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Safety first: Always supervise little ones, and skip small parts for kids who still put things in their mouths. Please read our play safety notes before you start.
Key takeaways
- Dress kids in one more layer than you wear, and come in when clothes get wet.
- No snow? Frost hunts, scavenger walks and frozen puddle stomps still get kids outside.
- Indoors, pick games that move: paper plate skating, a hallway maze and soft snowball targets.
- Sled feet first or sitting up, on gentle slopes away from roads, trees and frozen water.
In this post42 sections
- Before You Head Out: Winter Safety Basics
- Winter Activities for Kids Outside (When There Is Snow)
- 1. Build a snow brick fort
- 2. Sled a gentle hill
- 3. Snow treasure dig
- 4. Animal track detectives
- 5. Fox and geese tag
- 6. Snowball basket toss
- 7. Toddler pull sled walk
- Outdoor Winter Activities for Kids When There Is No Snow
- 8. Frost hunt with a magnifying glass
- 9. Winter nature scavenger walk
- 10. Backyard bird count
- 11. Frozen puddle stomp
- 12. Yard obstacle course
- Indoor Winter Activities for Kids (Cabin Fever Busters)
- 13. Indoor snowball target game
- 14. Paper plate skating
- 15. Arctic animal walks
- 16. Winter animal yoga
- 17. Scarf blizzard
- 18. Laundry basket sled pull
- 19. Crepe paper hallway maze
- Winter Activities for Toddlers (Ages 1 to 3)
- 20. Ice cube hockey
- 21. Dress the teddy for snow
- 22. Cotton ball blow race
- 23. Pillow snowdrift jumping
- Winter Activities for Preschoolers (Ages 4 to 5)
- 24. Penguin waddle race
- 25. Polar bear hunt walk
- 26. Snowflake number hop
- Winter STEM Activities at the Kitchen Table
- 27. Freeze test on the porch
- 28. Ice melt race
- 29. Frost in a can
- Easy Winter Activities With Things You Already Own
- 30. Flashlight shadow puppets
- 31. Kitchen floor curling
- Bonus: A Winter Scavenger Hunt to Copy
- Winter Gear Worth Having
- FAQ
Before You Head Out: Winter Safety Basics
The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests dressing kids in one more layer than an adult would wear, with a hat, mittens and warm, dry boots. Come inside when clothes get wet, and take breaks to warm up. Watch for cold, red or pale fingers, toes, ears and noses.
Winter Activities for Kids Outside (When There Is Snow)
Fresh snow is the best free toy there is. These outdoor winter activities for kids work in a backyard, a park or a quiet front yard.
1Build a snow brick fort
Pack snow into a plastic brick mold, flip it and lift. Line the bricks up in a curve and stack the next row offset, like real bricks. Wet, sticky snow works best, so try it on a mild day after a snowfall.
Ages: 4 to 8 (toddlers can fill the mold with help).
Prep: none.
Mess: medium (wet mittens).
Supplies: a snow brick mold, a kids' shovel.
Safety: keep fort walls low, under knee height for little kids, and never dig tunnels or caves, which can collapse.
- Pack spare mittens; wet ones get cold fast.
Makes even bricks for a fort in seconds.
2Sled a gentle hill
Find a small, gentle slope with a long flat space at the bottom. Kids ride sitting up, feet first, one at a time, and walk back up along the side of the hill. A plastic sled is light enough for a 4 year old to pull up alone.
Ages: 3 and up with an adult (toddlers on an adult's lap is not advised; pick a toddler pull sled instead).
Prep: none.
Mess: medium.
Supplies: a plastic sled, a helmet.
Safety: the AAP advises sledding feet first or sitting up, never head first, on slopes free of trees, fences, roads and ponds. A helmet is a good idea.
- Check the bottom of the hill for rocks or ice before the first run.
Light enough for small kids to pull back up the hill.
3Snow treasure dig
Bury a few big, bright toys in a patch of snow while kids wait inside. Hand them a shovel and let them dig. Use large toys only, like a dump truck or a big ball, so nothing gets lost until spring.
Ages: 2 to 6.
Prep: 5 minutes.
Mess: medium.
