100+ FREE Winter Activities for Kids
With the Winter Holidays coming up, I’ve started thinking and planning for some fun and FREE Winter activities for kids, like mine and yours to do both independently, and for us all to do as a family. After all, nothing ruins a holiday faster than bored kids moaning there’s nothing to do all day!
So, as well as encouraging them to think up with their own activities, I like to keep a handy list, like this close by, so I have some easy free winter activities for kids to suggest to them when they need a spot of inspiration!
Since this list is so long, I have split it up into different categories so that it’s easier for you to quickly find the type of activity you’re looking for.
I have a section for outdoor activities, at home activities, learning something new, educational ideas, community activities, group activities, ideas for helping others.
So, here it is, my official list of Fun, FREE Winter Activities for Kids! Let me know if there are any more you’d like me to add to it!
FREE Outdoor Winter Activities for Kids
Fresh air and exercise are so good for our kiddos! Despite the cold conditions in winter, if you’re able to get outside whether in your backyard, street, or to a local forest, then I have a whole selection of fun and engaging Outdoor Winter Activities for your kids to try out!
I have included a mixture of outdoor activities here. There are some for closer to home and some for a day trip. Some of these can be done independently by your kids (depending on their age) and some are more geared towards family time together. Take a look and see which suit you.
- Do a Winter Scavenger Hunt – FREE one here!
- Make a Snow Volcano (use vinegar, baking soda, and some food coloring in a heap of snow)
- Create a Snow Maze
- Create Snow Sculptures of Animals
- Take some Winter Photographs
- Make Suncatchers with water, leaves, berries, and flowers frozen in a tray
- Make ice Marbles (freeze water and food coloring in a balloon)
- Catch Snowflakes on your tongue
- Make Snow Angels
- Build a Snow Igloo or Den
- Identify different types of snowflakes
- Snow Bowling using a ball and old plastic bottles
- Paint the Snow!
- Write messages in the snow with sticks
- Geocaching
- Make Snow Castles with your bucket and spade!
- Go looking for animal tracks in the snow
- Plant some Winter Vegetables (Kale, Brussel Sprouts, Turnips, etc)
Free Ideas to Learn Something New in Winter
Holidays and weekends are a great opportunity for your kids to learn something new, whether that’s learning about a subject or learning a new skill. These activity ideas are about picking up new skills and talents during the Winter months.
19. Teach yourself Origami (youtube tutorials or a library book)
20. Learn a New Language with DuoLingo
21. Learn a New Winter Themed Song
22. Take some free online Coding Classes
23. Learn to Juggle (Youtube videos are great for this!)
24. Learn a New Craft – Knitting, Crochet, Sewing, etc.
25. Make your own Christmas Cards
26. Learn to Cook your Favourite Meal
FREE Winter Activities for Kids at Home
During Winter we inevitably spend more of our time indoors. Whether this is due to the weather or the germs circulating more widely, I’ll leave for you to determine! Either way, we are on the lookout for more indoor activities than we need the rest of the year.
Therefore, this is the longest section of my list! I’ve got a mixture of crafts, games, challenges, family bonding time, sensory play, and chill out activities here. Something to suit everyone!
27. Snow Sandcastles – when it gets too cold to play outside, collect up a big tub of snow and bring it inside for a snow sensory bin!
28. Invent your own Winter Themed Board Game
29. Create Christmas Bunting – Grab these Free Color in ones here!
30. Bake Christmas Cookies or Gingerbread
31. Create a Stair Slide using a big piece of cardboard
32. Make a Winter Themed Collage with old photos, magazine and newspaper clippings, and stamps
33. Make some Christmas Scented Playdough
34. Winter Yoga (Find some guided Winter Themed Yoga Tutorials on Youtube to follow)
35. Recreate an Old Family Photo from this time of year!
36. Silly Fashion Show with Snow Gear!
37. Make Puffy Snow Paint (Glue and Shaving Cream)
38. Family Game Tournament
39. Build a Blanket Fort
40. Make DIY Puzzles
41. Stage a Family Talent Show
42. Homemade Slime!
43. Indoor Obstacle Course
44. Make Christmas Tree Decorations – Like These!
45. Create Little Models using Marshmallows and Cocktail Sticks
46. Family Christmas Movie Night!
47. Indoor Picnic
48. Make your own Christmas Crackers!
49. Create your own Comic Book
50. Play “Floor is Lava!”
51. Make Christmas Paper Chains
52. Family Quiz Night
53. Curl up with Hot Cocoa and a good Book
54. Christmas Dance Party!
55. Create an Appreciation Jar – Pop in little notes of appreciation for family members throughout the last month of the year and then read them all out at the beginning of the New Year!
