When the temperature outside drops, many parents start looking for fun activities to do as a family. But coming up with enough interesting and fun free winter activities for kids to fill an entire season can be tricky! We want to prevent children from sitting behind a screen all winter. Therefore, we have compiled a list of some of the best games, crafts and outdoor activities for some winter fun so the kids don’t get “square eyes” from screen time.
Content:
- What’s so great about winter?
- 23 Best Winter Activities
- Fun Outdoor Activities in the Snow
- Best Outdoor Activities for Kids (without snow)
- Best Indoor Winter Activities for Kids
- Winter activities for the whole family
What’s so great about winter?
Winter can be a very peaceful and beautiful time of year. Children have vacation from school, families are together more often, and if you are lucky, there is a blanket of snow on the ground. Whether you are traveling for the holidays or friends and family are visiting you, with the free winter activities below, you will always have something to do. Best of all, many of the things to do in winter are free!
23 Best free winter activities
While outdoor activities may not be as numerous as in summer, there are still many things to do outside, whether you have snow or not. And there is also something to be said for cozying up inside with a good book and a fire.
Whatever you prefer, there is no shortage of fun things to do during the winter. We will go over some of the most popular winter activities you can do as a family that will keep your kids entertained even when the sun goes down at 5 p.m.!
Best outdoor activities in the snow
Here are some ideas for a full day of snow fun. We have included the old classics as well as some new favorites with a twist.
- Make a Snowman
One of the best ways to enjoy the snow as a family is to get together and build a snowman. You can even pull out some of your old winter accessories to decorate Mr. Snowman with hats, scarves and gloves. Even better? Make it a family game. The person who builds the best snowman gets to choose that evening’s activity.
- Hold a Snowball Fight
Today’s snowball fights can be improved with the purchase of a set of snowball maker toys that allow you to play without wet gloves! You can form teams, boys against girls or kids against parents for a little friendly competition.
Games can include who can make the most snowballs in 30 seconds or who can get the most direct hits on the players on the other side. There is a reason why snowball fights have been a popular winter game for centuries!
- Build a Snow Fortress
As part of that epic neighborhood snowball fight, consider building a life-size snow fort big enough to hide behind. If you have enough snowfall in your area, this can be a very fun way to spend the day.
Caves, igloos, forts and more can be made from compressed snow and provide all kinds of hiding places for snowball fights. Finish your masterpiece with flags, ladders, curtains and other accessories to have even more fun with this activity. We even saw some forts that included a built-in slide!
- Play Flag Robbery
Another way to make even more use of that snow fort is to set up 2 forts on opposite sides of your garden or snow game area and start a game of flag raiding. To play, each team must be the first to return the other side’s flag to their own base to win.
- Go Sledding
What child doesn’t love a fun run down a snowy slope or hill? If you don’t have your own sled, you can get creative and make one from objects around your house such as a lid of a trash can or a cardboard box. Create tracks in the snow or have your family race each other to make the fun last even longer.
- Paint the Snow
Creative kids will love this! This is the winter alternative to the fun of summer sidewalk chalk. You can use food coloring and other non-toxic paints to paint your own colorful creations in the snow.
Best Free Winter Activities Outdoors for Kids (Without Snow)
Okay, so you don’t have snow – but that’s not all there is to do outside in winter! Check out these ideas below for some fun outdoors, even in warmer climates.
- Go for a Winter Walk
Whether you take a walk in your neighborhood, a short hike in a local park, or just explore your own backyard, Mother Nature has plenty of surprises for kids in winter.
Your favorite places look pretty different in winter – and a hike is a great way to sneak in some educational opportunities.
- Winter Treasure Hunt (GEO caching)
Search for treasures hidden all over the Netherlands, Belgium and the rest of Europe by avid treasure hunters and hiders. With the free GeoCaching app, you will be shown a GPS location and a clue as to approximately where the treasure will be. Get together with your children to find the location!
- Collect Winter Materials to Craft
Pine cones, pine needles, stones, feathers and twigs can all be repurposed for fun winter crafts like these pine cone bird feeders.
