35 Indoor Activities For Winter When You’re Stuck Inside – Parent Picks!

It’s winter and we are all looking for indoor activities for kids to get the wiggles out! We have collected the best parent recommended winter indoor activity ideas for kids of all ages from toddlers to tweens. Use these winter activities for kids at home or in the classroom.

35 Activities To Do Indoors When You Need to Stay Inside

We rarely get enough snow to even make a snowman, but it does get icy, cold, and damp. Leaving the cozy fire and snuggly socks behind to venture out is often not at the top of the priority list!

Related: Our favorite indoor games

I’m planning ahead and have gathered oodles of indoor activities inspiration, tried and giggle tested ideas from fellow parents, to keep my daughter and her friends happy and engaged indoors.

My Favorite Indoor Winter Activities

Let’s start with some of my wintery favorites.  These are unique, clever and don’t take much set up.  All these indoor activities are things that keep my kids busy for hours.

1. Snowy Toy Car Ramp

Create a toy car ramp inside.  And then as if that isn’t enough, you can add some inside snow to make the driving conditions a little more scenic.  What a fun and frugal way to spark more pretend  play indoors on cold winter days. via buggyandbuddy

2. Create with Air Dry Clay

This air dry clay craft project for kids of all ages turns out very cute no matter how skilled you are at snowman making.  Try this classic winter fun for kids of any age. See the adorableness on Buzzmills

3. Painting Snow- Inside!

Yes!  Let’s bring the snow that is outside…inside!  And then make some colorful creations in a controlled mess kinda way.  Fill a cooking tray with some snow and let them off. See then fun evolve on kitchenfloorcrafts

4. Make A Snow Globe

I love a good snow globe craft and this is simple and adorable.  Gather empty jars and invite your kids to make their very own snowglobes in less than 5 minutes from start to shake. See how to make on MollyMooCrafts

5. Master Finger Knitting With Your Kids

Kids love this because it is so hands on and interactive.  And it is surprisingly easy to learn.  Imagine sitting on the couch on a lazy winter Sunday. . . there’s nothing better! via flaxandtwine

6. DIY Crayon Resist Snowflakes

Grab some crayons and watercolor paints to artfully create some snowflakes.  Each will be perfectly unique!  Playful experiments with crayons and watercolor. So very pretty via Messy Little Monsters.

More Fun Indoor Activities for Kids

Here are some more winter activities for kids that you can do indoors just in case the snow is piling up or if you are like me and live in Texas, there may be some wintery rainy days that feel just a little miserable.

7. Make Skating Popsicle Stick Dolls

Grab your popsicle sticks and make these adorable dolls that actually skate.  I know that sounds crazy, but it is true and it makes a really fun craft for kids of all ages.  I can see this is something older kids would really enjoy alongside the younger ones.  An exciting new spin on this ever popular classic craft. See how to make on MollyMooCrafts

8. Set up a Snowman Making Station

This is absolutely the best preschool winter activity!  Set up a simple activity tray with bits and pieces from around the house as a snowman making station.  Then toddlers and preschoolers have everything they need already set up to craft. So clever, so cute via Happy Houligans

9. Indoor Snowball Fight

Who doesn’t love a snowball fight?  The downside is the ice and snow and cold.  This is all the fun without any of the cold.  The very best indoor fun! This was the biggest hit in our house last winter. Every playdate was challenged via MollyMoo

10. DIY Tissue Paper Stained Glass Suncatchers

Grab that stack of colorful tissue paper you haven’t used for wrapping gifts and head to the kitchen table to brighten up your winter windows with colorful suncatchers.  Follow the steps with Artful Parent.

11. Indoor Obstacle Course

OK, I should have put this in the list above because this is literally my favorite winter activity for kids of any age.  Why?  Because kids need exercise…even indoors and this makes it fun and easy.  Ready! Set! Go! Grab our big list of obstacle course ideas for kids!

