10 of the Best Activities To Do With Kids on a Snowy Day
The stuff that kid dreams are made of, snow days mean a day off from school to explore, run, jump, and play in winter weather. Good for a student’s well-being and packed with opportunities, there are a number of fun snow day activities to keep kids focused, entertained, and active all day long.
If you’re looking for things to do on a snow day, check out 10 of our best indoor and outdoor snow day activities.
Indoor Snow Day Activities
While you might decide to cozy up on the couch with some popcorn and your favorite snow day movie—Frozen, anyone?—here are some other ideas to take advantage of your time indoors.
1. Create an obstacle course.
Kids have a lot of energy, and when you’re stuck inside, it can be difficult to find ways to get those wiggles out. Get them moving with an indoor obstacle course. Use your whole home or a room or two to create various stations.
Here’s how to make some stations:
- Make a path on the floor using couch cushions and pillows to build your own “Floor is Lava” setup, where the path created is the only way forward.
- Use painter’s tape to map out each square of hopscotch.
- Position big cardboard boxes on one side to make crawl tunnels.
- Time each other to see who can complete the obstacle course the fastest to be the champion!
2. Make playdough.
A mini science experiment with a big dose of fun, making homemade playdough requires just five ingredients, one adult, and a little elbow grease.
Let the kids help in the playdough making process—the measuring, mixing, and kneading are all kid-friendly and will help them stay focused and excited to play with the finished product.
Ingredients
- 4 drops food coloring
- ½ cup boiling water
- 1½ teaspoons vegetable oil
- ½ cup flour
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- ¼ cup salt
Directions
- Add food coloring to the boiling water. Remove from heat, mix, and add vegetable oil.
- In a separate bowl, mix the flour, cream of tartar, and salt.
- Stir the dry ingredients into the liquid mixture and continue mixing until it turns doughy.
- When the dough is cool enough, knead it with your hands until it’s no longer sticky.
- Divide the finished dough among the kids and play!
3. Set up a hot chocolate bar.
There’s nothing better than a warm cup of hot chocolate after playing in the snow. Sweet and smooth, this tasty drink is a kid favorite all on its own.
However, with the option to pick and choose their hot chocolate toppings, the little ones remain engaged and work on their fine motor and discernment skills. Simply set up a hot chocolate bar with ingredients and foods you already have on hand.
Some ideas of what to include in your hot chocolate station include:
- Marshmallows
- Candy canes
- Rainbow sprinkles
- Chocolate sprinkles
- M&Ms
- Whipped cream
- Chocolate chips
- Cinnamon sticks
- Chocolate syrup
- Caramel syrup
Just like hot chocolate, tea can also warm up a cold day. Check out this article to find a tea you’ll love.
4. Make macaroni necklaces.
Macaroni necklaces are a great way to keep kids occupied and can even be awesome crafty gifts to give their friends and family.
All you need is some string, yarn, or thread to get started. Then, grab dry macaroni—or penne, rigatoni, or ziti—and go through your drawers and cabinets to come up with extra materials to string together.
Items that work perfectly include:
- Straws
- Wooden beads
- Pipe cleaners
- Buttons
- Cardboard
Get extra crafty and paint your materials with bright colors and designs for a super-cool look.
5. Use marshmallows for fun stuff.
White and puffy, marshmallows are the quintessential snow day treat, but they’re just as fun to play with as they are to eat.
Whether you have a bag of large or mini marshmallows, the snow day activity options are endless.
Here are just a few ideas on how you can use marshmallows for something other than snacking:
- Make fluff slime.
- Make an indoor snowman.
- Use it for Santa’s beard.
- See who can launch their marshmallow the farthest.
- Use it as “snow” for a winter wonderland diorama.
- Make a marshmallow tower.
Outdoor Snow Day Activities
Think playing in the snow, but upgraded. That’s right, check out these ideas to find ways to maximize snowy playtime.
6. Paint snow.
Painting with kids doesn’t just kill time; it can help them do many important things, like convey ideas, express emotions, explore color, and use their senses.
To be able to go outside and paint the snow offers the best of both worlds—embracing nature and instilling valuable skills. To get going, combine food coloring and water in a squirt bottle and spray paint the snow.
Or, just bring out your kid’s paints and paintbrushes to get artsy using the snow as a canvas. With full snow, there’s no limit to how big a masterpiece you can create.
7. Make maple syrup candy.
The coolest way to make candy is to use snow, plain and simple. A Canadian-inspired sweet that’s loved by grown-ups and kids alike, all you need is 100% pure maple syrup and some snow. Make the candy in four steps:
- Step 1: Collect snow in a clean container. Store it in the freezer or outside, where it’ll remain frozen.
- Step 2: Pour the maple syrup into a pot over medium-high heat. Stir consistently until hot and boiling rapidly.
- Step 3: Remove the pot from heat and scoop spoonfuls of the syrup onto the stored snow.
- Step 4: Wait for the syrup to harden. Remove the candy pieces and enjoy!
Maple syrup is also delicious over baked apple French toast. Get the recipe for this and other savory breakfasts here.
8. Build a snowman.
When the conditions are just right, and you have wet, easy-to-pack snow, playing in the snow is a no-brainer. Bundle up in your best waterproof gear—coat, pants, shoes, and gloves—and have some snowy fun.
Create balls of snow by forming them in your hands; the bigger, the better. Once you get a sizeable snowball formed, roll it around to collect more snow and build a snowman.
Stack three snowballs on top of each other from biggest to smallest, and decorate your snowman using:
- Sticks
- Rocks
- Clothing
- Wigs
- Vegetables
- Craft supplies
9. Blow frozen bubbles.
Blowing bubbles is just as much of a snow day activity as a hot day activity. That’s right, you can blow bubbles outside during cold days, too—and it might even be more of a wow-worthy endeavor.
However, to blow frozen bubbles, the temperature has to be below freezing, and your blowing technique might need some refinement.
Tips for blowing bubbles in the freezing cold include:
- Chill the bubble solution before using it outside.
- Make sure your breath isn’t too warm.
- Try dipping a straw in the bubble solution and blowing through the straw.
- Blow gently.
10. Inspect a snowflake.
Delve into the wonderous world of meteorology and try catching a falling snowflake. When you do, study the snowflake and its magical formation. A great learning experience, use this time to educate your child on how a snowflake comes to be.
A snowflake is formed when an extremely cold water droplet freezes onto a dust or pollen particle in the sky, creating an ice crystal. As this crystal continues to fall, water vapor freezes onto the primary crystal, forming new crystals (or arms) of the snowflake.
How to Dress For Your Outdoor Snow Day Activities
Whether you’re drinking hot chocolate, making playdough, or building an obstacle course indoors, the snow outside is always calling. Before you head out to paint snow, marvel at snowflakes, or build a snowman, make sure you’re prepped for your outdoor snow day activities. Step one: find the right coat! Read “A Coat Guide for Fun and Necessary Cold-Weather Activities” to confirm you and yours are properly suited.