Looking for fun and easy winter activities for kids? This winter theme is packed with hands-on winter activities for preschoolers, toddlers, and elementary kids, including simple science, art, sensory play, and STEM ideas.
Whether you’re planning a winter theme for preschool, searching for winter activities for toddlers, or just need engaging kids’ winter activities to enjoy indoors or outdoors, you’ll find low-prep ideas that make winter learning fun and doable all season long.
→ Free printables and templates included with many of these winter activities, plus hands-on projects inside our Printable Winter STEM Pack.
Kids Winter Activities For All Ages
Looking for winter theme activities to keep kids busy indoors (or outdoors when weather allows)? We love creating winter games, crafts, science experiments, and STEM activities that families and classrooms can enjoy together using simple, inexpensive supplies.
- Low-prep winter activities using just a few materials you may already have at home or in the classroom.
- Suitable for preschoolers through elementary-aged kids—and fun enough for adults to join in too.
- Free printables and templates included with many activities to make setup fast and easy.
- Play-based learning opportunities that explore winter science, STEM, art, and sensory play.
Click here to grab your printable science guide and STEM cards!
Fun Winter Theme Ideas
These winter activities are organized by topic below, making it easy to find science, art, sensory play, and winter-themed learning ideas that fit your needs.
There are so many fun activities to enjoy with your kids during the winter months. Click on the titles below for the complete supply list and instructions. All of these winter activities are easy to do, use simple and inexpensive supplies, and are sure to be a hit with the kids!
Want a list of ideas that are best for indoors? Check out 100 fun indoor activities for kids!
Winter Science & Engineering
Birdseed Ornaments or DIY Bird Feeder – Make this super easy DIY bird feeder to feed the wild birds in your backyard during winter.
DIY Thermometer – Make your own thermometer and compare indoor and outdoor temperatures. Or track winter temperatures!
Crystal Snowflake Ornaments – You can enjoy your crystal snowflake ornaments all winter long with our simple borax crystal growing recipe!
Salt Crystal Snowflakes – Similar to our crystal snowflake ornaments above, except this time we grow crystals with salt.
Fizzing Snowman – Explore chemical reactions and a fun winter theme with a snowman activity that kids love!
Freezing Bubbles – Who doesn’t love blowing bubbles? Take the bubble play outdoors and see if you can freeze bubbles with our easy bubble recipe.
Frost On A Can – A simple and visual way to demonstrates the process of condensation. Learn about the water cycle and the principles of condensation with a can and some ice.
Frosty’s Bubbles – Turn a paper cup into a winter snowman and explore some fun bubble science.
Frosty’s Magic Milk – A simple classic science activity with a wintery theme the kids love! Frosty’s magic milk experiment is sure to be a favorite.
Ice Fishing – Kids will love this fishing for ice cubes that can be done no matter the temperature outside.
Iceberg Density Experiment – Explore what happens to ice cubes in different concentrations of saltwater.
LEGO Challenge Cards – Winter theme LEGO challenge cards are the perfect way to breathe new life into your building challenges this season.
Marshmallow Igloo – What do hot cocoa and igloos have in common? Marshmallows, of course! Build an igloo out of the white squishy candy as a fun way to explore the winter season.
Build 3D Marshmallow Shapes – Use our free printable shape cards to build 2D and 3D shapes with only toothpick and marshmallows. When you are finished, why not try our marshmallow tower challenge!
Melting Snowmen – This is a simple winter science activity perfect for preschoolers. Make snowmen from baking soda and watch them “melt” or fizz away when you add the vinegar.
Melting Snow Science – The best part of this winter science experiment is that you can use the abundance of snow outside! Now if you don’t have snow where you are, you can still try it with ice cubes!
Melting Ice Cube Race: Explore how ice melts faster on some surfaces than others. It all comes down to heat absorption, reflection, and transfer.
Reindeer Facts & Activities – Learn all about these amazing Arctic animals and print out our free Name the Body Part reindeer worksheet.
