Fun Winter Activities to Keep Your Kids Busy

COVID-19 has forced both adults and children to remain indoors for months now with ongoing travel restrictions and repeated health warnings. Being confined to your home is bad enough. But tackling kids, especially toddlers, who’ve been left housebound for a prolonged time could be draining for many parents.

And with all the winter festivities up ahead, it’s going to be extra challenging to keep them entertained. Dealing with the pent up energy of little ones is certainly not going to be easy. But the good news is, there are tons of creative ways to keep them busy this winter. In this article, we’ll guide you through some of the best indoor and outdoor activities you can plan for the entire family. After all, who said being stuck at home needs to be boring?

How Do I Get My Kids Outside in the Winter?

If you’ve chosen not to travel because of the pandemic, then not to worry, there are still plenty of fun activities you can take up with the kids. Simple ideas can work miracles to make winter extra special for the little ones, and they will love you for it too.

If you’re blessed with lots of snow, then why not step out to the garden and make snowmen with the kids? It could be loads of fun, especially for toddlers. You can even plan for a scavenger hunt to let them run around and breathe in the crisp outdoor air.

Or spread the joy of the season with Christmas carols; select some of your kids’ favorite songs and go caroling through the neighborhood. It’s an excellent way to share some fun with the neighbors, at a healthy distance of course. It’ll definitely get your kids excited too.

And while you’re at it, take them to see Christmas lights. Go for an evening stroll with the entire family and check out all the seasonal decor. Remember, it’ll be another 12 months before they get to enjoy the festivities.

But if you want to tread a bit further away from home, why not consider winter camping or sledding? But make sure you get them geared up to weather the cold.

How Cold is Too Cold for a Child to Be Outside?

As a parent, it’s natural for you to worry about letting your kids spend time outdoors during winter. After all, their little immune systems are still not that strong, and the last thing you want right now is for them to fall sick.

So, how cold is too cold for a child? Wind-chills of 13 degrees or below are a warning sign – that’s when it’s best to keep them indoors. Between 13 and 31 degrees is ok for outdoor activities, but ensure they are limited to 30 minutes or less. And wind-chills above 31 degrees are usually safe for kids to play outdoors.

But even then, use your best judgment as a parent. If your child has been under the weather lately, it’s best not to expose them to chilly outdoor air. And whatever the temperature may be, always dress them up properly with plenty of layers to keep them warm.

The Canadian Paediatric Society has more information on keeping your kids safe during outdoor winter activities.

Fun Winter Activities for Kids

Now, let’s take a look at some of the top winter activities you can do with your kids this year. We’ve lined up some fun stuff that both kids and parents will love.

Outdoor Snowman Toss Game Banner

This is a super fun toss game, especially for smaller kids. It comes with a hanging snowman banner and five snowballs to keep them occupied for hours.

The high-quality banners are made with polyester fabric, and the print is chemical-free and fade-resistant. You can use it indoors and can even take it outside if the weather is forgiving.

Based on customer reviews, parents seem to love it too, particularly for its durable finish. It has also doubled up as cute winter decor in some homes.

Love it? Click here to buy now.

Joy Day Kids Christmas Stickers Craft Set

This is an adorable sticker kit for kids age 5 and above. It comes with 24 sheets of stickers to keep them busy for a while, so you can free up your time for all the household chores. From Santas and reindeers to snowmen and elves, the Christmas themes are beautifully designed with bright and chirpy colors.

The stickers are made from thick vinyl and are odorless and perfectly safe for children. They are also reusable, so kids can paste them, peel back off, and re-paste somewhere else. So, whether your kids are looking to decorate the house for the season or make Christmas cards for their friends, this sticker kit will give them plenty of exciting ideas.

To read reviews, click here.

Toddler Scavenger Hunt Cards by MollyBee Kids

Here’s an awesome educational and interactive game for toddlers of 2 years and above. This scavenger hunt card set will come in handy when the weather turns sour and you’re forced to stay indoors with the kids. It’s a fun way to spend time together and to teach them to learn and explore their surroundings.

The set includes 20 cards with simple prompts for the little ones to identify common items around the house. The bright bold designs are by Marion Billet, who’s known for her whimsical children’s art. The cards are thick and sturdy to make sure your toddler doesn’t crumple them up.

Best of all, it comes with some amazing reviews from parents, especially for its educational benefits.

To learn more, click here.

CraftzLab DINOS Paint n Play Kids’ Water Color Painting Set

If your kids are obsessed with dinosaurs, then here’s something that will keep them busy the whole day. It’s a craft set for children age 3 years and above and includes not one, but 6 dinosaurs. They come in white so they are easy to paint on, and this is where the real fun begins.

