even build a snow fort nearby for some extra fun.

Snap a photo before your snowman melts away. Kids love seeing their creations and comparing snowmen from year to year.

Sledding Adventures

Sledding is always a hit. Find a safe hill that’s not too steep and has a clear path at the bottom.

Check for rocks, trees, or anything that could get in the way. The hill should end with a flat area so sleds can stop safely.

Best Sledding Spots:

• Gentle hills in parks
• Golf courses (if it’s allowed)
• Your backyard, if it works
• Designated sledding areas

Try out different sleds—tubes, toboggans, or classic runner sleds. They all feel a bit different. Some go faster, some are easier to steer.

Make it a game: race to the bottom or see who can go the farthest. Always keep an eye on younger kids and teach them how to steer and stop.

Snowball Fight Games

A snowball fight is a winter must. Set some ground rules so everyone stays safe and has a good time.

Use soft, loosely packed snowballs. Hard-packed or icy snow can hurt. Aim for the body, not the face or head.

Fun Snowball Games:

• Team battles with snow forts
• Target practice at trees or signs
• Capture the flag with snowballs
• Freeze tag with snowball throws

Winter activities for kids are best when everyone’s on the same page. Take breaks for hot cocoa and to warm up.

Building snow walls or forts adds a bit of strategy and teamwork to the game.

Winter Nature Walk

A winter nature walk is a cool way to see what’s different outdoors in cold weather. Look for animal tracks in the snow and see which birds stick around for winter.

Bring a small bag to collect pinecones, neat rocks, or colorful leaves. Kids can use these for crafts later.

What to Look For:

• Animal footprints in snow
• Ice on trees
• Winter birds like cardinals
• Evergreen trees and shrubs

Try to catch snowflakes on dark mittens or fabric and check out their shapes. Every snowflake is different if you look close.

Dress in warm layers and waterproof boots, and maybe bring a thermos of something hot. Longer walks are way more fun when everyone’s comfortable.

Nature walks are a great way to talk about how animals and plants survive winter. Point out bird feeders and chat about helping wildlife when it’s cold.

Creative Indoor Winter Activities

These hands-on projects turn your home into a winter wonderland with stuff you probably already have. Each one mixes creativity with a bit of seasonal magic to keep kids busy even when it’s freezing outside.

DIY Fake Snow Play

Making fake snow is a blast and you don’t even need to go outside. You can whip up snow dough with simple ingredients and keep the fun going for hours.

Basic Fake Snow Recipe:

• 3 cups baking soda
• 1/2 cup white hair conditioner
• Glitter (if you want)

Mix it up until it feels like real snow. It should stick together when you squeeze it, but fall apart easily.

Kids can build tiny snowmen, make snow castles, or just squish it around. Add in some plastic animals or little toys for winter scenes. Store the fake snow in a sealed container and you can use it again.

Set up the mess in a big bin or on a shower curtain for easy cleanup. Spoons, cups, and molds make it even more fun.

Winter-Themed Scavenger Hunt

A winter scavenger hunt is a great way to get kids moving and learning about the season. Make a list of wintery things to find or tasks to try.

Indoor Winter Hunt Items:

• Something white like snow
• A warm winter clothing item
• A book about winter
• Something that looks icy
• A holiday decoration

Add riddles or clues to make it trickier. For example, “Find something you wear to keep your hands warm” leads to gloves or mittens.

Throw in action items like “hop like a bunny in snow” or “pretend to catch snowflakes with your tongue.” It keeps things lively.

Make it easier for little kids with pictures, while older kids can handle written clues.

Winter Coloring and Art Projects

Coloring and art projects are perfect for cold days. Print out some free winter coloring sheets with snowflakes, animals, or holiday scenes.

Easy Winter Art Ideas:

• Paper snowflakes from coffee filters
• Cotton ball snowmen
• Handprint trees
• Ice painting with food coloring

Coffee filter snowflakes look awesome in the window. Kids learn about symmetry and get to make something unique.

Salt painting is part art, part science. Draw a winter scene with glue, sprinkle salt on top, then add watercolors and watch the colors spread.

Winter animal crafts are a fun way to talk about how animals survive the cold. Try making penguins from paper plates, polar bears from cotton balls, or owls from construction paper.

Indoor Snowball Fight

Who says you need snow for a snowball fight? Use soft stuff to make “snowballs” that are safe for inside.

Snowball Materials:

• Rolled-up white socks
• Crumpled white paper
• Marshmallows
• Soft foam balls with white fabric

Set up a play area with boundaries using furniture or tape. Play in teams or everyone for themselves.

Add targets like empty boxes or plastic cups for a little challenge. Kids can earn points for hitting certain targets or knocking things down.

Make cleanup a race—see who can pick up the most snowballs the fastest. It’s fun and teaches a bit of responsibility.

