Fun and Creative Ways for Parents to Keep Kids Busy All Winter

There’s something magical about the first snowfall of winter—especially for kids. But after a few weeks of limited daylight and cold weather, even the most winter-loving families start to get a little stir crazy. And once the holidays have passed and there are still a few months of winter ahead? That’s when you really need to get creative.

Kids have physical and creative energy to burn, but sometimes they need a nudge in the right direction. Here are some ideas to help keep your kids busy, entertained and active all winter long.

Get Outside

There’s no reason you can’t have outdoor fun all year round, including throughout the winter months. A lot of families enjoy skiing, snowboarding and tobogganing, but there are also plenty of simple outdoor activities you can do in your own backyard. Consider painting the snow with watered-down food colouring or creating an outdoor tic tac toe game with sticks and pinecones. Play horseshoes in any weather or warm up by playing dodgeball with this colourful, durable set. Have your kids build a natural habitat for these dinosaur figurines or other toys. Hang a target on a tree or your fence and practice your snowball throwing skills (if there’s no snow, use Nerf blasters). If you have a backyard fire pit, try making some winter s’mores as a family. Older kids may enjoy using snow to create an obstacle course, a racing track or a ramp for their sleds. Or, build an amazing snowman or snow fort.

If your kids are still bursting with energy, it may be time to venture farther and spend some time in nature. If you live near a local conservation area, winter hiking is a great option for families. Just bundle up and wear boots with a great tread that won’t slip too easily on ice.

Cozy Indoor Fun

After all that time spent indoors, you’ll probably want to warm up and relax. Winter is a great time to nurture a sense of coziness and comfort in your home. Make some hot chocolate and grab a great book or a challenging yet relaxing puzzle. Kinetic Sand will keep kids of all ages busy for hours. Play board games as a family and break out the snacks—family game time is always better with a little treat. Try a new video game or bring back one you haven’t played in a while. Throw a family movie night with this fun decor set or if you’re really brave, have a karaoke night. (For what it’s worth, we also sell earplugs in bulk.)

Another way to pass the time indoors is by embracing your creative side. Arts and crafts are fun at every age and can be enjoyed individually or as a family. School-aged kids will love guided drawing videos on YouTube, and all you need is some paper and markers or pencil crayons. Arts and craft kits are always a hit. Older family members may enjoy painting, sketching or needlepoint.

Keep Them Learning

Sometimes, family fun time doubles as learning time. Work on sentence building with this engaging activity for younger kids or let older children explore with this fun science kit. Consider simple strategy games like 4 In A Row, Rush Hour or Gravity Maze. A word search or game of Boggle may help with reading and/or spelling skills. Whatever you do, have fun and remember—spring is just around the corner.