Supplies: a kids' shovel, 3 to 5 large plastic toys.
Safety: big toys only, nothing small enough to be a choking risk, and count them back in.
- Leave a little corner of each toy sticking out for toddlers.
4Animal track detectives
Go out early, right after fresh snow, and look for tracks. Rabbits leave two long prints and two small ones; birds leave little forks. Follow a trail and guess where the animal went.
Ages: 3 to 8.
Prep: none.
Mess: low.
Supplies: a kids' magnifying glass (optional).
Safety: stay on paths you know, away from roads and frozen water.
- Make your own tracks next to the animal ones and compare sizes.
5Fox and geese tag
Stamp a big circle in the snow with spokes through the middle, like a wheel. One player is the fox and everyone else is a goose. Everyone must stay on the paths, and the middle is the safe spot.
Ages: 5 to 8 (4 with a grown-up running too).
Prep: 5 minutes to stamp the paths.
Mess: low.
Supplies: nothing.
Safety: play on flat ground away from icy patches.
- Make the wheel bigger for older kids and smaller for little ones.
6Snowball basket toss
Set a laundry basket or a bucket in the snow and make a pile of soft snowballs. Take turns tossing from a line, then step back for the next round. It's all the fun of a snowball game with nobody getting hit.
Ages: 3 to 8.
Prep: 2 minutes.
Mess: medium.
Supplies: a laundry basket or bucket.
Safety: loose, soft snowballs only, never packed with ice or rocks.
- Draw three lines at different distances for mixed ages.
7Toddler pull sled walk
For kids 1 to 3, skip the hill. A toddler pull sled with a high back and a strap lets you pull them around a flat yard or park path. Bring a teddy along for the ride.
Ages: 1 to 3.
Prep: none.
Mess: low.
Supplies: a toddler pull sled with a back and a buckle strap.
Safety: flat ground only, walk slowly, and keep the strap buckled.
- Short loops of 10 minutes keep little hands from getting too cold.
A safe way to give 1 to 3 year olds a sled ride on flat ground.
Outdoor Winter Activities for Kids When There Is No Snow
Plenty of winters are just gray and cold. Fresh air still helps, and these ideas need nothing but a coat and a short walk.
8Frost hunt with a magnifying glass
On a cold, clear morning, look for frost on leaves, car windows and grass. Under a magnifying glass, frost looks like tiny feathers and needles. Go before the sun melts it.
Ages: 3 to 8.
Prep: none.
Mess: low.
Supplies: a kids' magnifying glass.
Safety: never use a magnifying glass to look at the sun.
- Snap a photo of the best frost to compare tomorrow.
9Winter nature scavenger walk
Make a quick picture list and take a paper bag on a walk: a pinecone, an evergreen sprig, a smooth stone, a bare twig, an acorn. Kids check off each find. The checklist at the end of this post has a full list to copy.
Ages: 2 to 8.
Prep: 5 minutes.
Mess: low.
Supplies: a paper bag, a picture list, a pencil.
Safety: acorns and small stones are a choking risk for kids under 3, so you hold the bag.
- Add one tricky item, like a feather, for big kids.
10Backyard bird count
Sit by a window or stand still in the yard for 15 minutes and count every bird you see. In February, families can share their count with the Great Backyard Bird Count, a free project run by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Audubon.
Ages: 4 to 8.
Prep: none.
Mess: none.
Supplies: paper and a pencil, binoculars (optional).
Safety: nothing to watch for.
- Tally by color for little kids: red birds, brown birds, black birds.
11Frozen puddle stomp
After a cold night, shallow puddles on sidewalks freeze into thin glass. Kids stomp, crack and listen. It's simple and very satisfying.
Ages: 2 to 8.
Prep: none.
Mess: medium (wet boots).
Supplies: rain boots or snow boots.
Safety: shallow sidewalk puddles only. Never walk on frozen ponds, lakes or creeks, which the AAP warns can break.
- Count how many cracks one stomp makes.
12Yard obstacle course
Set up a loop: jump over a stick, walk along a rope on the ground, hop between hula hoops, run around a tree. Time each lap and try to beat it. Running keeps everyone warm.
