Are you looking for new outdoor winter activities for kids? Then you are in the right place!
Here are 60 Fun Winter Outdoor Activities for Kids and Adults to enjoy. Including matching books and a free printable winter activity checklist.
Let’s have a look!
There are affiliate links in this post, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will be compensated if you click through and take action. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
10 Fascinating Winter Facts
Before we get started with our winter outdoor activities for kids, let’s learn a little bit about the season of winter.
Here are 10 Fascinating Winter Facts you probably didn’t know!
- The winter season is defined from December to February.
- In the Southern Hemisphere, the winter solstice begins on June 20 or 21st.
- Winter is the coldest season.
- The sun looks bigger in the winter.
- Trees and plants stop growing during this cold season.
- Nights are long in the winter.
- Some animals hibernate in the winter.
- Winter comes before Spring.
- Cold weather, snow, and ice typically occur during the Winter months
- The shortest day of the year happens during the Winter Solstice
These and more inspiring facts about winter can be found in the following link.
Winter Jokes
Next, I like to share some fun winter jokes with you:
- What is a snowman’s favorite drink? Ice tea!
- Why did the snowman turn yellow? Ask the dog.
- What does a snowman put on his face at night? Cold cream.
- Why didn’t the snowman go to the party? He had snowone to go with!
- How do you contact a penguin? Give him a wing.
- How do penguins pass exams? They wing it.
- Where do penguins go dancing? The Snow Ball.
- What do penguins wear on their head? Ice caps.
Check out the full list of our 101 Fun Snowman Jokes and 90 Fun Penguin Jokes here.
Winter Books for Kids
Here are some great winter book recommendations for you:
Are you interested in more kid’s activities, arts & crafts, and science experiments?
I have made it easy for you! Join our newsletter now and I will send you new fun for kids.
Subscribe for free
60 Fun Outdoor Winter Activities for Kids
I personally love all seasons. It doesn’t matter how cold it is, we are just dressing accordingly and enjoying the outdoors regardless.
In this post, I like to share 60 fun winter outdoor activities to enjoy with kids.
That being said they are all family-friendly outdoor winter activities even adults can enjoy.
Our family winter activities include winter outdoor activities without snow, snow winter activities for kids, outdoor winter activities for school, winter outdoor learning activities, and outdoor winter activities for families to enjoy.
To make sure you do not miss out on any fun this winter, below you will find the link to our winter bucket list pdf to print.
Do not forget to check it out!
Let’s have a look and get inspired!
1. Snowman
Let’s start our outdoor winter activities for kids by building a snowman.
If you want to know how to make a snowman, and need a few tips? Here is how to make your snowman a success!
Also, every snowman needs a name. Here are our top 5 snowman names for you:
- Frosty
- Olaf
- Jack Frost
- Jingle
- Flake
Read the full list of our 145 Fun Snowman Names here.
2. Winter Scavenger Hunt
There are many different ways how to approach an outdoor winter scavenger hunt.
My family really enjoyed this colored ice scavenger hunt.
It is super simple. Make some colored ice cubes and hide them outside. With a bucket, your children can go on a fun scavenger hunt and collect them.
The best part is, they loved to play with them afterward as well. It kept them busy for a good while.
By the way, this is also a perfect winter outdoor activity for school. It can be done easily in your schoolyard and entertain your students while being outside!
Here is the link for our Winter Scavenger Hunt.
3. Sledding
One of the most popular outdoor activities in the winter is to go sledding.
If you are lucky you don’t even have to drive far and the next neighborhood hill will do just fine.
You will not even need a lot of snow. Just get one of these Snow Disks. They do well with just a minimum of snow.
Most children love sledding and it will keep them busy for hours.
Just be aware, the longer the hill, the longer the walk up. Sometimes a smaller hill will serve you better!
4. Snowball Fight
There shouldn’t be any winter passing by without a good snowball fight. They are a lot of fun and good exercise to burn energy.
To make it more interesting you can even build some fortresses first.
Below you will find great instructions on how to build a fortress during the winter.