Polar Bear Blubber Experiment – How do polar bears and other Arctic animals stay warm in freezing temperatures, icy water, and relentless wind? This blubber science experiment will help kids feel and see what keeps those big animals warm!
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Whale Blubber Experiment
Snowball Launcher – Get the kids designing, engineering, testing, and exploring physics with an easy homemade indoor snowball launcher for STEM! Grab the printable snowball launcher STEM challenge!
Snow Shovel STEM Challenge – Use simple supplies to construct a device that will shovel snow. Test it out with some “fake snow”.
Snow Water Cycle – Explore the winter water cycle, where snow is the main form of precipitation.
Snow Candy – Learn about the science behind how this simple snow candy is made and how snow helps that process along!
Snow Ice Cream (Winter Food Science) – This super-easy, 3-ingredient snow ice cream recipe is perfect for a yummy treat this season. It’s a bit different from our ice cream in a bag science experiment, but still lots of fun!
Snowflake Science with YouTube – Here are some great snowflake videos that my son and I really enjoy and think you will too!
Snow Storm In A Jar – Setup an invitation to create a winter snowstorm in a jar science experiment with oil and water.
Snow Volcano (Outdoor Winter Science) – Take a simple baking soda and vinegar reaction out into the snow!
Sticky Ice Experiment: Explore how temperature, pressure, and surface texture affects whether ice is slippery or sticky.
Winter Animal Adaptions Experiment: Winter can be harsh, but animals have unique adaptations to survive freezing temperatures. This fun experiment explores how different materials mimic the insulating properties of animal adaptations to the cold.
Winter Food Chains: Explore the food chains of animals and plants living in the Artic tundra biome.
Winter Weather Science: Explore weather science through hands-on activities that explore winter weather patterns and the water cycle.
Winter Secret Coding Pictures: Reveal a surprise winter theme image using simple directions and a grid, no screens required!
Winter Art & Crafts
DIY Snow Globe – Make a simple, fun snow globe for kids that’s easy to make and mess-free. These beautiful glitter snow globes are mesmerizing, and a fun winter craft to try!
Paper Snow Globe Craft – This craft is easy to make with our free printable snow globe template.
Grandma Moses Winter Art – Create a fun winter scene inspired by the famous artist, Grandma Moses. An easy way to learn about primitive art for kids of all ages!
Frida Winter Art (Famous Artist Project) – This fun Frida Kahlo winter art project is inspired by the famous artist’s work! Use the free printable to help kids create their own unique winter art.
Picasso Snowman – If Picasso painted a snowman, what would it look like? Explore the fun side of the famous artist, Pablo Picasso, this winter by making your own cubist snowman.
Preschool Snowflake Art With Tape – A super simple snowflake painting activity perfect for young kids. Our tape resist snowflake painting is easy to set up and fun to do this season.
Snowflake Coloring Page – Nothing says winter like freshly fallen snow! These easy snowflake coloring pages below are sure to please the Winter fan.
Drawing Snowflakes Step By Step – Learn how to draw a snowflake step by step for fun winter art projects. Once you know how to draw an ice crystal, it’s a snap to draw a snowflake!
Melted Bead Snowflake Ornament – Make your own plastic snowflake ornaments with melted pony beads. Follow our step-by-step tutorial to create these simple winter ornaments.
LEGO Snowflake Ornament – Find out how to make this fun LEGO snowflake ornament.
Polar Bear Paper Plate Craft – Make your own paper plate polar bears for a fun and easy winter theme craft.
Polar Bear Puppet Craft – Learning about amazing Arctic animals? Then treat the kids to a fun winter craft with these easy-to-make polar bear puppets!
Snowman In A Bag – Make your own snowman in a bag for homemade sensory play. This easy squishy craft is sure to be a favorite winter activity for kids.
3D Snowman – Check out this simple paper craft that doubles as a cool winter snowman too!
3D Paper Snowflakes – Can you imagine a way to make a 3D snowflake out of paper? Look no further than our 3D paper snowflakes. Grab our free printable 3D snowflake template.
Snowy Owl Winter Craft – How do snowy owls live in some of the coldest parts of the world? Learn more about these amazing white birds and make your own snowy owls with our fun pinecone owl ornaments.
