25 Winter Activities For Preschoolers To Create A Wonderland

1. Explore Snow Science

Winter is the perfect time for some snowy, science-filled fun with your little ones! Head outdoors and observe the snowflakes falling from the sky. Take a magnifying glass and examine the intricate designs of each snowflake. Talk about how each one is unique, just like your child. You can also try catching snowflakes on a dark piece of fabric to get a closer look.

2. Play Winter Dress-Up

Gather some winter-themed dress-up clothes, such as hats, scarves, gloves, and boots. Let your preschooler pretendthey are going on a snowy adventure or building a snowman. Encourage imaginative play by talking about how each item of clothing helps keep them warm in the winter.

3. Create a Winter Wonderland Sensory Bin

Fill a large container with fake snow or cotton balls. Add plastic animals, trees, and vehicles to create a winter wonderland scene. Your child can use their imagination to play in the snow, move the animals around, and build snow structures. This activity engages sensory play while sparking creativity and storytelling.

4. Build a Salt Crystal Snowflake

Mix salt, hot water, and food coloring in a container. Cut out a snowflake shape from a piece of black paper. Dip the paper snowflake into the salt solution and let it dry overnight. As the water evaporates, salt crystals will form on the snowflake shape, creating a beautiful winter decoration.

5. Have an Indoor Snowball Fight

No need to wait for the next snowstorm to have a fun snowball fight! Crumple up white tissue paper or use soft, plush snowballs for an indoor snowball fight. Create "forts" using pillows and blankets as obstacles. Let the giggles and excitement begin as your preschooler throws snowballs and dodges incoming flurries.

6. Make Hot Cocoa from Scratch

Warm up with a delicious cup of homemade hot cocoa! Show your child how to mix cocoa powder, sugar, and milk on the stovetop. Let them add mini marshmallows or whipped cream as a sweet treat. Enjoy sipping your hot cocoa together and talk about how it warms you up from the inside out on cold winter days.

7. Decorate Winter Cookies

Bake sugar cookies in winter-themed shapes like snowflakes, mittens, or snowmen. Set up a decorating station with colorful icing, sprinkles, and edible decorations. Let your preschooler's creativity shine as they decorate the cookies. These tasty treats not only look delightful but also provide a fun bonding experience between you and your child.

8. Go on a Winter Nature Walk

Bundle up in warm clothes and explore the winter wonderland outside. Point out how the trees look with snow on their branches and listen for the crunch of snow underfoot. Encourage your child to observe animal footprints in the snow and talk about how animals adapt to winter. Collect pinecones, twigs, or leaves to bring a piece of winter nature back home.

9. Build an Indoor Ice Sculpture

Fill different-sized containers with water colored with food dye, then freeze them in layers. Stack the frozen layers to create a colorful ice sculpture. Let your child explore the properties of ice and experiment with stacking the pieces in different ways. Admire your unique ice creation and talk about how sculptures can be made from different materials.

10. Create a Winter Bird Feeder

Spread peanut butter on a pinecone, then roll it in birdseed. Hang the pinecone outside near a window and watch as colorful winter birds come to feast. Teach your child about the types of birds that visit your feeder and their winter habits. This activity provides an opportunity to appreciate nature and care for our feathered friends.

11. Design a Winter Wonderland Painting

Set up a painting station with blue, white, and silver paint. Encourage your preschooler to create a winter scene using their imagination. They can paint snow-covered trees, a cozy cabin, or a snowy landscape. Display their masterpiece proudly and talk about the different elements of winter depicted in the artwork.

12. Play "Pin the Nose on the Snowman"

Draw a large snowman on a piece of paper and cut out a carrot-shaped nose from orange paper. Blindfold your child, spin them around, and have them try to pin the nose on the snowman. This classic game is a fun way to practice spatial awareness and coordination, all while laughing and enjoying the silly fun of winter-themed activities.

