10 Fun winter activities for kids and adults
Parents often don't know how to entertain their children in winter due to harsh weather conditions. This article aims to inspire you to see winter as an opportunity to bond with your child through fun and creative activities.
Winter might seem like a cold and unwelcoming season, making it harder for families to enjoy outdoor activities or find creative ways to have fun at home. Yet, with these creative ideas, you can create magical memories with your child this winter. Discover ten engaging activities, from exciting outdoor games to cozy indoor fun, that you can enjoy together.
Outdoor activities
Outdoor games promote physical health by enhancing the immune system and improving cardiovascular fitness, even in colder temperatures. They also strengthen bonds, foster creativity, build resilience, and nurture a love for nature in an enjoyable and memorable way. Explore various activities beyond the walls of your home!
Ice skating
This activity is an excellent way to teach your kid balance and coordination while having plenty of laughter while skating. Put on warm clothes, protect your and your child’s neck and head against wind and cold, and lace your skates tightly. Don’t forget to take some photos — rosy cheeks and sincere smiles are priceless.
Here are 3 games on the skating rink to have more fun with your kid.
1. Red light, green light on ice
One person is the «traffic light» and stands at one end of the rink while the other players start at the opposite end. When the «traffic light» says «green light», everyone skates forward, but they must freeze when they hear «red light» — if they keep moving, they go back to the starting point.
2. Figure tracing
Challenge each other to trace shapes or letters in the ice with your skates. Take turns guessing what the other person is creating, making it both a creative and educational activity.
3. Follow the leader
One skater is the leader, and another person must mimic their movements, such as spins, glides, or skating backward. Don’t make these movements too difficult when playing with a child. The leader can switch moves frequently to make it a fun way to practice new skills together.
Winter Scavenger Hunt
Make your child wonder by playing a winter scavenger hunt. Prepare for this game in advance — create a list of winter objects such as pine cones, icicles, frozen puddles, or a bright bird. Challenge your kid to spot as many items as possible. It is exciting to connect with nature in such a way!
Snow Bowling
Why not put a creative twist on traditional bowling? Grab some empty plastic bottles, fill them with water for stability, and set them up as pins in the snow. Grab a medium-sized snowball to use as your 'bowling ball' and see who can knock down the most pins. Kids will love the mix of creativity and competition, and you can even add obstacles for more fun. Use branches or twigs as hurdles, or build low snow walls to keep the ball on track or create barriers to navigate around. It’s an easy and creative way to transform the snowy outdoors into your personal bowling arena!
Winter Photography
Winter photography can be a magical experience for everyone, offering opportunities to capture the serene beauty of snow-covered landscapes and unique moments of play and wonder. The child’s excitement and curiosity about icicles, frost patterns, or snowflakes can inspire creative shots. This shared adventure fosters bonding and warm moments to remember.
Walking in nature, even in winter, has been linked to a 28% reduction in symptoms of anxiety and depression among children, according to studies on outdoor play. Source:https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology
Tips to consider when taking photos in winter.
1. Don’t forget hats, gloves, and scarves — they not only keep you warm but also add style to your photos.
2. Winter light can be soft and beautiful. Aim for the golden hour — early morning or late afternoon for the best lighting.
3. Choose safe and scenic locations, like snow-covered parks, forests, or open fields. Select a quiet place for you and your child.
4. Bring a waterproof bag to protect your camera from snow and moisture when not in use.
5. Include seasonal elements like snowflakes, frosted trees, or cozy mittens to give your photos a wintery feel and emotional depth.
6. Capture your child’s emotions and natural joy during the walk through spontaneous photos.
7. Enhance your photos by adjusting brightness, contrast, and saturation to bring out the beauty of winter scenes.
Snow painting
Such activity will bring a lot of joy to any child and give unforgettable emotions. You can turn white canvas of snow into a masterpiece with snow painting. It is worth preparing in advance and offering your child pictures to copy: Christmas trees, depictions of animals, characters of movies and cartoons. Channel your inner energy and creativity to the white piece of land, be brave and use bright, vivid colours.
What paint to use?
Water-based paints:
Use tempera paints or watercolors as they are non-toxic and safe for children. If tempera paints are too thick, dilute them with water for easy application.
DIY snow paint:
Mix food coloring or liquid watercolors with water in spray bottles or squeeze bottles for vibrant snow painting. Ratio is about 10-15 drops of food coloring per cup of water (adjust for brightness).