5. Snow Angels
I m sure you made a snow angel before. It is really not hard.
Simply lay down in the snow with your back. Extend your arms straight and start moving your legs and arms.
When you stand up carefully, you can enjoy your snow angel.
Look even our elf on the shelf knows how to make some great snow angels.
6. Igloo
An igloo is a shelter built out of snow.
Building your own igloo is a fun family outdoor winter activity for a sunny snow day.
Your children will have to apply their building skills and geometry concept (circles, radius, diameter…) in order to build their own igloo.
Here you can find 2 simple methods on How to Build Your Own Igloo.
7. Snow Ice Cream
Did you know you can make your own ice cream out of snow?
You actually can! It is super fun and takes only 5 minutes.
All you need is:
- Fresh Snow
- Milk
- Sugar
- Vanille Extract
- Fine Sea Salt
Wisk your milk, sugar, vanilla extract, and sea salt together first. Then add your snow till you reached your desired consistency.
Check out the full recipe for your Snow Ice Cream here.
8. Ice Skating
Ice skating can be a fun indoor and outdoor winter activity for kids.
Instead of going to an indoor ice skating ring, go check where in your area outdoor ice skating is offered.
It might even be at your next town center.
You can either rent your own ice skates there or bring your own.
Take some blankets and hot chocolate for your breaks and you will have the most wonderful day of winter outdoor fun with your kids.
9. Winter Hike
Hiking is not only a great outdoor activity for the warmer month. It can be enjoyed even during winter.
We love going on snow hikes. I dress the kids accordingly we take our old fashion wood sled and explore nature.
When the children get tired they will sit on the sled and I will just pull them along.
Just be aware that walking in snow is not as easy as going on a regular hike, you might want to pick a shorter route.
Going outside really brings a lot of benefits, so do not hesitate to go out in the wintertime!
Here is a great read on How to Engage Kids in Nature.
10. Christmas Market
One of my favorite winter outdoor activities as a family is going to a Christmas Market.
I love wandering around, looking at the stands, buying some handmade Christmas gifts, sipping hot chocolate or mold wine, and the kids get to meet Santa.
Since sadly my children aren’t in love with just looking at Christmas stuff I choose carefully to witch Christmas market we are going to.
I recommend searching around for markets with children’s activities. Some offer crafts, maybe even a train show, or even a sled right.
This way the whole family can enjoy fun winter outdoor activities.
11. Skiing
What shall I say? Blue sky, mountains with sparkling snow, and being outside what isn’t there to love about?
So if you didn’t try skiing yet you are missing out!
You might not even have to drive far to find a ski lodge.
It is pretty easy to rent your ski equipment there.
Sign your kids up for ski lessons until they are good enough to ski with you.
If it is been a while for you as well, you should consider joining them at their ski lesson till you get back into the grove again.
I will promise you, if you like winter and outdoor activities, you will love skiing and so will your kids!
12. Animal Tracks
While going on your winter hike as I recommended above you can start looking for animal tracks.
They should be super easy to find in the snow and you do not even have to go deep in the woods to find them.
You might be lucky to look just outside of your backyard.
After finding your animal tracks in the snow it is time to find out which animal they belonged to.
I found these great Animal Track Pictures in the Winter Snow which will help you with it.
13. Snow Games
Yes, there are plenty of games you can play outside in the winter.
A snowball fight and a winter scavenger hunt are just two of them. You can also play tic tac toe outside, or make a snow race with cars.
Shovel a snow track for them and let them race outside.
Flag Football, snow golf, or snowball knockdown are just some of the many other examples.
I m sure your kids can come up with some other snow games to play outside in the winter!
14. Sleigh Ride
Going on a sleigh ride in the winter can be so romantic and the whole family will enjoy it.
If you are lucky you can find a sleigh ride at your Christmas market or next horse farm.
Dress warm, pack a blanket and some hot chocolate, and enjoy a fun day outside.
You might be even able to take a look at the farm or buy a Christmas tree there. Just saying!