The craft set comes with three watercolor paint sets, two regular brushes, two detail brushes, and two mixing plates. It could even be a fantastic group activity for little ones, only if they are willing to share.

According to the manufacturer, all the materials are safe for kids—the paint is toxin-free and the dinosaurs are made of BPA-free plastic.

Overall, it’ll be an excellent gift to get the young ones excited and keep them occupied indoors during the cold winter months.

Ready to buy? Click here.

Magic Scratch Art Christmas Craft Set for Kids

This is a craft kit designed especially for toddlers. It’s a large set of cards with a black matt coating, which hides a super cool surprise underneath. Kids can scratch it to reveal rainbow-colored designs and let their imagination run wild to make awesome art.

There’s enough material for you to make a fun family activity out of it. The pack includes 36 snowman Christmas ornament cutouts, 36 stylus wood sticks, and 42 jingle bells, together with lots of ribbons, cellophane bags, and twist ties. That’s more than enough for the kids to decorate the entire house with beautiful rainbow paper decor.

To see pricing, click here.

National Geographic Arctic Morphing Matter Play Set

Here’s the perfect gift to unleash your kids’ creativity and help them learn at the same time. This National Geographic set comes with 3 cups of morphing matter and 6 Arctic animal figures.

The morphing matter is super soft, light, and fluffy and will provide a completely new sensory experience for kids. It also doesn’t stick, dry out, or stain, so it’s super easy to clean up after the kids are done playing. It’s also gluten-free and hypoallergenic, and generally safe for children to play with.

The play kit includes tips on using the morphing matter and lots of fun facts about the toy animals as well. This is certainly an excellent fun and educational activity to keep kids busy indoors throughout winter.

Love it? Click here to buy now.

Starlux Games Vikings of The Northern Lights All-Season Outdoor Game

This is an exciting outdoor team game for the whole family and is a fun alternative to video games. It’s designed with a medieval theme and is a combination of capture the flag and freeze tag. Players are teamed into Vikings and Ice Dragons, who fight to protect and capture glow-in-the-dark gems.

Starlux Games recommend it for kids aged 8 to 12 years. But looking at the customer reviews, older kids and adults seem to love it too. Some have even added a few fun twists to the game—using the glowing gems for Easter Egg hunts and bringing the game indoors when the outside weather turns bad.

To read reviews, click here.

Snowball Maker Toy Tools by iBaseToy

Here’s an 11-piece snowball maker kit that your kids are guaranteed to love. It comes with ergonomically designed tools to make footballs, snowmen, snow bricks, and a whole lot of other fun stuff.

The kit also includes a shovel & scoop, snow digger, and a triangle spade for plenty of outdoor fun.

All tools are made with tough, sturdy material so they don’t break easily. They’re also designed with safety in mind, without any sharp edges, so the kids can build their little snow castles without hurting themselves.

Like it? Click here to buy now.

KidsPark Winter Snow Tube for Sledding

This is a fun and colorful inflatable snow tube to enjoy outdoor sledding. It’s designed with lots of little safety features, like a reinforced safety handle and an ultra-strong towable rope. The thick double-layer bottom adds extra durability, while the cold-resistant 0.6mm PVC material ensures endurance against rough handling.

The tube alone is 47 inches, so it’s pretty large and can easily accommodate two kids. It’s also easy to carry; just deflate the tube and fold it up. You also get a patch pack so you don’t need to worry about repairing holes.

To learn more, click here.

16-Piece Snowman Decorating Kit Outdoor Winter Activity

This snowman decorating kit will for sure get your little ones excited. It’s a 16-piece set that includes a special pipe, carrot nose, stick arms, buckles, a long red scarf, and a gentleman’s hat. The kids can get creative and dress up Mr. Snowman with lots of accessories.

All the items are made with long-lasting and reusable materials like non-woven felt, plastic, and wood. Plus, you’ll also get a 30-day money-back guarantee and a 12-month replacement warranty for some added assurance.

Love it? Click here to buy now.

To Sum It Up…

Staying indoors during the pandemic has not been easy, especially for the kids. They need some outdoor fresh air every now and then and of course regular exercise. So, plan for some outdoor fun this winter. Whether you go Christmas caroling around the neighborhood or just take a stroll in the evenings to check out the Christmas lights, getting out of the house will do a lot of good for the whole family.

But make sure you watch out for the wind-chills. Don’t forget to dress up your kids to keep them warm while outdoors. Our list of super fun activities will help you keep them entertained throughout the winter months. They include lots of fun and educational games for some outdoor and indoor excitement.

Remember, the pandemic shouldn’t stop you from creating some excellent winter memories for your children. Besides, it’s what everyone needs at the end of a tough year.

Pssst….Check out How to Create a Kid’s Homework Station at Home next!