When chilly winter days keep kids indoors, it’s the perfect time to explore screen-free activities that engage their creativity and energy.

These fun, hands-on ideas provide entertainment without relying on screens while fostering important developmental skills.

From crafts to sensory play, this guide is packed with activities for kids to enjoy during the winter season.

Creative Crafts to Keep Kids Busy

Crafting is a timeless activity for kids, especially during long winter days. These simple and engaging projects use common household items and spark creative expression.

Make Colorful Snowflakes

Crafting snowflakes out of paper or coffee filters is a delightful project that transforms any indoor space into a winter wonderland.

Kids can fold, cut, and paint their snowflakes using watercolors or food coloring for a colorful twist. This activity helps children develop fine motor skills while exploring patterns and symmetry.

DIY Winter Ornaments

Create icy outdoor ornaments by freezing small treasures like pinecones, berries, and leaves in water-filled molds. Hang them outside as decorations to showcase kids' creations.

This project introduces concepts of texture and sensory exploration while encouraging children to engage with nature, even during a cold day.

Build a Welcome Mat for Birds

Using birdseed and a cardboard base, kids can create a mosaic-like welcome mat for feathered friends. This activity combines creativity with environmental awareness, teaching kids about wildlife care while keeping them entertained indoors.

Children having indoor fun during winter by building a fort.

Building Fun with Forts

Forts are a classic indoor activity that brings endless fun to kids of all ages.

How to Build the Perfect Indoor Fort

All you need are blankets, pillows, and chairs to build a cozy fort. Let kids design their setup, then add fairy lights to create a magical atmosphere. Once the fort is complete, enjoy hot chocolate together while sharing winter stories.

 Building a fort encourages problem-solving and teamwork as kids strategize on how to make their structure sturdy and functional.

Create a Winter Campout Inside

Transform the living room into a winter camping adventure by adding sleeping bags, pretend campfires, and snacks. This imaginative play keeps kids entertained for hours and fosters social skills when shared with siblings or friends.

Indoor Games and Active Play

Keeping kids physically active during the winter season is essential for their health and happiness. These indoor games transform your home into a playground for screen-free fun.

Host a Living Room Dance Party

Turn your living room into a vibrant dance floor by playing a playlist of your family’s favorite songs. Encourage kids to dance freely or even host a mini dance competition with fun props like scarves, hats, or sunglasses.

For an extra touch, award a homemade trophy to the best dancer or the one with the most creative moves. Dancing improves coordination, boosts physical fitness, and lifts everyone’s spirits on a cold day indoors.

Indoor Obstacle Course

Set up an engaging obstacle course using household items like pillows, chairs, and blankets. Create stations where kids can crawl under tables, hop between cushions, or balance on a taped line on the floor.

You can add challenges like tossing a soft ball into a laundry basket or completing a puzzle before moving to the next section.

Obstacle courses promote physical activity, enhance problem-solving skills, and provide endless entertainment for kids of all ages.

Balloon Volleyball

Blow up a balloon and use a string or piece of tape to create a "net" in the middle of the room. Kids can take turns hitting the balloon back and forth, trying to keep it from touching the ground.

Balloon volleyball is a fantastic way to encourage teamwork and improve hand-eye coordination. It’s also soft and safe, making it perfect for indoor play.

Child playing inside with balloon.

Sensory and Educational Projects

Combining play with learning is a great way to keep kids engaged indoors.

Sensory Play with Snow Dough

Snow dough is a DIY project made from flour and baby oil (or a similar substitute) that mimics the texture of snow.

Kids can mold and shape it into miniature snowmen or other creations. Sensory play activities like this enhance tactile exploration and creativity.

Interactive Storytime

Gather blankets and pillows, and host a cozy storytime session. Use props or puppets to make the stories come alive, encouraging kids to engage with the narrative.

This activity fosters language development and imagination while creating a bonding experience for the whole family.

Outdoor-Themed Activities for Inside Play

Even when it’s cold outside, you can recreate the magic of outdoor activities indoors.

Build a Pretend Snowman

Kids can use socks, cotton balls, and craft supplies to assemble their own snowmen indoors. This activity brings the spirit of winter inside and allows kids to develop motor skills as they craft their snowman.

Create DIY Snow Globes

Use small jars, glitter, and tiny toys to make personalized snow globes. This simple project combines sensory and visual elements, sparking creativity and providing a keepsake to treasure.

There's a World of Indoor Winter Activities Waiting for Your Child!

Minnesota winters can be long and cold. With these screen-free activities, winter days become an opportunity for fun, creativity, and quality time with your kids.

For more information or to schedule a visit to our facility, visit Early Advantage today!