15. Caroling
Did you ever go caroling yet?
I have to admit I have never been before but if you enjoy singing and Christmas music it is the perfect outdoor winter activity for adults and kids.
Make sure to practice your Christmas songs with your kids so they know the lyrics.
If they do not want to participate themselves you can go at least and visit a Christmas choir concert instead!
Here are some of the most popular Christmas carol songs:
- O Holy Night.
- Silent Night.
- In the Bleak Mid-Winter
- Hark!
- O Come All Ye Faithful.
16. Winter Festival
You might even be lucky and find a Christmas choir at one of your local winter festivals I recommend visiting.
Enjoy some carnival rides and games, hot chocolate, eat some waffles or sit at the bonfire and make some smores.
Depending on what your nearby winter festival is offering, there are many things to explore and see.
Especially in the evening winter festivals are magical with all their Christmas lights and sparkles.
17. Christmas Light Walk
This brings me to the next outdoor activity for the winter.
Going for a Christmas light walk.
Instead of just driving through a Christmas light show there are places where you can walk through a winter wonderland full of Christmas lights.
If you do not plan on spending a lot of money find a nice neighborhood with a lot of Christmas decorations and enjoy a walk through their neighborhood.
18. Explore Frozen Greeks
First, let me point out that children shouldn’t do this activity not unsupervised.
Playing at lakes and greeks during the winter can be very dangerous.
Children can often not estimate the danger. They might think the lake is frozen and hold them but that is often not the case.
Nevertheless is exploring small greeks during the winter time a lot of fun and makes the perfect family outdoor winter activity.
Just don’t take any risks and explain to your children how dangerous it can be to do this activity alone without you.
19. Geocaching
Geocaching is a lot of fun not only during the summer month.
With help of your mobile device and GPS, there are marked locations all over the world you can go and find.
A good start for you to begin with geocaching is to visit the page Geocaching.com and explore locations around you!
20. Snowmobile
Did you ever ride a snowmobile? It looks so much fun.
Maybe you have a snowmobile renting place around. They have tracks to enjoy with different difficulty levels and maybe even a group tour you can take.
Just dress warm enough and back some snow goggles in case it gets windy during the ride.
21. Paint Snow
Painting snow is actually a pretty cool outdoor winter activity for children.
I found this great tutorial on how to make washable and nature-safe paint to enjoy painting the snow.
Your children can be creative and draw whatever their heart desires or even write notes in the snow.
All you need is some paint brushes, recycled jars, and paint powder.
What are you waiting on? Here is everything you need to know about Snow Painting.
22. Bird Cake
While you are enjoying the wintertime on a warm sofa in front of your fireplace with plenty of food our feathery friends might not be as lucky.
Therefore here is an easy bird feeder craft for you.
Learn here how to make your own bird cake. The birds in your backyard will love it.
Check out the recipe here.
23. Fort
Take your snowball fight to the ultimate level when you learn how to make a snow fort to hide behind.
Be aware that it will take some time to build your own fort first. You might want to use one afternoon just to build and the next to enjoy a good snowball fight.
It is also a smart choice to build more than one fort so you can have two teams or more and it is a just fight.
Here are some great tips on how to build a snow fort.
24. Snow Maze
With a snow maze, you can switch things up a little bit instead of just going to build a snowman over and over again.
It is ideal to have knee-deep snow for this activity and all you need is a shovel.
Either your children are already old enough to build their own maze and you can explore it afterward or you will have to do it for them to play in it.
Either way, it is a great outdoor activity for kids in the winter.
25. Frozen Bubbles
Did you make frozen bubbles yet? We tried them last year and they are a lot of fun!
It is a great winter STEM experiment and makes the perfect outdoor winter activity for kindergarteners.
All you need is:
- warm water
- corn syrup
- sugar
- dish soap
- Straws
- a plastic container
- a small plastic bottle that can be squeezed
Mainly things you most likely already have at home.
You can find the simple recipe here and as a tip, if you add some food coloring they will even turn out nicely in color!