Winter theatre
Playing winter theatre with your child is a fun way to spark creativity and imagination in this cold season. Build a snow fort as the "theatre," and let your child choose a character like a Snow Queen, Winter Wizard, or Snowflake. Prepare costumes or accessories for the play in advance. Encourage your child to narrate the plot while you join in as an actor or the audience. It's a playful, bonding experience that combines storytelling, outdoor fun, and a touch of winter magic.
Indoor activities
Staying indoors during winter is a great opportunity to enjoy creative pursuits and nurture your child’s imagination without worrying about the cold weather outside.
Creating winter-themed crafts
Stay cozy indoors and let your imagination run wild. You can make paper snowflakes, build snowman figurines out of clay, or create colorful winter scenes with paint and glitter. Crafting together not only keeps kids engaged but also provides opportunities to teach them about shapes, textures, and colors. Making a winter wreath is a perfect way to spend time together and make a contribution to your home’s design.
How to make a winter wreath with a child.
- Attach a hanger. Tie a loop of ribbon at the top for hanging. Hang it on your door or wall together.
- Add a fun touch. Sprinkle glitter or fake snow.
- Decorate together. Glue pine cones, ornaments, small decorations like bows or bells. Let your child wrap a ribbon or fabric around the wreath base.
- Get supplies. Take a plain wreath base (foam, carbon,wire, twig or grapevine), pine cones, small ornaments, ribbons, fake snow, glue, string, and safety scissors.
Indoor camping adventure
This activity suits little children who are keen on adventures and explorations. Transform your living room into a cozy campsite by setting up a tent or building a blanket fortress. String up fairy lights to mimic the night sky and lay out sleeping bags or soft blankets for comfort. Share stories, play games, and even roast marshmallows over a safe indoor flame, like a candle or a mini stove. Encourage your child to bring their favorite stuffed animals or toys to join the adventure.
Gift making
If you are approaching the festive Christmas season, try creating handmade gifts with your child. You can make simple yet meaningful items like painted ornaments, personalized photo frames, or salt dough decorations using materials you already have at home. It would be great to add your personal touch like handprints, or festive designs.
Impress your child by telling about various ways of gift exchange and suggest playing Secret Santa gift exchange with their friends. Children play Secret Santa to exchange homemade gifts or affordable things bought in a shop. For younger children, you can use a hat or a box with the pieces of paper — they can pick the paper with the name of the gift recipient.
Adults can also organise the gift exchange by using the MySantaApp. With its help anyone can secretly prepare a gift for other participants. Gift wishes can be added in the generator, making it easy to rely on people’s preferences.
Themed cooking
Choose a winter theme and make seasonal treats, like snowman-shaped cookies, hot cocoa with marshmallow icebergs, or gingerbread men. Let the child help with simple tasks like mixing ingredients, cutting shapes, or decorating the finished creations. Use the opportunity to discuss kitchen safety and introduce math concepts through measuring ingredients. Once the food is ready, take photos and celebrate your mutual progress by eating these delicious treats.
Making gingerbread men with a child is fun! Here’s a simple recipe.
Ingredients:
- 2 1/4 cups flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tbsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp cloves
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup honey (or maple syrup)
Instructions.
- Mix dry ingredients. In a bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt.
- Cream butter and sugar. In another bowl, beat butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Add egg, honey or maple syrup , and mix well.
- Combine.Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Stir until a dough forms.
- Chill. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
- Roll and cut. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Roll dough on a floured surface and use cookie cutters to make gingerbread men.
- Bake. Place cookies on a baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes, until edges are firm.
- Decorate. Let cool, then decorate with icing and candy!
How to create salt dough decorations? To make winter salt dough decorations, mix 2 cups of flour, 1 cup of salt, and 1 cup of water into a firm dough. Roll it out, cut out shapes with cookie cutters (like snowflakes, snowmen, reindeer, winter hats or mittens), and use a straw to create holes for hanging. Bake at 250°F (120°C) for 2-3 hours, let them cool, and then paint and decorate with your child using acrylic paints, glitter, or markers.
FAQs
How to stay safe during outdoor winter activities?
Dress in layers to stay warm and dry, wear appropriate footwear to prevent slips. Don’t walk outside for more than one hour if it is too freezing outside. Carry essentials such as water, a first aid kit, and a fully charged phone.
What activities are suitable for little children?
Gentle winter activities like building snowmen, playing snowballs, or sledding on small, safe hills, all indoor activities are perfect for little children. Supervised ice skating or short nature walks in warm clothing can also be enjoyable, provided the weather is not too harsh.