Winter, with its chill and early sunsets, can sometimes feel like a challenge when it comes to keeping kids entertained. When the temperatures drop and the snow piles up outside, it’s easy to find yourself stuck indoors with restless little ones. But winter doesn’t have to mean boredom! There are countless creative, fun, and even educational activities that you can do with your kids indoors, making the most of the colder months. Whether you’re looking for arts and crafts ideas, family games, or engaging science experiments, there’s something for every age group and interest.
Here’s a comprehensive list of ideas to help you find fun things to do with your kids indoors this winter:
1. Create a Cozy Indoor Fort
One of the classic winter activities is building a fort. Grab blankets, pillows, and chairs to create a cozy space where your kids can retreat to with books, toys, and snacks. Encourage your children to take part in the building process by helping to drape sheets, arrange cushions, and set up fairy lights. Once it’s complete, you can even plan a fort-themed day. Let the kids bring in some of their favorite toys or play games like “treasure hunt” within the fort.
2. Baking Together
Winter is the perfect time to get cozy in the kitchen and bake up some delicious treats. Baking with kids is a fun and educational activity that helps develop their math skills (measuring ingredients), motor skills (mixing and stirring), and patience (waiting for things to bake). Choose simple recipes like cookies, brownies, or cupcakes, and let the kids help with every step. Decorate your creations with colorful icing, sprinkles, or candy. Not only do you get a fun activity, but you also have tasty treats to enjoy afterward!
3. Indoor Obstacle Course
An indoor obstacle course is a great way to burn off some energy on a cold winter day. Use pillows, chairs, blankets, and other household items to create a course that kids must navigate. Challenge them to crawl under tables, jump over pillows, or balance on a line of tape. You can time them for a race, or simply make it a fun, non-competitive activity. Indoor obstacle courses promote physical activity and help kids develop coordination and balance.
4. Arts and Crafts Projects
The winter season is ideal for creating seasonal crafts. You can make snowflakes, winter-themed collages, or even snowmen out of cotton balls. Arts and crafts allow kids to explore their creativity and practice fine motor skills. Stock up on colored paper, glue, scissors, markers, and stickers to create a variety of fun art projects. You can also create homemade cards, winter decorations for the house, or handmade gifts for family members. For older kids, try more complex projects like DIY bird feeders or painting rocks.
5. Science Experiments
Winter is the perfect time to introduce your kids to some fun, hands-on science experiments. These can be done using common household items, and they can help spark an interest in science while keeping them entertained for hours. Some simple experiments include:
- Make a Snowstorm in a Jar: Fill a clear jar with water, add some baby oil, and then sprinkle in some glitter or cotton balls to simulate snow. Shake the jar and watch the “snowstorm” unfold.
- Baking Soda and Vinegar Volcano: A simple, classic experiment. Mix vinegar and baking soda in a bowl for a fizzy, bubbly reaction that’s always a hit with kids.
- Frozen Bubbles: Take a bottle of bubble solution outside when it’s very cold and watch how the bubbles freeze in mid-air.
These experiments can help children learn basic scientific concepts such as cause and effect, reactions, and states of matter (liquid, solid, gas).
6. Host a Winter-Themed Movie Marathon
On a cold, snowy day, there’s nothing better than curling up with some popcorn and watching a winter-themed movie marathon. Choose a selection of winter favorites such as Frozen, The Polar Express, Elf, or Home Alone. To make it more exciting, have your children help with the movie selection. You could even have a theme for your movie day, such as “Christmas movies” or “Snowy Adventures.” Add to the experience by setting up a cozy space with blankets and pillows, and make it a fun movie night with hot cocoa and snacks.
7. Winter-Themed Indoor Scavenger Hunt
Create a scavenger hunt based on a winter theme, which can be done inside your house. Hide winter-related items, such as mittens, scarves, snowflakes, or small holiday-themed toys, in various rooms. Create clues or riddles that lead to the next item, and have your kids search for them as they follow the trail. You could also use this as an opportunity to teach them about winter weather or animals that live in cold climates. A scavenger hunt encourages problem-solving, teamwork, and physical activity.
