Indoor Activities for Kids in the Winter

Ah, the joys of winter. The days feel extra long and the weather can be challenging. Many parents find themselves searching for ways to keep their children entertained, active and happy while stuck indoors. Keeping little hands and minds busy can feel overwhelming, especially when cabin fever starts to kick in. In this article, we’ll share resources for indoor winter activities organized by energy level, age, and prep effort so you can easily find ideas that work for your family. From simple cold weather activities to creative sensory play, we’ll explore some engaging options using sensory toys, DIY kits and other Sensory-N-Stuff products that make indoor winter play fun and easy for everyone!

Quick-Start Guide: Fun Indoor Winter Activities for Kids

Fun winter activities for kids indoors include active games like:

• Obstacle courses
• Creative crafts and art projects
• Hands-on sensory play
• Simple education experiments
• Cozy activities like puzzles or reading

Mixing movement, creativity, and calm play help kids stay engaged, learning, and happy during long winter days indoors.

High-Energy Indoor Activities to Burn Off Steam

Bodies still crave movement even when cooped up indoors during the winter. Regular movement and exercise help boost mood, improve focus, and support healthy sleep. It also helps release built up tension and energy and is a positive outlet to regulate emotions and maintain good physical and mental health. When outdoor play isn’t an option, there are plenty of indoor activities for kids at home.

Let’s explore some fun things to do indoors at home below.

1.   Indoor Obstacle Courses with Household Items

• Couch cushion or pillow crawl: Line couches cushions/pillows up and crawl or jump over or around them.
• Painters tape balance beams: Make a “balance beam” with painters’ tape for kids to walk across. Create zig-zag lines or hopscotch too.
• Laundry basket tunnel: Turn laundry baskets or large boxes into crawl-through tunnels.
• Chair obstacle course: Set up chairs across the room for kids to weave in and out of like a ski course.

2.   Balloon or Soft Toy Volleyball

• Stuffed animal toss: Toss stuffed animals or plush toys into a bin before moving to the next station.
• Soft toy volleyball: Use balloons or soft foam balls for a safe, indoor-friendly version of volleyball.
• Freeze volleyball: Everyone freezes mid-game when the music stops for a fun twist.

3.   Scavenger Hunts & Treasure Hunts

• Household items treasure hunt: Create a simple list of items to find around the house by color, shape, or category.
• Find the Christmas trees: Hide these sparkly wooden Christmas trees around the house and give kids hints as to where they are located.
• Find the dinosaur: Using the toy dinosaurs from our dinosaur sensory bin, hide them around the house and give kids hints to their location.  

Creative and Calming Activities for Quiet Time

After high-energy play, kids benefit from slowing down with creative and calming activities that support focus and emotional regulation. Arts and crafts, sensory play, and low-mess activities are perfect things to do in winter for kids, especially during long afternoons or on snow days.

Here are some creative and calming snow day activities to try.

1.   Build a Blanket Fort

• Reading fort: Fill with pillows, blankets, stuffed animals, and books for a relaxing feel.
• Glow fort: Add flashlights for a magical winter glow and cozy storytelling.
• Bed sheet canopy: Throw sheets over bunk beds or bed frame for a cozy nook.

2.   Winter-Themed Arts & Crafts

• Coloring: Coloring books make great activities for cold weather.
• Painting: Paint a snowman, Santa, or a snowy landscape.
• Sensory crafts: Use textured paper, clay, or playdough to make fun and unique creations.
• Paper plate snowflakes: Fold paper plates (or craft paper) and cut snowflakes to decorate windows or walls.
• DIY snow globes: Fill Mason jars with water, glitter, and small figurines.
• Taming Little Monsters “50 Fun and Easy Winter Crafts for Kids to Make”

3.  Sensory Bins and Fillers

• Winter-themed sensory fillers like: winter rice, candy cane cottage rice, peppermint dream, peppermint twist, and twinkling Christmas sensory rice are perfect sensory snow day activities for kids.
• Sensory bins also make great cold weather activities. Our favorite winter-themed bins geared to keep little hands busy and entertained are gingerbread man sensory bin, Grinch sensory bin, Santa and Reindeer Christmas sensory bin, and our deluxe winter sensory bin.  

Educational and STEM Fun Activities

Winter days don’t have to slow down learning. Indoor winter activities can be both fun and educational at the same time. Hands-on experiments, STEM activities, and sensory-based learning kits engage kids in problem-solving, critical thinking, and creativity while staying warm and cozy indoors.

From building simple circuits to exploring chemistry with safe experiments, these snow day activities for kids turn cold, indoor days into exciting opportunities to explore science, math, and engineering in a hands-on way.

1.   Kitchen Science Experiments

• Baking soda volcanoes: Mix baking soda and vinegar in a cup or small container for a fizzy science experiment.
• Lava lamps: Sensory water experiments using safe materials.
• Floating egg: Make a simple density experiment by adding salt to water and observing a floating egg.
• Homemade slime: Combine cornstarch and water to make “Oobleck” or try safe, stretchy slime recipes.

2.   Building & Engineering Challenges

• LEGO sets
• Building blocks
• Marble runs that encourage problem-solving: Use paper tubes, ramps, or LEGO pieces to design paths.
• Bridge building: Create a bridge using straws, popsicle sticks, or cardboard that can hold small toys.
• DIY catapults: Build simple catapults from popsicle sticks, rubber bands, or spoons to explore physics concepts.

Cozy in the Kitchen: Multi-Sensory Cooking Activities

Cooking is a perfect way to combine creativity, learning, and sensory exploration during chilly days. Indoor activities for kids at home like mixing, measuring, and decorating let kids engage multiple senses at once while building fine motor skills.

From simple cookie decorating to DIY smoothies, these fun things to do indoors at home keep kids entertained, encourage experimentation, and make the kitchen a cozy hub of hands-on learning during the winter.

• Bake and Decorate Winter Cookies: Decorate cookies together and experiment with a variety of different textures, sprinkles, and icing.
• DIY Hot Cocoa Bar: Let kids mix toppings and different flavors for a sensory experience.
• DIY smoothies: Try a variety of different mixes and recipes.

Low-Prep, Low-Mess Fun Activities for Busy Parents

On hectic winter days, parents need indoor winter activities that keep kids engaged without adding extra cleanup. For hands-on sensory play with minimal mess, sensory bottles or pre-made sensory bins from Sensory-N-Stuff are a great idea. Everything is contained and ready to use. These easy options make snow day activities for kids feel fun and manageable, giving children meaningful play while parents enjoy a little peace of mind.

Here are some low-prep, low-mess snow day activities:

• Reading marathons
• Audiobooks
• Simple card games like Uno or SkipBo
• Puzzle challenges

Make Winter Memorable

Winter doesn’t have to mean boredom. With winter games for kids, hands-on sensory play, and simple activities designed for all energy levels, families can turn time indoors into moments of family bonding, creativity, and fun. From cozy crafts to engaging snow day activities for kids, the right activities make winter feel warmer and more meaningful. 

Explore all Sensory-N-Stuff has to offer for easy, inviting, low-mess sensory play experiences that encourage learning, laughter, and connection all season long.