Ages: 3 to 8.
Prep: 10 minutes.
Mess: low.
Supplies: a rope, 2 or 3 hula hoops, a stick, a timer.
Safety: check the ground for ice first and keep the course flat.
- Let kids design the next course.
If you want ideas you can pull out on any cold day, grab the free pack below. It has 50 screen-free activity cards, each with the age, prep time, mess level and supplies, plus a rainy-day picks page.
Indoor Winter Activities for Kids (Cabin Fever Busters)
When it's too cold or icy to go out, kids still need to move. These indoor winter activities for kids burn energy in a living room or a hallway.
13Indoor snowball target game
Soft plush snowballs are safe to throw inside. Set a laundry basket as the target with a hula hoop in front, and score 1 point for the hoop and 3 for the basket. Crumpled balls of white scrap paper work too.
Ages: 2 to 8.
Prep: 2 minutes.
Mess: none.
Supplies: indoor soft snowballs or crumpled paper balls, a laundry basket, a hula hoop.
Safety: clear the area of lamps and breakables first.
- Move the basket farther away after each round.
Plush snowballs that are safe to toss inside the house.
14Paper plate skating
Kids stand on two paper plates on a carpet and slide their feet like ice skaters. Put on music and try spins, slides and skating backward. On wood or tile floors, socks alone are slippery enough, so use plates on carpet only.
Ages: 3 to 8.
Prep: none.
Mess: none.
Supplies: 2 paper plates per child.
Safety: carpet only, with furniture pushed back.
- Hold an ice skating show at the end for the family.
15Arctic animal walks
Call out an animal and everyone moves like it: polar bear crawl on hands and feet, penguin waddle with feet together, seal slide on the belly, arctic hare hops. Do each one across the room and back.
Ages: 2 to 8.
Prep: none.
Mess: none.
Supplies: nothing.
Safety: clear a path and skip the seal slide on hard floors.
- Write the animals on cards and let kids pick from a hat.
16Winter animal yoga
Hold simple poses named for winter animals: tall pine tree, curled up sleeping bear, flamingo on one leg, snowflake with arms and legs wide. Breathe slowly in each one. It's a calm way to end a wild afternoon.
Ages: 3 to 8.
Prep: none.
Mess: none.
Supplies: a rug or a mat.
Safety: keep poses gentle and stop if anything hurts.
- Turn off the lights and use a lamp for a cozy feel.
17Scarf blizzard
Toss light play scarves or tissue paper squares in the air and try to catch them before they land, like snowflakes. Toddlers love it because scarves float down slowly.
Ages: 1 to 6.
Prep: none.
Mess: none.
Supplies: play scarves or tissue paper squares.
Safety: tissue paper can be a choking risk if chewed, so use cloth scarves for babies and young toddlers.
- Play a slow song and catch only when the music stops.
18Laundry basket sled pull
Put a stuffed animal (or a small child) in a laundry basket and pull it across the carpet with a rope or a towel. Big kids can take turns pulling each other on a smooth floor at walking speed.
Ages: 2 to 8.
Prep: none.
Mess: none.
Supplies: a laundry basket, a towel or a short rope.
Safety: walking speed only, stay away from stairs, and never tie a rope around anyone.
- Make a delivery game: pull toys from one room to another.
19Crepe paper hallway maze
Tape crepe paper streamers across a hallway at different heights. Kids crawl, step and twist through without touching the paper, like a laser maze. If they break a strand, it's easy to tape back.
Ages: 3 to 8.
Prep: 10 minutes.
Mess: low.
Supplies: a roll or two of crepe paper streamers, painter's tape.
Safety: keep streamers away from babies and take them down after play.
- Time each run through the maze.
Cold weeks are when this matters most. The Indoor Day Rescue Kit has 100 activity cards for ages 3 to 8 sorted by energy level, plus a snow day rescue plan and 6 picture-clue scavenger hunts, so the indoor days have a plan.
Winter Activities for Toddlers (Ages 1 to 3)
Toddlers need short, simple, hands-on play. For crafts, our winter crafts for kids list has easy snowmen and mittens.
