101+ Winter Activities for Kids to Learn Life Skills

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Last Updated on December 1, 2024 by Sarah McCubbin

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Winter activities for kids are the perfect way to keep the whole family busy on cold days. Winter is a great time of year to spend time with kids of all ages doing fun activities that also help them learn and practice important life skills.

Like many moms who live in northern states, I have a bit of a love / hate relationship with winter. I love that life sort of slows down. In our house, our older kids don’t play sports in the winter so everyone is home after school. We don’t need to be anywhere. The cold weather means we are usually making soups and breads to warm up the house and often have a fire in the stove.

On the flip side, young kids can go kinda stir crazy in the winter. If you are trying to avoid using too many screens to keep them busy instead of bouncing off the walls, this list has a ton of great ideas for indoor and outdoor play as well as activities that build life skills.

Table of Contents

Winter Activities That Teach Life Skills

Cooking and Baking Winter Recipes: Kids learn foundational math skills through measuring ingredients, and following recipes teaches attention to detail and patience. These tasks build their confidence in the kitchen, encouraging independence and the satisfaction of seeing their work come to life in a tasty treat.
Setting up and Decorating the House for the Holidays: Holiday decorating fosters creativity and a sense of aesthetics. Kids can also practice planning by deciding on themes, selecting decorations, and arranging items, which improves spatial awareness and project management skills.
Learning to Knit or Crochet Warm Winter Accessories: Knitting or crocheting cultivates fine motor skills, attention to detail, and patience. These crafts also promote perseverance, as projects require sustained focus over time, which can help kids build resilience.
Organizing and Decluttering for the New Year: This teaches kids how to prioritize, make decisions, and let go of items they no longer need. Decluttering provides a clear space to start the year fresh and reinforces a habit of staying organized, which is a key skill in personal and academic settings.
Budgeting and Planning for Holiday Gift Shopping: Kids can learn the basics of financial literacy, such as budgeting, price comparison, and prioritizing needs versus wants. Involving kids in holiday shopping planning helps them understand the value of money and the importance of making intentional spending choices.
Practicing Time Management with Holiday Activities: The holiday season is full of events, from family gatherings to school projects. Teaching kids to create schedules or lists helps them balance responsibilities and prioritize, an essential skill they’ll use throughout life.
Learning to Fix Minor Household Issues: Simple repairs, like tightening a loose doorknob or stopping a leaky faucet, are empowering and build practical skills. Teaching these basics can foster a sense of responsibility and self-reliance, as kids learn they can handle minor problems on their own.
Practicing Self-Care Routines: Self-care is vital, especially during colder months when kids can feel more sluggish or cooped up indoors. Establishing routines for exercise, relaxation, and even skincare promotes mental health and well-being, teaching kids the importance of taking care of themselves.
Planning and Preparing for Winter Weather Emergencies: Preparing for emergencies teaches kids about safety, problem-solving, and the importance of being proactive. This activity also helps them understand that staying prepared can alleviate fear and ensure everyone’s well-being in uncertain situations.
Learning to Sew and Mend Winter Clothing: Sewing encourages resourcefulness and problem-solving. By learning to mend clothing, kids can appreciate the value of caring for their belongings, promoting sustainability and creativity.

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Indoor Winter Activities To Learn Life Skills

