It looks like we may have a few snow days in the forecast this winter. Bundle up and have some good old-fashioned fun in snow! With these 37 Fun Things to Do in the Snow ideas, the kids will have hours and hours of fun outside and you’ll never run out of fun things to do in the snow.
Little kids and big kids alike need to get out and exert some energy after being inside all winter. Bursts of outdoor activity can be fun and good for the mind and body! From painting the snow to building a fort to snow mini golf, the kids will have a blast with these unique and fun things to do in the snow ideas.
Here in Indiana, we never know if we’re going to get a blizzard and tons of snow or if we’ll only have one or two snowfalls all winter. When the snow falls, I drop everything to get my kids outside to enjoy the snow while it lasts. You’re only a kid for so long! So bundle them up and have some hot cocoa waiting, because the kids will be begging to go outside and play all winter with these 37 Fun Things to Do in the Snow ideas!
FUN IN SNOW IDEAS
37 Fun Things to Do in the Snow
Are you looking for things to do when snowed in? Been cooped up inside all winter and need to get some energy out? We’ve got 37 Fun Things to Do in the Snow ideas for you so you can be ready the next time it snows and the conditions are right to send the kids outside for hours of fun in snow!
Bozo Snowball Toss
Snowball toss Bozo bucket style… dust off those beach buckets and set them up in a line then toss snowballs in. See who can make the most buckets. This is perfect for kids of all ages. Make it more challenging with smaller buckets, the toss line further away or spin around and get dizzy before tossing!
Tug of War
Build up a soft pile of snow between the two “teams”. Grab a rope, cord, or long length of jute. Ready, set, pull.
Make a Snow Road
Make a snow road for your Tonka trucks and Matchbox cars. Dig out a road for them to follow. Incorporate different sites to stop at along the way; a forest of trees, a pile of leaves, mulch, or dirt for “muddin” in.
Snow Construction Site
While you’re building a road, why not add a snow construction site? Dig, fill, dump, repeat… with snow! Easy peasy.
Create a Snow Kitchen
Use your mud kitchen as a snow kitchen or create a snow kitchen with an old cart, picnic table, or plastic play kitchen. Gather some small-scale pots, pans, and utensils, and see what snow creations your kiddo can create.
Snow Stew
No “kitchen” necessary! Gather grass, dirt, rocks, branches, leaves, and obviously snow in a big pot or bucket. Stir it up and serve your loved ones. Yum!
Glow in the Dark Snow Hunt
This fun in snow idea is great for the older kids. Use glow sticks and plastic balls (or easter eggs) to place them in. Wait until the sun sets for a wild snow hunt! Read how to do it in our Christmas Ball Hunt article!
Paint the Snow
Mix water with food coloring and fill squirt bottles, turkey basters, or droppers to emulate Jackson Pollack. Then, use paintbrushes in your mixture to paint a colorful scene.
Pin the Nose on the Snowman
An outdoor take on a traditional party game. Build a snowman and have the kids take turns “pinning the nose” on him while blindfolded. A skinny carrot or a bottle cap would work great.
Build a Snowman
You can’t go wrong with a traditional snowman-button eyes, carrot nose, and scarf around the neck. Try branching out a bit and give your snowman some personality. Try a floppy beach hat, bikini top, and flip-flops. Or, maybe an old jacket or button-up top with a fedora and bushy eyebrows!
Build a Snow Family
Use a pacifier and onesie for the baby, a dress and wig (or ornamental grass) for the mom, and a tie and hat for the dad. My kids made the cutest dog on year!
Have a Snowman Building Competition
Schedule a friendly competition between neighboring houses. See who can be the most creative or extravagant. The winner gets their driveway shoveled!
Hide and Seek
Take an item and hide it in the yard. Have the kiddos seek it out. It’s really easy with colorful balls or big items, and more challenging with white golf or ping pong balls.
Snow Faces on Tree Trunks
Smash snowballs of different sizes onto a tree trunk to construct silly faces. Bonus if you have a grouping of trunks in your yard.
Make Snow Luminaries
Fill balloons with water and freeze. Once the balloon is frozen, remove the latex and set it directly on top of a battery-operated tea light. Make snow marbles when you add food coloring. It takes about a day or so for the water to freeze but adds such a pretty effect to an empty flower pot, a fairy garden, a walkway, or a porch.
Snow Angels
The timeless tradition of laying on your back and waving your arms and legs up and down will never disappoint. They always do turn out quite pretty!
Sun Catchers
Place a drop of food coloring and snow in empty yogurt containers and drop a long string into each – essentially connecting them to each other. When they freeze solid, gently pull off the container and hang colorful ice strings from branches or overhangs.
