When the colder months roll around, it’s easy for kids (and adults!) to feel a bit cooped up. But winter doesn’t have to mean boredom or endless screen time indoors. With a little creativity, you can make this season one of fun, learning, and bonding with your child. Here’s a list of activities to keep the whole family engaged and cosy during the colder months.
Indoor Camping Adventure
Bring the fun of camping inside! Set up a small tent or build a fort with blankets and pillows. Use flashlights or battery-operated fairy lights for ambiance, and gather some cosy blankets to make it extra snug. You can enjoy classic campfire activities like telling stories, singing songs, and even “roasting” marshmallows over a stovetop or in the oven.
Homemade Winter Crafts
Winter is the perfect season for arts and crafts and can be extended from what independent schools in London provide. Make snowflakes out of paper, create pine cone bird feeders, or paint winter landscapes. Try making salt dough ornaments, which are fun to create and can double as holiday decorations or gifts for family and friends.
Craft Idea: Try decorating mason jars with glue and glitter to make beautiful “frosted” candle holders. Place a tea light inside for a cosy glow that looks great on a windowsill or table.
Baking and Decorating Treats Together
Cold weather calls for warm treats. Baking together is a fun way to teach kids about measuring, mixing, and creativity in the kitchen. You can make cookies, muffins, or even homemade pizzas. Once they’re baked, let your child help decorate with frosting, sprinkles, or toppings.
Kid-Friendly Recipes: Try simple sugar cookies or a mug cake recipe—kids can often make these with minimal assistance and have fun adding their favourite toppings.
Snow Play – Indoors or Out!
If you’re lucky enough to have snow, bundle up and head outside for some classic winter fun like building snowmen, making snow angels, or having a snowball fight. No snow? No problem! You can make “indoor snow” using baking soda and water (or shaving cream) to create a sensory experience that mimics the feel of snow.
Extra Idea: Fill spray bottles with water and a few drops of food colouring, then spray them on the snow outside to create snow art. Or, bring a tray of snow inside and let kids build miniature snowmen at the table.
Movie Night and Hot Cocoa Bar
Transform an evening into a cosy movie night by setting up blankets and pillows for a “home theatre” experience. Take it to the next level with a DIY hot cocoa bar—set out marshmallows, whipped cream, chocolate shavings, peppermint sticks, and other toppings. Let your child customise their hot cocoa creation before settling down to watch a favourite winter-themed movie.
Board Games and Puzzle Challenges
Winter is the perfect time to introduce kids to board games and puzzles. Many games help build critical thinking, maths, and reading skills while being loads of fun. For younger kids, try simpler games like Candy Land or Connect 4, while older kids might enjoy strategy-based games like Settlers of Catan or Ticket to Ride. Puzzles, meanwhile, are perfect for family bonding and work well spread out on a coffee table for everyone to chip in on.
Nature Walk and Winter Scavenger Hunt
Don’t let the cold keep you indoors! Bundle up and head outside for a nature walk and winter scavenger hunt. Look for animal tracks, icicles, pine cones, or other seasonal wonders. Even a short stroll around the neighbourhood can feel like an adventure in the winter.
Scavenger Hunt Idea: Make a list of things to find, like “something red,” “a bird,” “a frozen puddle,” or “three different types of leaves.” Kids can check off items as they find them, adding a sense of accomplishment.
Science Experiments in the Kitchen
Bring a little science magic to the kitchen with experiments that entertain and teach at the same time. You can make homemade slime, create baking soda “snow,” or try a simple experiment that demonstrates chemical reactions, like baking soda and vinegar volcanoes.
Easy Experiment: Try making rock candy or sugar crystals with just water and sugar. Kids love seeing the crystals grow over a few days, and it’s a delicious science project to enjoy afterward.
Story Time and Reading Challenge
Set up a cosy reading nook with blankets, pillows, and some books that match the season. You can read together as a family, or create a reading challenge where kids get a small reward after finishing each book. This can be a great way to instil a love of reading while enjoying the warm, quiet cosiness of winter.
Reading Challenge: Print out a simple chart where kids can add stickers or checkmarks for each book they read, with a small prize at the end of winter if they complete their reading goals.
Winter-Themed Science and Nature Projects
Introduce your child to winter weather phenomena with small science projects. For example, try freezing bubbles outside (in really cold weather, they form beautiful ice crystals), making crystal ornaments, or measuring the temperature of snow and ice over time. These projects allow kids to learn about science and nature in an interactive way.
Crystal Ornament: Mix borax and hot water, suspend a pipe cleaner in a shape, and watch crystals grow on it overnight. This easy project looks lovely and is an interesting introduction to crystallisation.
Make Wintertime Magical
With these activities, the colder months can be full of warmth, creativity, and quality time with your child. Whether indoors or out, these ideas will keep you busy and help you create memories together. Winter might be chilly, but it’s the perfect season for cosy bonding and playful learning!