Build a Blanket Fort: Encourages creativity, spatial awareness, and problem-solving. Kids learn to use available resources to construct something cozy and functional, fostering independence and imaginative play.
Have a Movie Marathon with Popcorn: A family movie night can teach patience and introduce kids to storytelling and critical analysis as they discuss plots, characters, and themes with family members.
Create a DIY Craft Project: Using materials like peanut butter for bird feeders or food coloring for art projects teaches resourcefulness, creativity, and fine motor skills as kids work with different textures and colors.
Bake Cookies or Decorate Cupcakes: These activities develop cooking skills and attention to detail. Kids also get to practice measurement and sequence-following, making it both fun and educational.
Have a Dance Party in the Living Room: Dancing is great for physical health, coordination, and confidence. It’s also a great stress-reliever, helping kids learn the importance of movement for mental wellness.
Play Board Games or Card Games: These games develop strategic thinking, patience, and teamwork. Kids practice taking turns, following rules, and making calculated decisions.
Set Up an Indoor Scavenger Hunt: Scavenger hunts encourage kids to explore, stay active, and work on problem-solving as they look for clues or items in a specific order.
Build a Snowman Using Cotton Balls: Crafting a cotton ball snowman promotes fine motor skills and creativity, especially for younger kids, as they experiment with different textures and shapes.
Have a Pretend Snowball Fight Using Soft Balls or Socks: This activity provides physical activity while teaching kids coordination, teamwork, and friendly competition.
Make Paper Snowflakes and Decorate the Windows: Cutting snowflakes develops fine motor skills, attention to detail, and creativity as kids see how different folds create unique designs.
Create a Winter-Themed Sensory Bin with Fake Snow and Toys: Sensory play improves focus, curiosity, and tactile learning, which is especially beneficial for young children.
Paint or Draw Winter Scenes: Artistic activities foster self-expression, patience, and observation skills as kids think about seasonal colors, themes, and details in their artwork.
Put on a Puppet Show with Homemade Puppets: This activity encourages storytelling, performance, and communication skills. Kids learn to plan a story, use props, and express emotions through puppets.
Have a Karaoke Session and Sing Along to Favorite Songs: Karaoke builds confidence, public speaking, and memorization skills. Singing also releases endorphins, which is great for mood and relaxation.
Write and Perform a Winter-Themed Play or Skit: Writing and acting out a skit helps kids develop writing skills, teamwork, and creativity as they plan, rehearse, and perform together.
Make Hot Cocoa and Enjoy It Together: Making hot cocoa offers a cozy bonding experience and teaches kids about comfort rituals and sharing in a warm, winter-themed tradition.
Have a Virtual Hangout with Friends and Play Online Games Together: Staying connected with friends fosters social skills, even if it’s virtual. Online games can help with critical thinking and adaptability.
Create a DIY Obstacle Course in the Living Room: This activity encourages physical fitness, problem-solving, and perseverance. Kids learn to overcome challenges and explore their physical limits safely indoors.
Have a Science Experiment Session with Winter-Themed Experiments: Science experiments boost curiosity, critical thinking, and the scientific method. Winter-themed experiments like making “snow” or freezing bubbles make science relatable and exciting.
Make Homemade Snow Globes Using Jars and Glitter: Creating snow globes is creative and encourages patience, precision, and the joy of working with small details to achieve a visually appealing result.
Create a Winter-Themed Collage Using Magazines and Newspapers: Collaging helps kids develop artistic skills, concentration, and the ability to visualize ideas as they cut, arrange, and glue images into a cohesive winter scene.
Have a Storytelling Session and Take Turns Telling Winter Stories: Storytelling builds imagination, communication, and confidence. Taking turns also teaches patience and listening skills.
Build a Lego or Block City and Create Winter Scenes: Building structures teaches spatial awareness, planning, and engineering basics. Adding winter elements makes it seasonal and adds an extra creative challenge.
Have a DIY Spa Day with Homemade Face Masks and Nail Painting: A spa day teaches self-care and the importance of relaxation. Kids learn to create simple beauty treatments and take time to unwind.
Play Indoor Sports Like Bowling or Mini-Golf Using DIY Setups: DIY sports activities are fun and improve coordination, aim, and teamwork. Setting up the course involves planning, creativity, and resourcefulness.

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Winter Outdoor Activities With Practical Skills

A snowy day is filled with endless possibilities of outdoor adventures and cold weather memories. When my kids were little, there was literally nothing better than a canvas of fresh snow.

My mudroom was always full of wet snow pants and dripping boots after kids played outside for minutes…or hours!

Here is a list of fun things you can do outside with your kids. Be sure to keep a stash of hot chocolate on hand for after all the outdoor fun!

