With the thick of winter fast approaching, you’re probably searching up things to do with kids on a snow day. You know, the days when you’re stuck inside from the ice and snow, times when school is canceled, roads may be undrivable, or it may just be too cold outside to play.
How do you keep your kids busy in the winter?
While we all may love a good excuse to go sledding, make snow angels, or build a snowman, sometimes there are other things you’d prefer to do in the winter (if only you knew what!) or maybe you just want to break up your normal go-to activities.
Today, I’m sharing with you fun indoor activities you can do at home on a snow day when boredom strikes and when it’s too cold outside to play:
Edibles
Make hot cocoa
Of course, when it’s cold outside, that’s a good time to stay in and cook or make treats together with your kids. Keep warm this winter by stocking up on hot cocoa or learning how to make some yourself with ingredients you may already have in your pantry such as cocoa powder, sugar, marshmallows, and milk.
Snow ice cream
Have you heard the saying, “When life gives you snow, make snow ice cream!”? Yes, scoop up a few cups of fresh snow, mix with your choice of milk, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and fine sea salt. It doesn’t hold up well in the freezer, so this is a treat you’ll want to enjoy and eat right away!
Make maple syrup snow candy (aka snow taffy)
All you’ll need is real maple syrup and clean, fresh snow. Bring your maple syrup to a bubbly boil and then pour it over the snow to get a cooled consistency of taffy in seconds. I usually fill a baking sheet up with packed down snow, then carefully pour the super hot syrup in lines on the snow. You can take popsicle sticks and roll them onto the taffy so that the syrup cools down and hardens onto each stick.
Crafts
Snow painting
A little food coloring can go a long way. Whether you want to bring some snow inside or try your hand at this water color activity outside, just fill some small containers with food coloring and water, and then have at it painting the snow.
Frozen bubbles
Oh my gosh! Last winter I saw these insane images floating around social media of ice bubbles, so this winter I want to be sure to add this to the list of activities to try. Imagine a bubble that has been crystalized — it’s sooo cool! For the best results, it’s recommended to mix 1 cup of water, 2 tablespoons of corn syrup, and 2 tablespoons of dish soap to create those viral (and remarkable) frozen bubbles. If you do this (and was inspired by this blog), I would love to see your ice bubbles online so please tag us @knoxvillemoms if you do.
Painting with ice cubes
For this craft you’ll need an ice tray and food coloring. Fill the ice tray with water and the colors and freeze. Once they’re frozen, let your kids paint with the colorful ice cubes. This is a super easy winter craft you can do with or without the snow!
Sensory bins
Construction cars
Bring the snow indoors in a bin and toss in a few construction trucks and cars for your kiddos to play with until the snow melts. Then repeat! Simple and fun.
Kitchen utensils
Not into construction cars or don’t have any? No problem. Fill a bin with snow and toss in random kitchen utensils for play. Think about adding in something to scoop with like a spoon, spatula, and cups. Super easy and will keep little ones busy and engaged.
DIY snow
Don’t feel like diddling with real snow? Create your own! All you’ll need are two ingredients you probably already have at home: baking soda and white hair conditioner. To make your own fake snow, you’ll need to mix 2 1/2 cups of baking soda with 1/2 cup of white hair conditioner. If the snow is too wet, just add more baking soda and whoolah: DIY snow.
There are so many things you can do to keep kids engaged on winter days. A few other honorable mentions are:
- Play a board game
- Have a movie night
- Host an indoor playdate
- Bake
- Build a fort
- Make puzzles