These Activities Make Me Glad It’s Too Cold To Go Outside

12. Make a Puppet Theater

Watch your kids’ imaginations come alive with paper bag puppets and a some scrap fabric. You can make puppets from nearly anything and then set up your own home theater.

13. Make Indoor Hopscotch

We absolutely love how you can make Popsicle Stick Hopscotch along with 9 other great ideas for entertaining kids indoors with just a bag of craft sticks.

14. Create Magazine Collage Art

An absolutely gorgeous, simple, and accessible activity for any home and classroom. See the magic unfold on mollymoocrafts

15. Make it Snow Inside

Make fake snow from styrofoam for kids to go crazy. Messy, I know, but the kids’ laughter will be worth every second of the cleanup. See the fun unfold on playtivities

16. Build Elsa’s Ice Palace

And all you need are some sugar cubes to play this FROZEN movie scene. See the joy on leftbraincraftbrain

Try These Fun and Simple Indoor Crafts

Kids and simple crafts just go together all year round, but when looking for the best indoor winter activities for kids, crafts can’t be beat!  Here are a few of our favorites…

17. Make a Ninja

These Toilet Roll Ninjas are so much fun to make and play with afterward. No need to leave the house on those cold days – just grab a few toilet paper tubes and straws and watch the ninja fun begin. 

18. Owl Craft for Kids 

Make Toilet Roll Owls for some fun created from the recycle bin.  Some frugal crafty fun for winter afternoons and weekends. Everything you need to make will be found at home. See how easy they are to make on MollyMooCrafts

19. Make a Hedgehog Game

Create your very own Cardboard Hedgehog Ring Toss.  Upcycle the Christmas gift boxes into this cuter than cute hedgehog ring toss game for hours of indoor play. See how to make on MollyMooCrafts

20. Minecraft Craft

Make this Toilet Roll Minecraft. After just a simple 3-minute construction, your kids will be happily crafting their toilet roll Minecraft creeper too. And everything you need is in the recycling bin! Perfect for indoor winter crafting.

21. Make homemade skis that work

Skiing at home with homemade skis?  You don’t have to have snow outside your house or go to expensive ski resort to have a lot of fun skiing. It’s all about setting up the mood and imagination! Oh what fun! See how to make on Playtivities

Keep Warm With More Indoor Ideas for Winter

22. DIY LEGO PlayMat

The most fun your kids can have with a roll of craft paper, crayons, and the kitchen floor. via MollyMooCrafts

23. Turn The Bathroom Into A Hair & Nail Salon

Place curlers, bows, makeup, and nail polish around the bathroom. Check out this and 9 other great ideas for indoor winter fun on thechirpingmoms

24. Hosting an Indoor Campout

Check out these 6 things for an amazing camping session with kcedventures. No bugs, I promise!  <–this is my very favorite kind of camping of all the camping types!

25. Diamond Snow Dig

When it’s too cold to play outside,  bring the snow inside! via happyhooligans

26. Learn French Knitting

This looks fun! by Buzzmills

27. DIY Wrecking Ball Block Play

It  so  simple, but  brilliant! LEGO towers at the ready! Simply create your own homemade wrecking ball out of things you have at home.  The trick is to choose something like a toilet paper roll and string it on a short string so it won’t actually damage anything when it hits.

28. Create a Winter Play Scene

Check out all the details on this simple winter toddler and winter preschool play idea with Winter Felt Play Activity.

More Indoor Winter Play with Kids Activities Blog 

• Print out this free winter fun pages pack of worksheets and learning games.
• Winter Dot to Dot<–these printable activities are so much fun and will keep you warm inside.
• January may be the coldest month of the year for most wintery climates, but these January coloring pages will make you feel warm and fuzzy.
• Snowflake Window Clings – these come with a snowflake coloring page as well as a snowflake template.
• Check out these cute animal coloring pages that are filled with woodland animals we all love.
• Can’t go outside because of the cold? Try this digital escape room that you can do from your couch!
• For some indoor exercise, here are 22 ideas for a fun diy obstacle course for kids!

What are your favorite cold weather activities? What are your favorite indoor kids activities?