26. Star Gazing
Did you ever realize that you can see the stars much brighter in the wintertime? At least that’s how it appears to me!
So if your children are into star constellations, this winter activity is perfect for them. Especially since it gets dark early and they do not have to stay up too late to enjoy watching the stars!
If you do not have a book about star constellations, I can recommend the following: 50 Things To See With A Telescope
You might also enjoy this blog post about winter constellations.
27. Bonfire
What shall I say? There is nothing better than making a bonfire in the winter while enjoying the outdoors.
It will keep you at least a little warmer and if you are in a good mood you can even prepare some bonfire treats for your kids.
How about this delicious Smores Campfire Cone Recipe.
28. Ice Fishing
In case you enjoy going fishing with your family, you will love ice fishing.
Ice fishing is not that different from regular fishing. You are simply trying to catch a fish with lines and a fish hook through an opening in the ice.
With that being said the most important step for ice fishing is to find safe ice.
Safety always comes first!
29. Snowboarding
Earlier I send you skiing. If you are already a good skier you can always switch it up and go snowboarding instead.
I never tried but it seems just as fun as skiing and might be a new challenge for you!
30. Study Snowflakes
No snowflake is the same as another. They are all unique in their own way, just like we are!
You do not have to wait to go outside till it stopped snowing. Why not go outside and explore snowflakes?
Maybe even try to catch them!
Afterward, here is a great book on snow you can read to your kids and explain why snow is falling: Curious About Snow
31. Zoo
You might be surprised but you might enjoy regular things like visiting the zoo during the winter time as well.
It will be less crowded for sure and you can have a nice walk through the zoo in peace and quiet.
32. Sightseeing
Also, sightseeing is a nice winter activity for kids outside. Especially since snow makes everything look so magical.
What are you waiting for?
33. Frozen Suncatcher
Did you ever make frozen suncatchers? We didn’t yet but I have to admit they look stunning.
I found this DIY suncatcher tutorial for beginners to try myself.
All you need is:
- Ribbons
- Flowers or Leaves
- water
- Container for Freezing
See the full step-by-step tutorial here.
34. Night Walk
While it is nice to go for a winter hike it is also a fun family outdoor activity in the winter to go for a night walk together.
I do not recommend letting your children wander around at night by themselves just to mention this upfront.
Equipt with some flashlights and reflecting cloth you can enjoy a nice evening walk as a family.
You can observe the stars together, look at Christmas decorations in your neighborhood, or listen to owls.
35. Garden Decorating
If you haven’t yet and like to decorate your front yard for the season this doesn’t need to be your task alone. Let your children help you set up Christmas lights and enjoy them together afterward.
36. Snowday Photo Shoot
I personally love every occasion to make pictures of my children. So how about a snow day photo shoot?
Outdoor photo shoots can be a lot of fun even for children.
They do not need to sit out in dresses and other normal cloth to look nice in pictures.
I often find the most natural-looking pictures turn out the best. So dress them up in their winter coats, maybe a cute hat you have, and have fun with your camera in the snow!
37. Snow Sculpture Contest
I m sure your kids enjoy building their own snowmen. But since the winter can be long simply building a snowman can get boring if you do it over and over again.
So why not switch things up and make a contest out of it? It can be either a snowman contest or a challenge for them to build any snow sculpture they like.
Maybe even get some ribbons for the first 3 places. They will love them!
38. Flashlight Tag
There are also some fun outdoor winter activities without snow for kids to enjoy.
Playing flashlight tag is one of them!
Every player will need their own flashlight. Wait till it is dark enough outside for them to be seen.
Then go into your backyard and let them play tag with the help of flashlights.
They will have a blast!
39. Playground
You can also visit playgrounds in the wintertime. It says nowhere you can’t.
Simply be careful the equipment is not full of ice so your children do not get hurt.
Arrange a playdate on the playground and enjoy the winter outside!
40. DIY Birdfeeder
Instead of making an animal cake as recommended above, you might enjoy making your own bird feeder.