- Go Skating
Believe it or not, you don’t need snow for this activity! Even cities with warm climates organize ice rinks in the park during the winter months. Indoor ice rinks are also a popular option. Now kids everywhere can enjoy the joy on cold ice!
- Winter Photography Challenge
Has your child ever reached for your iPhone to take pictures? Children of all ages love to capture what they see in the world around them through photography. Send them into the woods or backyard with the task of taking the best photo. The winner gets their photo displayed on the refrigerator!
- Tip: With our GPS watch for kids, you’ll always know where your kids are. And: there is a camera on this children’s smartwatch!
Best Indoor Winter Activities for Kids
Snowed in? Or do you prefer to avoid the winter chill in the air? Whatever the weather outside, there is still plenty of fun to be had indoors.
- Make Paper Snowflakes
Are your kids disappointed by the warm temperatures where you live and want to see snow? Let them grab their paper and scissors and make their own snowflakes with this fun winter craft activity!
To make paper snowflakes, simply fold a piece of paper and cut along the edges into different designs and patterns. Even your toddlers can participate! Like real snowflakes, each one is unique – which makes it even more fun.
- Create a Fort
Give your children permission to take over the living room for one day and create a fortress with all the blankets and pillows their little hearts crave. Hearing their little giggles as they play, read and cuddle in their cozy fortress makes the mess worth it.
- Make a Snow Globe
There are many online craft tutorials for a DIY snow globe. Your kids will love adding some objects and shaking the jar with fun additions such as sequins and glitter.
- Enjoy some Hot Chocolate
Sip your hot chocolate from winter mugs and add delicious toppings such as marshmallows or chocolate kisses. Chocolate bombs are all the rage this year, so your family can even try making one themselves!
- Make a Giant Gingerbread House
Are the children more interested in playing in their own gingerbread house? Make one yourself out of cardboard! This can be as complicated or simple as you like. All you need is a large box and some decorations.
- Make Your Own Christmas Cards
Here is another great indoor activity that even your toddlers can joyfully participate in. Get out that old bin of craft supplies and let your kids create whatever their imagination can come up with.
- Make Snowmen from clay
No snow? No worries! You can let your children craft their own snowmen out of clay. It is much less hassle than the real thing – and they will also last much longer! Creative children can also make other winter shapes such as Christmas trees, reindeer and penguins.
- Craft some from cotton balls
Making snowmen out of paper and cotton balls is another great indoor activity for winter, especially for toddlers. You could also use paper plates for another fun variation or decide to make a penguin instead. Bonus? You get a beautiful handmade keepsake to bring out every winter.
Winter Activities for the Whole Family
All the games and activities on this list are fun for children. But what about mom and dad? If you want to join in the fun, make some family memories and come up with ideas that include ALL siblings from toddler to teenager, check out some of the ideas below.
- Christmas Lights Scavenger Hunt
You probably load the family into the car every year and go for a drive to look at all those beautiful Christmas lights. Whether you celebrate Christmas or not, you cannot deny the beauty of those twinkles. To make it a little more exciting this year, print out a BINGO card for the family or a scavenger hunt list and see who can tick off the most sights first!
- Take A Day Trip
Look for winter events in neighboring towns near you. Just the simple fact of driving somewhere outside your normal daily routine can make a family outing even more exciting. Christmas markets, snow festivals and winter carnivals are just some of the many fun events you can find.
- Do A Winter Puzzle
One of the best things to do when you are home for an extended period of time is a big family puzzle. Choose one with a festive or winter scene and place it in a permanent spot in a family room. It may take you a week or two to finish, but you and your children will both experience a great sense of accomplishment once you’re done!
- Bake Cookies
Every child loves to bake cookies – and they’re delicious for mom and dad, too! Whether you make them yourself or use ready-made dough, just turn on some fun Christmas music, gather the cookie cutters and sprinkles and get to decorating.
In conclusion
We hope these fun winter activities will help you get your kids off the couch, outside and away from their devices for a while. But whether your child is playing outside with neighborhood kids in the woods or heading to school, with the GPS watch for kids from KUUS. you’ll always know where they are – at any time of year!