Natural Sun Catchers
Find winter berries and pretty twigs to freeze in shallow ice then create beautiful, natural sun catchers.
Snow Tea Party
Gather your tea party cups and saucers. Make some finger sandwiches and spread a tablecloth on the picnic table. Raise a pinky to “snow day memories.”
Build a Fort
Building a fort is best when the snow is wet and can pack easily. Use Tupperware or buckets to make bricks and construct walls and doorways. Or, try your hand at an igloo. Check out the how-to’s here.
Snowball Fight
Have fun in snow with a friendly snowball fight. It can be the kids versus parents or you can grab the neighbors and launch them across the street at each other.
Relay Races
Set obstacles such as jumping over snow piles, climbing up and going down a slide, or running around a lawn chair or tree-be creative and use what you have in your yard.
Make a Hopscotch Path
Use spray chalk to make your marks. Plot points of movement in addition to numbered squares; jumping jacks, spinning, snow angels, one-legged hopping. Do time trials to keep them going through the course time and time again.
Shovel Snow
It’s a great workout and, oddly enough, kids usually want to help. Driveways, sidewalks, and walkways to the front door are solid options to start with. Don’t forget around the mailbox. Have the kids help sprinkle salt to keep the paths from getting slippery. Help out the neighbors and do their driveways too.
Get Lost in a Snow Maze
You can build but if you don’t have the patience to make walls then wait for a good, heavy two feet of snowfall and just walk around creating a path. Planning out a maze prior would be helpful but just winging it while you’re in the backyard is a challenge as well. Shovel or stomp out your path then let the littles race through!
Pretend Play
Barbie and GI Joe like to have fun in snow too! They can go skiing or sledding with popsicle stick skis or plastic lid sleds. They deserve to have fun in snow during a winter holiday too, right?
Track Animals Prints
Get close to the ground and look for paw prints from our furry and feathered friends. Find a print but not sure what it is? Snap a picture and help the kids research it online.
Sledding
One of the most fun things to do in the snow for our family is good old sledding! Even without a hilly yard, getting pulled around or down the driveway while on a sled is a thrill, especially for the younger kids.
Target Practice
Some snow ideas are so simple, yet I probably wouldn’t have thought of this one if I were to try to come up with a list of things to do in the snow on a whim. Set up a target (like army men) on a deck railing or on the mailbox. Practice your aim with snowballs. Step closer or further away to make it more difficult depending on your age.
Snow Dodgeball
It’s like a snowball fight but with a pre-set & pre-made “ball” limit. Line the balls through the center of both teams and countdown to start. Great for older kids or even adults, grab some like-minded neighbors for a friendly battle.
Snow Mini Golf
This is one of the snow ideas I’d never heard of before! Dig a path from the snow and set “holes” at the end. Use an empty wrapping paper roll (or golf putter) and a ping pong ball to play through. You might want a colored ping pong ball!
Football Fun in Snow
Bundle up and toss around a football. No reason playing catch in the backyard has to end just because there’s snow on the ground. It might make the falls more fun!
Snow Baseball
With the same mindset as playing football in the snow, bring out the mitts and baseballs for snow baseball. Stay loose for Spring training.
Make a Bird Feeder
Mix snow with cranberries and birdseed and freeze it. Then hang for your feathered friends on tree branches.
Snow Volcano
Teach the kids about chemical reactions and watch the lava flow when you make a snow volcano. This is extra awesome because you will be outside with snow ready to use and who cares if the ground gets messy? Follow these easy directions: littlebinsforlittlehands.com.
Mr. Potato Head Has Fun in Snow
Grab the Mr. Potato Head accessories and play with them in the snow. Build a body and add on the colorful, plastic pieces so Mr. Potato Head can have fun in snow too!
Footprint Tag
Like regular tag but the “it” person or chaser can only step in the footprints of others. It’s harder than it sounds.
Bundle Up and Head Outdoors for Fun in Snow
Have fun in snow and make some magical winter memories. Whether you’re outside for 10 minutes or three hours, have a hot cup of cocoa ready for everyone when the outdoor fun ends. Serve with popcorn and you’ll have some very happy kiddos. Check out these unique popcorn recipes to change things up a bit.
If you’re looking for other winter activity ideas, check out nearby skiing and snowboarding slopes. For an epic adventure closer to home, visit the Ice at Carter Green for outdoor ice skating in Carmel, check out a local sledding hill, pick one of our 100 winter break activity recommendations, or think about all of the other ways to play in the snow and places to play in snow in Indianapolis. Need ideas of things to do when snowed in? Take your pick from these 100+ indoor fun ideas to do with kids.
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