With the help of a repurposed plastic bottle, this tutorial shows you how to make your own bird feeder for your backyard.
41. Bird Watching
After you are done with your bird feeder and you hang it up outside you will discover more and more birds will come and enjoy their treat.
Why not hang it up in front of your dining room or kitchen table? It will give you the perfect opportunity to watch the birds stopping by.
Of course, you can also go outside with some binoculars and watch birds in nature.
I found this perfect Bird Watching Guide from national geographic that will help you identify the birds you will see.
42. Kindness Rock
Another great outdoor winter activity without snow for kids is to paint and hide kindness rocks.
I just came across the idea of this winter-painted rock from Sarah Walker on Instagram. They are pretty cute, aren’t they?
43. DIY Snow Candy
In case you enjoyed your snow ice cream from above, you will love the following snow candy recipe.
For this maple syrup candy recipe you will need the following materials:
- bed of clean snow
- real maple syrup
- wooden popsicle sticks
- clean, fresh snow
- saucepan or a small pot
- candy thermometer
- baking sheet
The full instructions can be found in the following recipe.
44. Winter STEM
Besides building an igloo and making frozen bubbles there are other fun snow stem activities that can be done outside during the winter.
Here is a full list of 35 Winter STEM Activities for you to enjoy!
You might also enjoy our Fizzy Ice Cube Experiment or any of the other 15 Best Experiments with Water.
45. Nature Confetti
Are you wondering what nature confetti is? It is nothing else than confetti made out of leaves or flower petals.
All you need for this easy winter activity for kids is leaves or flower petals and a hole puncher.
We personally love to use these Shape Hole Punchers for crafts. They come in 12 different shapes and can be used all year round for different craft activities.
So mainly all you do is punch the shapes into your leaves and make your own nature confetti.
46. Cross Country Skiing
Did you ever try cross-country skiing? It is a great exercise in the winter that kids can enjoy outside.
Especially if you do not live cloth to the mountains but get a lot of snow it is a great alternative to regular skiing.
47. Snow Tubing
How about snow tubing? It is mainly sledding on a big tube. You can either buy a snow tube yourself or go to a snow tubing lodge.
The benefit of a snow tubing lodge is that they provide tubes, have prepared tracks, and a lift to take you up.
Just be prepared they are not cheap. You might want to check if they have any Groupon or other coupons available.
48. National Park
Why not visit your nearby national park this winter? It is a great place to go for your winter hikes. You might even come across some historic sights or battlefields.
49. Winter Picnic
While you are visiting the national parks you might get hungry. Pack a picnic and an Isolated Blanket for a winter picnic.
50. Snow Slide
In case you do not have a fitting hill in your neighborhood to go sledding. That’s not a problem. Simply build your own snow slide.
Shovel all the snow you can get to make a big hill for your slide. Then Carve in stairs on one side and smooth them out for the slide on the opposite side.
What do you think? That’s brilliant!
51. Tree Lightening
Christmas is one of my favorite holidays throughout the year. Already right after Halloween, I start decorating the house and listening to Christmas music.
That being said of course we visit every year our town’s tree lighting ceremony.
This year my son even played with his music band at the ceremony. Which made it extra special for us.
52. Play Hide and Seek
Playing hide and seek is definitely more challenging during the winter month. Especially with snow outside. But on the other hand, it makes it more interesting and challenging for sure.
So if your kids are up for a new task, let them play hide and seek outside while enjoying some fresh air and gaining Vitamin D.
53. Winter Solstice
Are you up for a new tradition?
This year we celebrate the winter solstice on December 21st.
So why not use this opportunity and try something new? Let’s celebrate the winter solstice together!
You can start with preparing a feast and dining by candlelight, making a wreath, or burning a yule log.
54. Listen to Owls
In case you like to go for the night walk I recommended above you should try to listen to some owls.
They are nocturnal animals and it might be fascinating for your kids to try to hear one.
Use the opportunity the afternoon before and visit the library and rent some books about owls.