20Ice cube hockey
Put a few big ice cubes on a rimmed baking sheet and give your toddler a silicone spatula. They push the ice into a cup at the end, like hockey. The cubes melt as they play, which is half the fun.
Ages: 18 months to 3.
Prep: 2 minutes.
Mess: medium (water).
Supplies: a rimmed baking sheet, large ice cubes, a silicone spatula, a plastic cup.
Safety: big ice cubes only, never small chips, and stay close because ice can be a choking risk.
- Put a towel under the tray to catch drips.
21Dress the teddy for snow
Gather a hat, mittens, a scarf and a doll-sized jacket and let your toddler dress a teddy bear for the cold. Talk about each piece: "Teddy's hands are cold, what does he need?" It practices words and getting dressed.
Ages: 18 months to 3.
Prep: 2 minutes.
Mess: none.
Supplies: a teddy bear, baby or doll winter clothes.
Safety: nothing to watch for.
- Then let your toddler put on their own hat and mittens.
22Cotton ball blow race
Tape two lines on a table to make a lane. Put a cotton ball at one end and have your child blow it through a straw to the other end. Little ones can blow without a straw.
Ages: 2 to 6.
Prep: 2 minutes.
Mess: none.
Supplies: cotton balls, paper straws, painter's tape.
Safety: cotton balls are a choking risk, so watch closely and put them away after.
- Make two lanes and race a grown-up.
23Pillow snowdrift jumping
Pile couch cushions and pillows on the floor into a big soft snowdrift. Toddlers climb, roll and jump in. Say "ready, set, snow!" before each jump.
Ages: 1 to 4.
Prep: 2 minutes.
Mess: none.
Supplies: couch cushions, pillows, a blanket on top.
Safety: keep the pile low and away from furniture edges, and stay close.
- Hide a stuffed polar bear in the drift to find.
Winter Activities for Preschoolers (Ages 4 to 5)
Preschoolers like games with rules, counting and pretend. These three work well in a small space.
24Penguin waddle race
Put a ball or a bean bag between your child's knees and waddle across the room like a penguin without dropping it. If it falls, go back to the start.
Ages: 3 to 6.
Prep: none.
Mess: none.
Supplies: a soft ball or bean bag.
Safety: clear the path of toys.
- Try it carrying a toy egg on a spoon for an extra challenge.
25Polar bear hunt walk
Hide a stuffed polar bear somewhere in the house and go on a walk to find it, acting out the trip on the way: tiptoe over the ice, swish through deep snow, climb a big snow hill (the couch). Kids take turns hiding the bear.
Ages: 3 to 6.
Prep: 2 minutes.
Mess: none.
Supplies: a stuffed polar bear or any white toy.
Safety: nothing to watch for.
- Give "warmer" and "colder" clues as they search.
26Snowflake number hop
Draw numbers 1 to 10 on paper snowflakes and tape them on the floor in a path. Call a number and kids hop to it, or hop the path in order while counting out loud.
Ages: 3 to 6.
Prep: 10 minutes.
Mess: low.
Supplies: paper, a marker, painter's tape.
Safety: tape snowflakes down well so they don't slip.
- For 5 year olds, call simple sums like 2 plus 1.
Winter STEM Activities at the Kitchen Table
Winter is full of easy science: freezing, melting and frost. These experiments need water, salt and a cold night.
27Freeze test on the porch
Fill four cups with plain water, salt water, sugar water and juice, and set them outside on a freezing night. In the morning, check which froze solid and which stayed slushy. Kids guess first and check after.
Ages: 4 to 8.
Prep: 5 minutes.
Mess: low.
Supplies: 4 clear plastic cups, water, salt, sugar, juice, tape labels.
Safety: an adult handles anything hot, and nobody drinks the test cups.
- Use a phone timer to check at bedtime too.
28Ice melt race
Put a same-sized ice cube in four spots: a sunny window, a dark cupboard, a plate with salt and a plate with nothing. Check every 10 minutes. Which melts first?
Ages: 4 to 8.
Prep: 5 minutes.
Mess: medium (water).
Supplies: 4 ice cubes, 4 plates, salt.
Safety: keep salt away from little mouths and pets.
