Gift Guides, Holidays, Play Ideas, Uncategorized

7 Fun Indoor Winter Activities for Kids — Crafts, Games, & More

frozen block of ice with smiling plastic puppy toy frozen inside one of the great indoor winter activities for kids

Coming off the holidays, January is a great time to jump into new routines and find out-of-the-box, fun things to do during the winter months—together as a family! While bundling up and heading outside to build a snowman is always a blast, sometimes you need a good indoor activity. And besides, what if you live somewhere with no snow?! Don’t worry—we’ve got you covered with these cozy, creative ideas for wintertime play at home because great indoor fun is for everyone! Are you ready? Let’s dive into some of the best indoor winter activities for kids!

little girl drawing penguin wearing penguin onesie doing winter arts and crafts

1. Create Winter-Themed Arts and Crafts

Crafting is a perfect way to keep little hands busy while sparking creativity! Set up a simple winter craft station with paper, child-safe scissors, glue, and items like cotton balls, pipe cleaners, and felt. Help your child make snowflakes, penguins, or mittens they can decorate! (Hole punchers are great for snowflakes if you’ve got one on hand!) 

Pro Tip: Don’t have all the right supplies? Colored pencils and paper go a long way! Ask your kiddo to draw their favorite cold-climate creatures! The best indoor winter activities for kids involve imagination!

2. Conduct an Icy Excavation

Preschoolers love hands-on experiments and an icy excavation will be a favorite! Overnight, freeze small toys, trinkets, or seashells in a plastic container of water to make “ice blocks.” (Our Li’l Barn Buddies make great freezin’ friends!). Once frozen, remove the blocks from their containers.

Set up a large towel or tray on the floor to arrange the containers on. Now for the excavating tools! Equip your kiddo with a spoon, rolling pin, or plastic hammer to chip away at the ice. You can also give them a squeeze bottle of warm water to help soften the ice and free the items!

Pro Tip: Use different-size containers to make things even more interesting! Also, if kiddos are up to it, have them take their blocks of ice and tools outside for frozen-finding fun.

frozen block of ice with smiling plastic puppy toy frozen inside one of the great indoor winter activities for kids
indoor winter activities for kids featuring child leaning over a coffee table wearing PJs stirring hot cocoa

3. Make Hot Cocoa Together

Everyone loves a good cup of hot cocoa—especially kiddos! Stir up sweet memories when you plan an afternoon around this treat and spend quality time together.

Start by building excitement in the morning: “Who’s excited for hot cocoa this afternoon!” When it’s time, let your little ones help by plopping in the marshmallows, stirring the cocoa, or even adding whipped cream. They’ll love having an important job in the process! When it comes to indoor winter activities for kids, making hot chocolate is not only one of the simplest, but the sweetest! 

Pro Tip: To top off this classic winter treat, let them choose their favorite movie to sip along to!  

4. Build a Cozy Fun Fort

There’s no cozier activity for kiddos in winter than building a fort! Gather pillows, blankets, and cushions to create the ultimate hideaway—and make sure you join in the fun! Don’t be afraid to get creative here – whatever safe n’ soft items you have on hand counts as building material!  

Pro Tip: Use the fort for story time, pretend play, or even tackling an activity that your child may need an extra push to do… like homework! 

For the ultimate fort-building experience, our Cloud Castle building set inspires creativity with a modern fun foam take on this classic activity!  

two children playing in a colorful foam fort a Cloud Castle by Battat
two cute children sitting together under blankets and reading flipping the pages of a large book

5. Cuddle Up for Winter Storytime Adventures

When it comes to top indoor winter activities for kids, nothing beats snuggling up with a blanket and a stack of winter-themed books! Choose stories featuring characters in snowy settings to spark imagination! Make it interactive by asking your child questions about the story or having them act out parts with their toys – they’ll love the special time they get to spend with you!  

Fun Fact: Did you know that reading aloud to kids helps create a strong bond between parent and child? What a cuddly way to get closer! 

6. Create an Obstacle Course & Other Indoor Active Play Games

Cold weather doesn’t mean your toddler’s energy has to go to waste! Fun DIY games are a great way to get busy with active play. Create an indoor obstacle course with pillows, furniture, and any household objects you can think of. (For example, use plastic cups as relay course markers). When in doubt, lots (and lots) of pillows will surely bring on giggles galore!

Set up simple challenges like “jump over the snowbank” or “climb the mountain” and even ask kiddos to come up with their own rules – they’ll love participating! Indoor winter activities for kids don’t need to involve anything fancy!  

Pro Tip: For a more structured game option, a mini basketball hoop or this Barnyard Bowling toy bowling set can transform your living room into an active play zone!  

indoor winter activities for kids featuring inside bowling and boy with brown hair and orange t shirt rolling a strike with a Barnyard Bowling set featuring animal shaped pins including a cow pig chicken horse and sheep
little girl with pigtails jamming on the drums specifically the animal jamboree

7. Get a Musical Fam Jam Going!

Experimenting with music and sound is a fantastic way to entertain toddlers while boosting their creativity. Even if you don’t have instruments, you can create your own! Use pots and pans for drums, fill jars with rice to make shakers, or try clapping and stomping games. You can even explore online tutorials for easy, free musical games that are fun for the whole family! 

Need some inspiration? Typing “how to make DIY musical instruments for kids” in your YouTube browser brings up some great results that’ll keep em’ busy!

Don’t feel like making your own? You can’t go wrong with our Animal Jamboree, Rock n’ Play Guitar, or Croco Pop Piano to get a fam jam going!  

Indoor Winter Activities for Kids | Summary

Winter at home with toddlers can be a wonderful time to slow down, connect, and inspire those BIG imaginations. Whether you’re crafting snowflakes, building indoor obstacle courses, cuddling up in a cozy fort, or sipping hot cocoa together, these indoor winter activities for kids will turn frosty days into warm memories. And who knows? You might even find yourself having just as much fun as your little one!