13 Fun Winter Activities For Families

13 Fun Winter Activities For Families

Whether winters are cold or warm where you live, winter can be a time to try some new seasonal activities with your family. We live in Florida, so our winters are mild, but we’re originally from NYC, so we’re used to freezing temperatures and blizzards. We didn’t have kids when we lived in NYC, but we brought our older kids back to visit during Christmas one year and did all the winter tourist things with them, like Saint Patrick’s Cathedral and ice skating at Rockefeller Center.

Here’s a list of 13 activities we’ve done and loved with our kids during the winter, except for the snow activities. They’re on our bucket list! Bundle up and start with some outdoor fun, then head inside for hot cocoa and indoor activities.

Outdoor Winter Activities

• Snow painting. One way to get creative outside is to try some snow painting. Mix food coloring with water to make some paint, and use snow as your canvas.
• Take a winter nature walk and look for animal tracks, bare trees, pinecones, or winter birds. Collect natural materials outdoors and use them later for crafts or nature journals.
• Have a family snowball target practice using buckets, hoops, or drawn targets.
• Bundle up for a winter picnic with hot soup or cocoa in insulated mugs.
• Plan a “sunset walk” and talk about how daylight changes in winter.

Indoor Winter Activities

• Build a blanket-and-pillow “winter lodge” or cozy cabin and read books inside.
• Host a family hot cocoa bar with toppings like marshmallows, cinnamon, or whipped cream.
• Make paper snowflakes and decorate windows or walls with a winter theme.
• Bake winter treats together (my husband loves to bake with our kids), like snowball or gingerbread cookies.
• Have a winter movie afternoon with blankets and popcorn.
• Try an indoor “snowball” fight using soft white socks or foam balls.
• Create a winter science experiment, such as melting ice, freezing water, or growing frost on jars.
• Learn about winter holidays and traditions from around the world.

Winter looks different depending on where you live, but getting outside—whether in snow boots or sneakers—helps kids burn energy, boost creativity, and make lasting family memories.