Snow Paint – Treat the kids to an indoor snow painting session with this super easy to make snow paint recipe!
Snowflake Stamping – Get stamping this winter with our gorgeous DIY snowflake stamp. Great for fine motor skills and learning about shapes, this snowflake craft is sure to please!
Snowflake Zentangle – Draw zentangle patterns onto our printable snowflake template using colored markers or art supplies.
Snowflake Salt Painting (Winter Art Project) –Have you ever tried salt painting for a quick winter craft activity? We think snowflake salt painting is tons of fun.
Yule Log Craft For Winter Solstice – Here is a simple and fun craft for winter solstice, make this paper yule log craft. ❄️ Check out more fun winter solstice activities for kids.
Watercolor Snowflakes – Use a hot glue gun to create a resist on cardstock, then paint colorful snowflakes on an indoor winter’s day.
Winter Owl Printing: Get stamping this season with a fun winter art activity that uses potatoes as paintbrushes.
Winter Dot Painting – Be inspired by the famous artist, George Seurat, to create this fun winter scene with nothing but dots. Free printable included!
Winter Mittens Activity – Explore colors, simple science, and fine motor skills with these printable mittens outline mats for preschool and kindergarten.
Winter Handprint Art – Make an easy winter theme handprint craft with simple materials.
Winter Theme Slime Recipes
Snow Slime Recipes – We have the BEST winter theme slime recipes around. You can make our melting snowman slime, snowflake confetti slime, fluffy snow slime, snow floam, and more!
Melting Snowman Slime – It is always fun to make melting snowman slime! Although it’s sad to see a real snowman melt away, this slime will provide lots of laughs instead.
Snowflake Slime – Recreate the magic of snowflakes with clear slime and sparkly snowflake glitter!
White Fluffy Snow Slime – Our fluffy snow slime is one of our favorite winter slime recipes. Grab the white glue and shaving foam. It’s a slime addiction!
Fake Snow Slime – Create this fun textured snow slime with fake snow and white glue.
Avalanche Slime – This easy-to-make avalanche slime recipe focuses more on the process and is a big hit with kids! The cool effect happens when you combine white glue slime and clear glue slime and have a little bit of patience!
Winter Sensory Activities
Make Fake Snow – Too much snow or not enough snow? It doesn’t matter when you know how to make fake snow! Treat the kids to an indoor snowman-building session or fun winter sensory play with this super-easy-to-make fake snow recipe!
Preschool Penguin Activities – Penguins are so much fun to learn about for a winter theme. Sensory play, books, a little math, and animal habitats all rolled into a fun science activity for toddlers, preschoolers, and even kindergarten.
Snowflake Oobleck (Winter Sensory Play) – Two-ingredient oobleck or goop with a fun winter snowflake theme kids will love.
Snowman Sensory Bottle – Instead of building a real snowman, let’s make a snowman sensory bottle!
Winter Playdough Mats – Make up a batch of winter theme playdough and pair it with these printable winter playdough mats to explore the winter season.
Winter Ice Castle Sensory Bin – You’ll love this fantastic winter sensory activity: an ice castle sensory bin. Get ready for a flurry of excitement as we blend white kinetic sand, peg people, and castle building blocks to create this easy winter sensory bin. Check out more easy winter sensory bin ideas!
Winter Games for Kids
- Winter Would You Rather Questions
- Winter Bingo Activities
- Winter Alphabet Bingo
- Winter Olympics Unit Study Guide
- Winter LEGO Cards
Winter Activities By Topic
- Indoor Activities For Kids
- Things To Do In The Snow
- Printable Winter Activity Sheets
- Winter Science Experiments
- Snowflake Activities
- Snowman Activities
- Winter LEGO Building Ideas
- Winter Sensory Bins
Extend Your Winter Learning
If you’d like everything organized in one place, our Printable Winter STEM Pack includes 250+ pages of winter-themed science, STEM, and art projects, complete with instructions, printables, and kid-friendly learning prompts.
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