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When the temperature lowers and the kids are trapped indoors, driving you insane with their different gadget devices, it’s critical to have a Plan C, a.k.a. a few solid cold-weather ideas, on hand. Thankfully, we’ve discovered a plethora of activities to keep kids occupied and prevent boredom during the long and prolonged winter months. Here are the best indoor and outdoor winter activities for your family, ranging from fun and games in the snow to board games in the living room to cultural and educational excursions outside the home.
- Drop into the snow and make snow angels
- Get your hands busy with a snow fort
- Create animal sculptures and use twigs and pebbles to decorate
- Blow some bubbles and watch how fast the freeze up in extreme cold
- Use balloon and create rainbow sculptures
- Use kitchen wear to build stuff out of snow!
- Create snow tracks – spell words and draw pictures with your feet!
- Play with a ball. Soccer is great in the snow.
- Don’t forget to catch snowflakes on your tongue.
- Make snow ice cream.
- Make snowballs and go bowling outside.
- Play a giant game of tic-tac-toe in the snow.
- Think like a scientist and measure the snowfall.
- Eat outside!
- Decorate trees with snow.
- Throw icicles safely.
- Draw pictures on your cars.
- Get the neighbors together and have a snowball fight.
- Sled down a hill.
- Go skating.
- Build a snowman, don’t forget a hat and scarf!
- Color the snow with spray paint or chalk paint.
- Make a snow maze.
- Make and hang a bird feeder in the backyard.
- Have a sled-pulling contest.
- Make a pyramid out of snowballs.
- Make ice cube sculptures.
- Throw icicles on the ground and watch them smash.
- Play a game of snow golf — bury tin cans in the snow to be your holes.
- Measure your body with snowballs.
- Build a snow catapult with a piece of wood for launching snowballs.
- Write your name in the snow, like you would on a beach.
- Have a snowball throwing contest.
- Play at a playground after a fresh snowfall.
- Have a contest to see who can roll the biggest snowball.
- Bury your legs in the snow.
- Paint the snow.
- Warm up around a winter campfire.
- Go on a hike.
- Have a scavenger hunt in the snow.
- Go skiing.
- Go snowshoeing.
- Play a game of hockey.
- Go to a local ice sculpture garden! Or marvel at your local snow people!
- Shovel a neighbor’s driveway or sidewalk. (If you’re doing this one, wear a mask!)
- Make ice moulds and suncatchers.
- Go snowmobiling.
- Roll in the snow then hop in your hot tub.
- Check out your local zoo — some offer free admission during the winter months!
- Go out searching for animal tracks after a fresh snowfall.
Unlike other winter bucket lists for kids that include a variety of indoor activities, this one focuses solely on ideas and activities to do together outside. Because staying inside all winter isn’t an option, is it?
The majority of the ideas on this winter bucket list for kids are free or affordable, use resources you already have on hand, and/or may be found in your backyard! So wrap yourself warm and go outside with one of these simple and enjoyable ideas!