13. Sing Winter Songs and Rhymes

Gather around and sing winter-themed songs and rhymes with your preschooler. Include classics like "Jingle Bells," "Frosty the Snowman," or create your own winter tune. Add actions or dance moves to make it even more engaging. Singing together fosters a sense of togetherness and creates lasting memories of winter joy.

14. Do a Snowflake Math Activity

Cut out paper snowflakes in different shapes and sizes. Use them to teach basic math concepts like sorting, counting, or patterns. Your child can arrange the snowflakes by size, count the points on each flake, or create a pattern with alternating colors. This hands-on math activity makes learning fun and connects it to the winter theme.

15. Build a Mini Winter Village

Gather cardboard boxes, cotton balls, construction paper, and other craft supplies to create a miniature winter village. Cut out houses, trees, and tiny figures to populate the village. Encourage your child to design their winter wonderland and let their imagination run wild as they play and interact with the tiny world they created.

16. Host a Winter Storytime Party

Gather your child's favorite winter-themed books and host a cozy storytime party. Invite friends or family members virtually or in person to join in the fun. Encourage everyone to wear their pajamas, sip hot cocoa, and take turns reading winter stories aloud. This activity promotes literacy, social skills, and a love for storytelling.

17. Have a Winter Olympics Day

Host a mini Winter Olympics in your backyard or living room. Set up stations for activities like snowball toss, ice skating (with socks on hardwood floors), or a "biathlon" race. Award homemade medals or ribbons for participation and encourage friendly competition. This activity promotes physical activity, teamwork, and sportsmanship.

18. Create a Winter Nature Journal

Start a winter nature journal with your child to document observations and discoveries outdoors. Encourage them to draw pictures of winter scenes, write about the weather, or press leaves and twigs as keepsakes. Reflect on the changes that winter brings to nature and discuss the importance of observing the world around us.

19. Play a Snowman Memory Game

Create matching cards with pictures of winter items like mittens, snowflakes, hot cocoa, or snowmen. Turn the cards face down and take turns flipping them over to find matches. This memory game not only challenges your child's memory skills but also reinforces winter-themed vocabulary and concepts in a fun and interactive way.

20. Make DIY Ice Ornaments

Fill empty containers with water and add berries, pine needles, or twine for decoration. Freeze the containers, then pop out the ice ornaments and hang them in the trees outside. Watch as the sunlight catches the ice and creates a glistening display. Talk about how the ornaments change with the weather and time of day.

21. Learn about Winter Holidays Around the World

Explore different winter holidays celebrated around the world with your child. Learn about traditions, customs, and foods associated with holidays like Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or Chinese New Year. Engage in activities that represent each culture and celebrate the diversity of winter festivities across the globe.

22. Bake Snowflake Pancakes

Whip up a batch of pancake batter and pour it into a squeeze bottle. Use the bottle to create snowflake-shaped pancakes on the griddle. Talk about symmetry and patterns as you design your edible snowflakes. Serve the pancakes with syrup and fresh fruit for a delicious winter-themed breakfast.

23. Do a Winter Yoga Session

Create a calming and winter-themed yoga session for your child. Pretend to be a snowflake, a snowman, or a hibernating bear. Encourage slow, intentional movements and deep breaths to promote relaxation and mindfulness. Yoga helps children develop body awareness, flexibility, and emotional regulation while engaging in imaginative play.

24. Host a Winter Shadow Puppet Show

Set up a flashlight or lamp to cast shadows on a blank wall or sheet. Use cutout shapes of winter animals, trees, or objects to create a winter-themed puppet show. Your child can move the puppets to tell a story or act out a scene. Encourage them to experiment with different lighting and props for a magical shadow play experience.

25. Create a Winter Time Capsule

Gather items that represent your child's favorite winter memories, like photos, drawings, a list of things they are grateful for, or a special memento. Place these items in a sealed container and bury it in the backyard or store it in a safe place. Decide on a future date to open the time capsule and reminisce about the wonderful winter moments you shared together.