56. Put on a Puppet Show with homemade sock puppets!
57. Make Snowflakes to decorate your windows Make a cute Scrap Book of all your Winter Activities
Free Winter Community Events
The community events available to your family very much depend on where you live, however for most people there should be a number of these activities available to you to try.
It’s always worth checking in your local newspaper, shop noticeboards, and even local ‘whats on’ facebook groups will often provide you with many free kids (or family) activities for Winter.
58. Check out your local farmers market
59. Community Christmas Tree Lightings
60. Check out local Christmas Markets or Fayres
61. Walk or drive around a neighbourhood with lots of Christmas Lights in the windows and front gardens!
62. Church Christmas Carol Services
63. Local Nativity Performances (Local schools or churches)
64. Neighbourhood Snowman Building Competition
65. Check out Local Shops Christmas Window Displays
Free Educational Activities for Kids in Winter
It’s great for our kids to be reminded that learning is not just confined to a classroom or certain times of the year. This list contains lots of fun, engaging, educational activities we can be doing with our kids in Winter.
66. Check out some Free Museums
67. Make Winter Snow Globes
68. Visit your Library and check if they have any free seasonal activities on too!
69. Do a Virtual Tour of a Zoo or Museum
70. Learn more about the different holidays celebrated during the Winter Season and their origins
71. Make your own Christmas Wrapping Paper (plain wrapping paper – add paint, stamps, or drawings)
72. Find out more about a topic you’re interested in by watching a documentary, researching online or with books
73. Bird Watching
74. Write a Winter Poem
75. Learn Morse Code
76. Do a mini science experiment at home
77. Make a Winter Weather Chart
78. Make a Christmas Countdown Calendar
79. Learn about Animals that use Camouflage in Winter
Activities for Kids that Help Others
One of our family values is teaching our kids the importance of looking out for others and helping those less fortunate than themselves. If this is also a family value of yours, this list should help!
I’ve included a mix of fun activities your kids can do alone or with the rest of your family to help others in their local community, both human and animal!
80. Make bird feeders to help your local birds
81. Make thank you cards for those in your community volunteering their time for community events
82. Volunteer at your local food pantry / food bank
83. Help Shovel a Neighbours Driveway
84. Volunteer at your local soup kitchen
85. Create Care kits for those experiencing homelessness
86. Have a clear out of all your old toys and books and donate them to others in need
87. Gift Baking to an Older Neighbour
88. Volunteer at your local animal shelter – they get busy this time of year!
89. Litter Picking
90. Visit your local Care Home and Sing Christmas Songs to cheer them up
Free Group Activities for Kids in Winter
Ever have a group of kids come up and tell you their bored? I find it so much harder to think up ideas on the spot if it’s a group of kids over for a playdate. If you’re looking for fun and meaningful activities for them to try, this list is for you!
91. Set up your own little business making and selling Christmas cookies door to door
92. Invent your own new winter sport
93. Carol Singing
94. Snowball Fight!
95. Toilet Roll Snowman Competition – in teams see who can create the best snowman by decorating a team member to look like a snowman using toilet paper and accessories
96. Santa’s Sleigh competition – design your own sledge and race them. Points for best design and fastest team!
97. Create a Lego Ice Castle, Santa’s Workshop, Snowman, etc
98. Stage a little play for your friends and family
99. Make your own seasonal news reel
100. Create some Winter Themed Face Masks
101. Create an Ice Slide outside – Grab a big sheet of plastic and spray it with water – wait for it to freeze and slide down it in waterproofs!
I hope you enjoyed this fun FREE Winter Activities for Kids list! Let me know if there are any more you’d add to it and be sure to pin so you don’t lose it for next year!