You might actually like this one: National Geographic Readers: Owls
55. Glow Stick Hunt
While you are already outside at night you can also prepare a glow stick hunt for your children.
It is such a fun night winter activity for your kids to enjoy.
Simply hide some glow sticks in your backyard and let your kids find them while it is dark outside. They will have a lot of fun!
56. Eat Icicles
I have to admit, even I already eat some icicles as a child. Is it the healthiest thing to do probably not but I survived it so far.
While going for your winter walk, keep your eyes open and see if you can find some icicles to eat.
57. Snow Obstacle Course
Obstacle courses are not only fun during the summertime. They can also be built during the winter and bring the same amount of fun.
Let your children balance along a line on the ground, climb over and under things and most of all let them burn a lot of energy while racing.
They can either enjoy their winter obstacle course by themselves or build teams and race against each other. Whatever suits them better!
58. Drink Hot Chocolate
Nothing tastes better than hot chocolate outside during the winter month. You can feel how it warms you from inside while you drink it and your hands will enjoy the hot cup as well.
This is a great idea for hot chocolate lovers after playing outside for a while!
59. Ice Bowling
Ice bowling is nothing different than playing bowling outside on snow or ice during the winter month.
All you need is a bowling game and some shovels to prepare your bowling alley.
While preparing your bowling alley you should try to make it as even as possible to get good results.
Leave some snow on both ends of your bowling lane that way your bowling ball stays in place.
After you are done with the hard work preparing for the game, now all you have to do is to set it up and enjoy it with your family and friends.
60. Snow Writing
Last but not least our outdoor winter learning activity for kids.
Spread some kindness this winter and get outside with this fun snow writing activity.
Read all about it here.
Did you enjoy our winter greetings for kids?
Then go check out these great stocking stuffer ideas for girls, boys, and kids in general.
More Winter Activities
After all that winter outdoor fun for kids it is time to check out these fun winter indoor activities for kids next:
- Snowglobe Template
- Snowman Names
- Elf on the Shelf Jokes
- Reindeer Printables
- Snowman Luminaries
- Carrot Outlines
- Snowflake Coloring Pages
- Gingerbread Man Template Printables
- Penguin Cut Outs
- December Crafts
- Winter Hat Outlines
- Borax Chrystal Tutorial
- Winter Scavenger Hunt
- Fizzy Ice Cubes
- Winter Mitten Templates
- Gingerbread Man Jokes
- Cookie Quotes
- Candy Cane Coloring Pages
- Christmas Glitter Jar
- Christmas Tree Crafts
- Winter Bingo Printabels
- Cupcake Liner Christmas Crafts
- Christmas Crafts
- Christmas Card Ideas
- Free Christmas Bingo Game
- New Years Activities
- New Years Resolution Game
- New Years Bingo Game
- Snow Sayings
- Star Quotes
- Penguin Quotes
- Saint Nicholas Day Wishes
- Santa Quotes
- Gingerbread Man Quotes
- Generosity Captions
- Thankful Sayings
- Giving Phrases
- Gratitude Quotes
- December Sayings
- Advent Messages
- Christmas Wishes
- Glitter Quotes
- Elf on the Shelf Quotes
- Fun Friday Activities for Kids
- New Year Wishes
If you are a visual learner, check out these 4 outdoor snow activities as well:
How to Download Your Free Printable Outdoor Winter Activity Checklist for Kids
Simply sign up here for our newsletter and you will receive the link to our winter bucket list pdf.
Already a subscriber? Don’t worry, no need to subscribe twice. I just updated our free printable library.
You can find our easy winter outdoor activity printables there or check our latest newsletter for more information.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to me. I m happy to help!
Pin Our Fun Outdoor Winter Activities for Kids
Don’t forget to save our 60 Best Winter Outdoor Activities for Children on Pinterest for later! Be sure you are following along with Lil Tigers.
Now I would like to hear from you!
Which winter activity for outdoors did you choose? Did you find a better one?
Either way, let me know by leaving a comment below right now.
I love to hear from you!