Keep a basket of indoor snowballs handy for quick winter games whenever you need them.

Winter Crafts and Art Projects for Kids

Winter crafts turn cold days into creative time with just a few supplies. These activities go from delicate snowflakes to colorful snow painting, all using things you probably have at home.

Snowflake Suncatchers

Snowflake suncatchers bring a bit of winter sunshine indoors. They’re easy to make with coffee filters, tissue paper, or clear contact paper.

Coffee Filter Method:

• Fold coffee filters into triangles
• Cut small shapes along the edges
• Unfold to see your snowflake
• Hang in windows for a pretty display

Contact Paper Technique:

• Cut contact paper into circles
• Peel the backing and place sticky-side up
• Let kids add tissue paper pieces
• Cover with another layer of contact paper and cut into a snowflake

These winter arts and crafts make beautiful window decorations. Light shining through creates colorful patterns.

Talk about symmetry and patterns while you make them. It’s a sneaky way to add a bit of geometry to craft time.

Paint Snow Art

Paint snow projects are a fun way to bring winter indoors. You can make fake snow with shaving cream, corn starch, or baking soda.

Shaving Cream Snow Paint:

• Mix shaving cream with food coloring
• Add glitter if you want sparkle
• Paint on dark paper for contrast
• The result is puffy, textured art

Baking Soda Snow:

• Mix baking soda with white paint
• Add a little water to get the right texture
• Paint with brushes or fingers
• It dries with a real snow look

These winter craft activities work for all ages. Little kids love the sensory part, while older kids can focus on details.

Try sprinkling salt for extra texture. As the paint dries, the salt makes cool patterns.

Winter Crafts with Everyday Materials

Turn everyday stuff into winter crafts for kids with paper plates, cotton balls, and toilet paper rolls. Cheap, simple, and fun.

Paper Plate Snowmen:

• Use three plates in different sizes
• Cover with cotton balls or white paint
• Add accessories from construction paper
• Use black circles for buttons

Toilet Roll Penguins:

• Paint rolls black and white
• Add orange paper for beaks
• Stick on googly eyes
• Stuff with cotton for a round belly

Cotton Ball Winter Trees:

• Draw tree branches on paper
• Glue on cotton balls for snow
• Add a blue background for contrast
• Sprinkle glitter while glue is wet

These easy winter crafts need almost no prep or cleanup. Odds are, you already have everything you need.

Pro tip: Keep a box of white craft stuff, cotton balls, and blue paper for quick rainy or snowy day projects.

Engaging Winter Science and Learning Activities

Winter is a great time for hands-on learning with snow, ice, and cold weather. These activities mix fun experiments with simple lessons about science.

Fun Winter Science Experiments

Winter science experiments can happen indoors or out. Check out snowflakes up close with a magnifying glass and see how each one is different.

Ice experiments are always interesting. Freeze colored water in different containers and see how ice expands. Sprinkle salt on ice cubes and watch them melt faster.

Snow density tests are easy. Fill two containers—one with powdery snow, one with wet snow—and see which is heavier.

Try the melting snowman experiment. Build small snowmen and put them in different spots outside. See which melts first and talk about why—does the sun or wind make a difference?

Frozen bubble experiments are magical. When it’s below freezing, blow bubbles outside and watch them freeze in the air. The crystal patterns are amazing.

Educational Winter Challenges

Winter STEM activities pull together science, engineering, and a bit of creative thinking.

Snow fort building is a lesson in engineering. Challenge kids to build the strongest fort with a set amount of snow. Try different building styles and see what works best.

Ice fishing challenges are easy to set up—no real fish needed. Freeze small toys in containers and let kids figure out how to “rescue” them using spoons, salt, or warm water.

Winter animal survival challenges are a fun way to learn about adaptation. Research how animals stay warm and let kids design shelters for toy animals using leaves, twigs, and snow.

Snowball trajectory experiments are a cool way to talk about physics. Try throwing different types of snowballs and measure how far they go. What makes the difference? Weight, wind, or how you throw?

STEM Snow Activities

Hands-on winter learning is a great way to mix science with the real world, especially when it’s cold outside. Snow and ice are just begging to be used for a little experimenting.

Snow measurement stations are simple and kind of fun. Just set out some containers to catch snow, then check how much piles up. Jot down the temperatures and see if that changes how the snow feels or looks.

Crystal growing experiments let you watch ice form up close. Try hanging a string in sugar water and leave it outside on a freezing day. Later, take a look and compare your homemade crystals to the ones you find in nature. Pretty cool, right?

Snow volcano experiments are classic. Make a little volcano out of snow, then pour in baking soda and vinegar. The reaction is even more dramatic in cold weather, which makes it extra fun to watch.

Ice racing tracks sneak in a bit of physics. Build ramps and tracks out of snow or ice, then race different objects down them. Change up the angles and see what happens. Some things just fly down, while others barely move.