8. Build and Paint a Snowman (Indoors)
Who says snowmen are only for the outdoors? If you’re stuck inside and missing the snow, gather some craft supplies and build a “snowman” indoors. Use cotton balls, construction paper, buttons, and other craft supplies to create a snowman. For an added twist, encourage the kids to paint or decorate their snowman with bright colors. You can even have a snowman-building competition or a family paint-off!
9. Indoor Bowling
Set up a bowling alley in your living room using soft balls and empty water bottles or plastic cups as pins. You can even decorate the pins to give them a fun, wintery look. Challenge your kids to see who can knock down the most pins in one roll, or create a scoring system to track how many “strikes” each person gets. Indoor bowling is a fun and active game that works well for families with kids of different ages.
10. Play Board Games or Card Games
Board games are an ideal winter activity because they encourage kids to think strategically, practice social skills, and engage with family members in a relaxed way. Choose games that are age-appropriate for your children, from classic games like Monopoly, Scrabble, and Connect 4, to newer ones like Ticket to Ride or Catan. For younger children, simple games like Candy Land, Chutes and Ladders, or memory matching games are perfect.
Card games, such as Go Fish, Old Maid, or Uno, are also great options for keeping kids entertained. If your kids are older, you might try more challenging card games like Crazy Eights or Rummy.
11. Have a Dance Party
Sometimes, a good way to burn off energy indoors is to throw a dance party. Crank up some fun music—whether it’s your favorite tunes or a playlist of kids’ songs—and let everyone dance around the living room. You could also teach them some classic dances, or have a dance-off where everyone has to come up with their silliest moves. Dancing is not only great for physical activity but also for building confidence and letting kids express themselves creatively.
12. Storytime or Puppet Show
Use the winter season as a reason to get cozy and read together. Have a family storytime with books that fit the season—think of winter stories like The Snowy Day, The Mitten, or Bear Snores On. You can take turns reading or create a puppet show based on the stories to make them come to life. Get creative by using household items like socks and paper bags to make your own puppets, and have the kids put on their very own show.
13. Indoor Gardening
Winter doesn’t have to be a time of barren plants—bring some greenery indoors and start an indoor gardening project. You could grow easy-to-care-for plants like herbs (e.g., basil, mint, parsley), or even start growing sprouts or small vegetables like radishes or lettuce. This activity is a great way to teach kids about plant growth and the environment. You can also take this a step further by crafting your own pots or planters out of recycled materials like egg cartons or yogurt containers.
14. Write Letters to Loved Ones
Winter is a great time to spread cheer and love, especially with the holidays around the corner. Have your kids write letters, make cards, or create drawings to send to grandparents, friends, or other family members. Writing letters helps children practice their handwriting skills, spelling, and grammar, and it’s a thoughtful way to stay connected with loved ones, even when they’re far away.
15. Play Winter-Themed Charades
Charades is a fun and interactive game that can be enjoyed by all ages. You can give it a winter twist by having your kids act out winter-related words or activities like ice skating, building a snowman, or skiing. This game is great for encouraging creativity, physical activity, and lots of laughter. You can make it more challenging for older kids by adding more complex actions or having them use props.
Final Thoughts
Spending time with your kids indoors during the winter months doesn’t have to feel limiting or boring. By getting creative and trying new activities, you can transform cold, dark days into fun and memorable family experiences. Whether it’s baking treats, building forts, or learning new things through science experiments, there are plenty of opportunities to bond and have fun with your kids. The key is to embrace the season and find ways to stay active, engaged, and entertained—no matter how cold it gets outside.
By planning ahead and gathering supplies for a variety of indoor activities, you’ll be ready for whatever winter throws your way. From arts and crafts to games and learning activities, there’s no shortage.