25 Winter Activities for Preschool
Winter activities for preschool. Snow play, cozy indoor projects, and cold-weather crafts for daycare centers and classrooms.
Winter brings unique opportunities for preschool learning. Cold weather, snow (in some climates), and cozy indoor time all inspire activities that can't happen other times of year.
These 25 activities embrace winter—whether you have snow or not—and keep children engaged during the longer indoor months.
Snow and Ice Activities
1. Indoor Snow Play
Bring clean snow inside in large bins. Children explore with scoops, molds, and toys before it melts. Extend by adding food coloring.
No snow? Make "snow" from baking soda and conditioner or shaving cream.
Materials: Snow (or substitute), bins, tools Tip: Place bins on towels and have extra dry clothes ready
2. Ice Excavation
Freeze toys or natural objects in large blocks of ice. Children use tools, warm water, and salt to free the treasures.
Materials: Ice blocks with items frozen inside, spray bottles with warm water, salt, tools
3. Snowball Counting
Create white pom pom "snowballs" for counting, sorting, and math games. Store in a bucket for repeated use.
Materials: White pom poms, number cards, containers
4. Snow Painting
If you have snow outside, fill spray bottles with colored water. Children paint the snow landscape.
Materials: Spray bottles, food coloring, water, snow
5. Frozen Bubbles
On very cold days (below 25°F), blow bubbles and watch them freeze into delicate spheres before popping.
Materials: Bubble solution, bubble wands, very cold temperatures
6. Ice Fishing Game
Fill a bin with white pom poms or cotton balls as "snow." Hide magnetic fish. Children fish with magnetic wands.
Materials: Bin, white filling, magnetic fish and wands
Snowman and Winter Character Activities
7. Build-a-Snowman Station
Provide cotton balls, paper, buttons, and felt for creating snowmen on paper or in 3D.
Materials: Cotton balls, construction paper, buttons, felt scraps, glue
8. Snowman Playdough
Make white playdough. Provide orange triangles, small rocks (or buttons), and twigs for building playdough snowmen.
Materials: White playdough, accessory materials
9. Melting Snowman Art
Glue cotton balls in a snowman shape. Over the next few days, gradually spread the cotton balls outward—the snowman "melts."
Materials: Cotton balls, glue, paper
10. Sock Snowman
Fill white socks with rice, tie sections to create body and head, decorate with fabric and buttons.
Materials: White socks, rice, rubber bands, decorations Great for: Gifts to families
11. Paper Plate Penguin
Paint paper plates black and white. Add orange beaks and feet, googly eyes, and maybe a bow tie.
Materials: Paper plates, black/white/orange paint, googly eyes
Science and Nature Activities
12. Winter Bird Observation
Set up a bird feeder visible from indoors. Create a chart to track which birds visit. Identify common winter birds.
Materials: Bird feeder, binoculars, bird identification cards, chart
13. Snowflake Examination
Catch snowflakes on dark paper and examine with magnifying glasses. Each one really is unique.
No snow? Study photos of snowflakes and create paper versions.
Materials: Dark paper, magnifying glasses, real snow or photos
14. Icicle Measurement
If icicles form (safely accessible ones), measure and compare lengths over multiple days.
Materials: Icicles, measuring tools, chart for recording
15. Animal Tracks Hunt
After snow, look for animal tracks outside. Identify which animals made them. Discuss how animals survive winter.
Materials: Snow with tracks, animal track guide
16. Hibernation Learning
Create a cozy "den" in the classroom. Discuss which animals hibernate and why. Children can pretend to be hibernating bears.
Materials: Blankets for den, books about hibernation
Art and Craft Activities
17. Snowflake Cutting
Fold paper and cut to create symmetrical snowflakes. A classic that teaches symmetry and fine motor control.
Materials: Paper, scissors Tip: Start with coffee filters for easier folding
18. Winter Tree Art
Paint bare tree branches. Add white paint "snow" on branches. Optional: add fingerprint birds.
Materials: Paper, brown and white paint, optional other colors
19. Cotton Ball Blizzard Art
Glue cotton balls onto dark blue paper. Add glitter for sparkle. Creates a 3D snowstorm effect.
Materials: Dark blue paper, cotton balls, glitter (optional), glue
20. Mitten Matching
Cut mitten shapes from patterned paper. Children find and match pairs—great for visual discrimination and math.
Materials: Patterned paper, scissors, basket
21. Salt Crystal Snowflakes
Bend pipe cleaners into snowflake shapes. Suspend in super-saturated salt solution overnight. Crystals form on the shape.
Materials: Pipe cleaners, salt, water, jars Time: Requires overnight for crystals to form
Movement and Music
22. Freeze Dance (Winter Version)
Play music—when it stops, children freeze like snowmen (or ice statues, or icicles, or hibernating bears).
Materials: Music, space
23. Snowball Toss
Use white pom poms or crumpled paper as "snowballs." Toss into buckets at different distances.
Materials: White pom poms or paper, buckets
24. Winter Animal Movements
Call out winter animals and movements: "Waddle like a penguin... Fly like a snowy owl... Hop like an Arctic hare..."
Materials: None
25. Hot Cocoa Dramatic Play
Set up a hot cocoa stand with play cups, marshmallow pom poms, stirring sticks, and menus.
Materials: Play cups, white pom poms, sticks, play money, menus
Managing Winter in Child Care
Indoor Time Challenges
Winter means more indoor time. Strategies:
- Rotate toys more frequently: Novelty fights cabin fever
- Create new spaces: Rearrange furniture to create fresh environments
- Add movement breaks: Indoor exercise prevents restlessness
- Use natural light: Open blinds, position activities near windows
Winter Health Considerations
| Concern | Management |
|---|---|
| Cold/flu spread | Extra handwashing, sanitizing, sick policies |
| Dry skin | Offer lotion, stay hydrated |
| Vitamin D | Natural light when possible |
| Cabin fever | Even brief outdoor time helps |
Outdoor Winter Play
Don't abandon outdoor time entirely. Benefits of outdoor winter play:
- Fresh air reduces illness transmission
- Natural light supports mood and sleep
- Cold weather play builds resilience
- Snow provides unique learning opportunities
Requirements for safe winter outdoor play:
- Appropriate clothing (layers, waterproof outer, warm boots)
- Shortened time in extreme cold
- Active supervision for ice hazards
- Warm-up space for after play
Winter Clothing Management
The winter clothing shuffle is real. Strategies:
- Label everything
- Practice dressing skills during calm times
- Create a routine for dressing order (snow pants before boots)
- Allow extra transition time
- Enlist children in helping each other
Celebrating Winter Holidays Inclusively
Winter includes many cultural celebrations. Approach with:
- Curiosity: Learn what families in your program celebrate
- Representation: Include books and materials from multiple traditions
- Neutrality: Avoid privileging one celebration over others
- Family involvement: Invite families to share their traditions
Focus on universal winter themes (cold, darkness, light, coming together) rather than specific religious content unless families have shared their practices.
Need to track winter activities for families? Bloomily makes it easy to share photos and descriptions showing children engaged in seasonal learning. See how it works or start your free trial.
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