101 Activity Ideas for Winter Days

The kids are home from school break and you know the big question is coming: “What can we do?” Finding activity ideas for winter days can be daunting. If the weather is bad you may need plenty of them!

We’re here to help you out with 101 activity ideas to help you out during winter break. With this list your children can suit themselves by picking and choosing what activities they enjoy most. Or you may want to use the list for yourself, there’s plenty of activity ideas for winter days here to keep everyone busy!

Plenty of these topics are linked to even more ideas or directions for the activity, so you’ll find even more ideas and ways to enjoy your free time.

Bookmark this page so you can return to it regularly or print off a copy and hang it on your bulletin board.

101 Activity Ideas for Winter Days

1. Board games–Pull out those games–Monopoly, Clue, Checkers, chess, Scrabble, Jenga. How about Trivial Pursuit, Pictionary, States, Candyland, Chutes and Ladders, Mancala, or dominoes? You can even play games like chess or mahjong online if you’re alone!
2. Listen to audio books. We love Anne of Green Gables, Secret Garden, I, Houdini, Hank the Cow-dog and Rascal.
3. Start a family book club. Read the same book together, then host a fun discussion complete with special treats.
4. Build your own ice sculpture.
5. Paint pictures, sketch, draw, collage, stencil on poster board or white freezer paper.
6. Use goldfish crackers to play math games.
7. Play with LEGOs or blocks. Challenge each other to create special designs, characters or shapes.
8. Design your own snack mix.
9. Have a puppet show or play.
10. Sing a silly song. Take turns making up lyrics.
11. Set up a tent inside and have a mock camping trip complete with microwave S’mores.
12. Learn embroidery.
13. Download the Duolingo app and learn the basics of a new language.
14. Play in a big box. Make it a house, a car, a rocket ship.
15. Create a birthday card station.
16. Plan your spring garden. Plan a fairy garden, too!
17. Plant seeds of awareness.
18. Bake cookies, muffins, bread, cake, or banana bread.
19. Play with play dough or modeling clay.
20. Stir up some Chex party Mix.
21. Put bird seed or bread crumbs out and watch the birds. Look up ones you can’t name.
22. Write a journal list of the birds you see.
23. Try sketching some birds.
24. Make a pine-cone bird feeder.
25. Work on collections, sports cards, stamps, coins,fossils, or whatever you collect or are interested in collecting. Sort and label. Study.
26. Read aloud a great winter story like The Long Winter or Snowed Up.
27. Drink hot cocoa.
28. Make paper plate animals.
29. Design paper plate masks.
30. Melt old crayons to make new ones.
31. Create a fingerprint drawing.
32. Make beaded necklaces and bracelets.
33. Work a jigsaw puzzle.
34. Make duct tape crafts.
35. String popcorn for the tree. Hang some strings out and watch the birds eat them.
36. Go onto the internet and read about The Ice Palace Hotel.
37. Study encyclopedias for an new subject of interest.
38. Turn your pencil case into a superhero..
39. Play Slapjack, Old Maid, Solitaire, or Go Fish card games.
40. Make chocolate or tapioca pudding.
41. Use sandwich cookies and cake decorations to make cookie pops.
42. Prepare a snow meal. Prepare all white foods like mashed potatoes, coconut and whipped cream fruit salad, fish, turkey, chicken, bread, pudding, milkshakes, marshmallow dip on apples, white cheese toast, linguine, shrimp, rice, ice cream, etc.
43. Cut out paper snowflakes for place-mats. Use white or clear dishes. Eat by candle light.
44. Create a tea cup planter.
45. Write letters to friends or relatives.
46. Prepare Christmas cards.
47. Write a family newsletter.
48. Make a collage from words and pictures cut from old magazines.
49. Reorganize your bedroom.
50. Try to find 10 items in each room that you can donate to your local charity donation center.
51. Try some calligraphy . Letter your name.
52. Design your own magnets.
53. Make some origami animals and birds.
54. Work crossword or WordSearch puzzles.
55. Color in coloring books. Use crayons or colored pencils.
56. Color printable color sheets and activity pages.
57. Melt chocolate, dip pretzel sticks and decorate them with sprinkles.
58. Have a tea party. Set the table, heat tea water, set out teas, bake scones or tea cookies, dress up, turn on some nice soft music.
59. Work on scrapbooks.
60. Make an egg carton parachutist.
61. Have a shadow puppet show.
62. Create string art designs.
63. Play Lite Brite, Spirograph or Tanagrams.
64. Play Hide and Seek, I Spy, Mother, May I?, or Simon Says.
65. Roll a soft ball back and forth. (Toddlers will love this one!)
66. Sew, crochet, knit, embroidery or cross-stitch. Or create a no-sew craft.
67. Make a paper roller coaster.
68. Work at your established hobby or practice playing your instrument to enhance your skills.
69. Make a booklet. Fold paper and staple or string them together. Draw illustrations and fill in a made up story or poem.
70. Think of 10 questions you would like to ask your grandparents.
71. Call a grandparent on the telephone. Ask them your questions!
72. Call another relative or friend and invite them over to play games.
73. Have a family movie night.
74. Draw a blueprint for your dream house.
75. Take a hike. Observe what’s going on in nature right now. Write your observations in a journal.
76. Design a bug magnet.
77. Have a winter picnic. Pack a basket lunch and take a quilt to a room where you usually don’t eat. Play a nature sounds CD.
78. Make piggy banks from plastic bottles.
79. Go through all your books. Read an old favorite or one you have never read before.
80. Take photos and make a poster with printer copies.
81. Make a tissue paper butterfly.
82. Have a sing-a long. Practice singing carols or hymns.
83. Pop popcorn. Play a game of guessing what the pieces look like.
84. Create paper plate posies.
85. Make a calendar. Illustrate the months according to their holidays or weather. Line off the weeks and fill in the numbers and day names. Add quotations or seasonal Bible verses.
86. Redo the family bulletin board.
87. Make a puzzle photo wreath.
88. Play yo-yo , juggling, or spinning tops.
89. Design a wreath for Valentines Day.
90. Make your own paper.
91. Use egg cartons to create critters.
92. Get started with soap making.
93. Create a vision board for the upcoming new year.
94. Learn about the Chinese New Year.
95. Alphabetize or organize your recipe cards. When you are done, pick a favorite recipe and make it together.
96. Blow bubbles. Have a bubble contest to see who can make the biggest one.
97. Volunteer. See if a local food or pet shelter could use help for the day.
98. Try yoga. (You can find plenty of family-friendly beginner classes on YouTube.)
99. Have a mini-dance party! Get out the hula hoops, too for extra fun.
100. Paint a mason jar. Make it a vase, pencil holder, or a lovely gift for someone for the holidays.
101. Make your own art tray to inspire more craft time fun!

There are just not enough cold days for all the fun things to do indoors! We hope you are inspired and have oodles of fun with our activity ideas for winter days!