Winter is the best season of the year for those who are passionate about holidays and exciting activities. One of the indispensable memories is snow day activities. This is because snow only appears once a year. The wonderful feelings, the energy of the air, and the time spent with family or friends are wonderful. Kids always love dynamic games such as water activities or snow activities. They can enjoy themselves after a long time studying at school. Winter holidays are always the warmest and most wonderful gathering, no matter how cold the weather is! For snow day activities, we have both indoor and outdoor activities. Always make sure that the kids have fun. You can organize healthy activities. However, they will bring many memorable memories. We also suggest some tips to keep the kids healthy when participating in winter activities.
Outdoor Snow Day Activities
Kids will love bundling up in cozy coats, gloves, and scarves during winter. After that, they can feel the snow in their hands, play around, and explore all it has to offer. Parents put in a lot of effort to plan outdoor snow activities. Outdoor activities are not just for the kids; adults join in on the fun too. We offer 5S interesting activities:
Snowman Building
Building a snowman is one of the fun snow day activities for kids of all ages. Use a 3-2-1 snowball size to get the right shape. For example, a base of three feet wide, a middle section of two feet, and a head of one foot. Keep your snowman lower to the ground for better balance.
While a snowman is a classic choice, don’t feel limited. Let the kids decorate in creative ways. Try a funny hat or a quirky sweater. You can even make snowdogs, snowcats, or an entire snow family. Add more fun by using snow paint. You can mix food coloring and water in a bottle to give snow creations colorful outfits or cool patterns.
Snowball Fight
Snowball fights are a fun way to get kids outside and active on a snow day. While older kids might enjoy them more, younger ones still love making and tossing snowballs. Since the game often means hitting others, remind kids to stay safe—no aiming at faces and no adding ice or rocks. If you’d rather avoid the throwing, turn it into a challenge. See who can throw the farthest or who can make the most snowballs the fastest.
Sled Riding
Sled Riding is a top winter activity for families. As kids get older, they love the thrill of speeding down. But safety comes first, especially with little ones. Choose a hill that’s not too steep and has a long, flat bottom to help slow them down. Avoid hills near roads, ponds, parking lots, or trees. Even small hills can bring a lot of fun. Older kids may want bigger hills, but starting with a smaller one can still keep everyone’s activities for hours.
Snow Art
Add some color to the snow with snow paint. Mix water and food coloring in a spray bottle, and let the kids decorate the snow with their designs. You can also give them a paintbrush so they can color snowballs or paint pictures directly on the snow.
Snow maze
If you’ve got a big area covered in fresh snow, try making a snow maze for the kids. You can shovel or walk through the snow to create paths with turns, dead ends, and loops. Adjust the maze’s difficulty depending on their age. They’ll love finding their way through and racing to see who finishes first.
Indoor Snow Day Activities
Even though you have spent the whole day participating in outdoor snow day activities, in the evening you still want to organize indoor activities to increase family bonding. We will have warm and relaxing activities for you. Indoor activities are indispensable for the Christmas season. You will have beautiful souvenir photos to keep!
Obstacle Course
A fun way to enjoy indoor snow day activities is to set up an obstacle course for the kids. The game keeps them busy, active, and using their imagination. We like to make one in the basement with different stations, so kids can complete a task before moving on. Use furniture, pillows, blankets, cushions, and toys. The kids can climb over, crawl under, and move around the obstacles.
You can add tasks like spinning in circles, doing somersaults, jumping jacks, pushups, shooting a basket, hitting a target, or jumping rope. You can use Christmas decorations as obstacles. This is memorable and the kids will save this game to play every Christmas.
Graph a Gingerbread House
Graphing a gingerbread house is a perfect indoor activity for a snow day. The game keeps the kids busy, allows them to be creative, and adds a festive touch to the day. They can decorate the house with candy, icing, and sprinkles, assembling the walls and roof. Moreover, Gingerbread house is a sweet treat they can enjoy afterward!
Blanket Fort
Kids love the excitement of a blanket fort. This game can be one of the favorite activities of toddlers. The secret place keeps them entertained for hours. Give them pillows, cushions, sheets, chairs, and clips, and let them build their own. Older kids might make a bigger fort around the couch with secret rooms and tunnels. It’s a fun way for them to play on their own and get creative. Blanket forts bring extra warmth during winter and are perfect for sparking their imaginations.
Cookies and Tea Party
Make mealtimes more fun on a snowy day by having an indoor tea party or picnic. Clear some space, spread blankets or tablecloths on the floor, and serve fun snacks like cookies, fruit skewers, sandwiches, chips, and lemonade. Let the kids take part in choosing and preparing the food. Use paper plates for quick cleanup, turn on some music, and enjoy a relaxed meal together.
You could also turn it into an afternoon tea party just for the girls. They’ll love the pink decorations. Let them talk about what winter is like this year. It’s a great way for them to feel relaxed during the winter months and have free activities for themself.
Staying Safe During Snow Day Activities
Snow day activities lose their fun if kids get hurt. While parents can’t control everything outside, they can take steps to prevent accidents. Preparing ahead of time helps avoid unwanted situations.
You can rely on the following checklist before participating in snow day activities:
- Always check the weather forecast before leaving for the day.
- Dress the kids properly for the temperature and the activity planned.
- Make sure all equipment fits well and is in good condition, including the right safety helmet.
- Choose activities that match the kids’ age and skill level.
Temperature checking
Before sending kids outside in the cold, you need to check the weather. It’s mild in the morning doesn’t mean it will stay later. Even warmer weather can be tricky—melting snow can soak clothes, and ice may become unsafe. If the temperature or wind chill falls below -25°C (-13°F), keep children indoors. At that level of cold, exposed skin can freeze in minutes.
Dress in three layers
Start with a thin moisture-wicking layer like polyester next to the skin. Add a middle layer of wool or fleece for insulation. Top it off with a waterproof and windproof outer layer made of nylon or Gore-Tex. Kids should remove the outer layer just before any hard snow day activities to prevent sweating. During breaks, they need to put the layers back on to keep warm. Don’t forget a hat, mittens, a tube scarf, and waterproof boots.
Water and sunscreen
Make sure kids drink plenty of warm fluids to help their bodies stay warm. If hot drinks aren’t available, plain water works too. It’s easy to get dehydrated in cold weather without realizing it. Take regular breaks from snow day activities to warm up. You shouldn’t forget sunscreen, even on cloudy days.
Final Thought
Snow day activities are the most anticipated activities of the year. Both parents and children can participate in activities together, enjoy the atmosphere, and relax. After a year of hard work and study, winter vacation brings many memories and time to increase family affection. Kids can feel the love from hugs, stories, delicious meals, and the joy from playing games while the snow falls outside the window. They also be more mature in thinking and acting when they are connected with family members. Winter activities should be carefully prepared to protect health and create memorable moments.