- Draw the cubes at each check like a science journal.
29Frost in a can
Fill a clean metal can with crushed ice and stir in a big spoon of salt. In a few minutes, frost forms on the outside, made from water in the air. Kids touch it and watch it grow.
Ages: 4 to 8.
Prep: 5 minutes.
Mess: low.
Supplies: a clean empty metal can with no sharp edges, crushed ice, coarse salt, a spoon.
Safety: check the can rim is smooth, and salted ice gets very cold, so short touches only.
- Try it with no salt and compare.
Easy Winter Activities With Things You Already Own
30Flashlight shadow puppets
Turn off the lights, shine a flashlight at a plain wall and make shadow animals with your hands: a bird, a dog, a rabbit. Long winter evenings get dark early, which makes this easy.
Ages: 3 to 8.
Prep: none.
Mess: none.
Supplies: a flashlight, a plain wall.
Safety: don't shine the light in anyone's eyes.
- Tell a short story with your shadow animals.
31Kitchen floor curling
Make a target of three rings on a tile or wood floor with painter's tape. Kids slide bean bags or small beanbag animals toward the middle, like curling. Closest to the center wins the round.
Ages: 3 to 8.
Prep: 5 minutes.
Mess: none.
Supplies: painter's tape, 4 bean bags per player.
Safety: slide, don't throw, and keep the area clear.
- Play best of five rounds.
Bonus: A Winter Scavenger Hunt to Copy
There's no download needed for this one. Copy the list onto paper, or read it out on your next walk.
Winter scavenger hunt
| Weather | Try these |
|---|---|
| Fresh snow | Snow brick fort, sledding, animal tracks, fox and geese |
| Cold and dry, no snow | Frost hunt, scavenger walk, frozen puddle stomp, obstacle course |
| Too cold or icy to go out | Indoor snowballs, paper plate skating, hallway maze, curling |
| Freezing night | Freeze test on the porch |
| Dark early evening | Shadow puppets, winter animal yoga |
Want more for cold days? Our winter sensory bin ideas bring snow play inside with fake snow, and the road trip activities for kids list helps with holiday drives.
Winter Gear Worth Having
Winter activities for kids: gear list
- Budget pick
Snow brick mold
Typically $4 to $10
Makes even bricks for a fort in seconds.
Check price on Amazon for Snow brick mold -
Plastic kids' sled
Typically $12 to $20
Light enough for small kids to pull back up the hill.
Check price on Amazon for Plastic kids' sled -
Toddler pull sled with a back and strap
Typically $40 to $65
A safe way to give 1 to 3 year olds a sled ride on flat ground.
Check price on Amazon for Toddler pull sled with a back and strap - Top pick
Indoor soft snowballs
Typically $10 to $15
Plush snowballs that are safe to toss inside the house.
Check price on Amazon for Indoor soft snowballs
Pick one outdoor idea and one indoor idea for each week of winter, and the cold months go by a lot faster. The free activity cards below give you 50 more ideas for days when nobody can go out.
Frequently asked questions
What can kids do in winter when it's too cold to go outside?
Move the play indoors with games that burn energy: soft snowball targets, paper plate skating on carpet, a crepe paper hallway maze, arctic animal walks and kitchen floor curling. Science like a freeze test or frost in a can fills a quiet hour.
What are easy winter activities for preschoolers?
Penguin waddle races, a polar bear hunt walk around the house, a snowflake number hop and cotton ball blow races are all low prep. Outside, try animal track hunts and a snow treasure dig.
What outdoor winter activities are safe for toddlers?
A toddler pull sled on flat ground, a snow treasure dig with big toys, a frozen puddle stomp on shallow sidewalk puddles and short walks. Keep outings short, dress them in layers and check fingers and toes often.
How do you beat cabin fever with kids in winter?
Plan one active game and one calm one each day, like a hallway maze followed by winter animal yoga. Get outside for even 15 minutes when you can, and save a new activity for the late afternoon slump.
What are good winter STEM activities for kids?
Try a freeze test with water, salt water and juice on a freezing night, an ice melt race in different spots around the house, and frost in a can with ice and salt. Kids guess first, then check.
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