Build a Snowman: Building a snowman teaches planning, creativity, and patience. Kids learn to work with snow and balance different shapes, which enhances their spatial awareness.
Go Sledding: Sledding helps kids with physical coordination, balance, and basic physics concepts like momentum and gravity. They also learn to take turns and share the sledding hill with others.
Have a Snowball Fight: Snowball fights encourage physical activity and coordination. Kids develop strategic thinking and teamwork as they make decisions on where to aim or hide, learning to play respectfully with others.
Build an Igloo or Snow Fort: Constructing an igloo is a creative engineering challenge. Kids use problem-solving skills, patience, and teamwork as they experiment with stacking snow blocks to build a structure.
Go Ice Skating: Ice skating builds balance, focus, and perseverance as kids learn to stay upright and glide on ice. It also helps them learn the value of practice to improve their skills.
Create Snow Angels: Making snow angels is a simple activity that encourages creative expression and body movement, teaching kids to appreciate the beauty of nature in a unique way.
Go on a Winter Nature Hike: Winter hikes teach kids to appreciate the outdoors in different seasons. They develop observation skills as they notice changes in plants, animals, and landscapes during colder months.
Make Snow Sculptures: Snow sculpting encourages creativity and artistic skills. Kids learn to visualize their ideas and turn them into physical forms, teaching them patience and resilience.
Go on a Winter Scavenger Hunt: Scavenger hunts develop problem-solving skills, observation, and focus. They also teach kids about nature and seasonal changes as they explore and search for items.
Paint the Snow with Colored Water: Painting snow fosters creativity and experimentation. Kids can use spray bottles with colored water to make art on the snow, learning about color mixing and self-expression.
Have a Winter Picnic in the Snow: Enjoying a meal outdoors in the winter teaches kids adaptability and helps them appreciate the beauty of all seasons. They also learn about preparing for colder weather and staying comfortable outdoors.
Go on a Winter Bird-Watching Adventure: Bird-watching fosters patience, observation, and an appreciation for wildlife. Kids learn to identify different bird species and understand the importance of habitats.
Try Snowboarding or Skiing: These sports develop balance, coordination, and resilience. Kids also learn the importance of safety and preparation, as well as persistence in mastering a challenging skill.
Go Ice Fishing: Ice fishing teaches patience, focus, and respect for nature. Kids learn about fishing techniques and the need to be careful and quiet in winter outdoor settings.
Have a Bonfire and Roast Marshmallows: This activity is a great way to teach fire safety, patience, and the joy of gathering together. Kids learn to follow safety rules while enjoying the warmth of a cozy fire.
Go on a Winter Photography Expedition: Taking photos of winter scenes fosters creativity and an appreciation for the beauty of nature. Kids learn to observe details, frame scenes, and capture moments.
Make and Fly a Kite in the Snowy Weather: Flying a kite in the snow combines physical activity with the fun of a summer hobby. Kids learn about wind, weather, and the importance of adapting to different environments.
Have a Snow Obstacle Course or Relay Race: Creating and navigating an obstacle course promotes physical fitness, problem-solving, and teamwork. Kids learn to challenge themselves and others in friendly competition.
Go on a Nighttime Winter Stargazing Adventure: Stargazing builds curiosity about the universe. Kids learn patience, observation, and basic astronomy, understanding the beauty of the night sky in winter.
Play Winter-Themed Outdoor Games Like “Capture the Snow Flag”: Outdoor games encourage physical activity, teamwork, and strategy. Kids develop social skills as they engage in friendly, structured competition.
Go on a Winter Camping Trip: Winter camping teaches adaptability, preparation, and survival skills. Kids learn the importance of layering clothing, staying warm, and respecting nature during colder months.
Have a Backyard Winter Olympics: Setting up games in a winter Olympics theme encourages teamwork, perseverance, and fair play. Kids learn to celebrate each other’s efforts and have fun competing.
Explore Frozen Ponds and Lakes (With Adult Supervision): Observing frozen water teaches kids about safety, physics, and nature. They learn to be cautious while gaining an appreciation for seasonal changes in their surroundings.
Try Snowshoeing: Snowshoeing introduces kids to a unique way of exploring winter trails. It teaches coordination, balance, and endurance as they navigate snowy paths.
Have a Winter Treasure Hunt with Hidden Objects in the Snow: A treasure hunt promotes problem-solving and observation skills. Kids learn to look carefully, make decisions, and enjoy the thrill of discovery.
Make and Decorate a Winter-Themed Fort or Shelter: Building a fort or shelter encourages engineering and creativity. Kids learn to use their resources effectively, developing resilience and pride in their creation.
Go on a Winter Bike Ride or Scooter Adventure (if Weather Permits): This encourages physical activity, coordination, and the importance of dressing appropriately for winter sports, helping kids stay active year-round.
Collect Pinecones and Make Bird Feeders: Gathering natural items and making bird feeders promotes creativity and kindness toward animals. Kids learn about helping wildlife during the winter season.
Build a Miniature Snow Village or City: Crafting a snow village develops imagination, patience, and attention to detail. Kids can create different structures, roads, and decorations, building a small world of their own.
Create a Winter-Themed Obstacle Course in the Backyard: An obstacle course encourages physical fitness, problem-solving, and resilience. Kids challenge themselves to complete each obstacle, developing a sense of accomplishment.

20 Holiday Activities That Teach Skills For Life

1. Budgeting for Gifts: Give children a small budget for buying or making gifts. This teaches money management, prioritizing, and decision-making.

2. Baking Holiday Treats: Kids can help bake cookies, pies, or other treats. This activity builds skills in measuring, following instructions, and patience.

3. Writing Thank-You Cards: Encourage kids to write thank-you notes to friends and family. This fosters gratitude, communication, and empathy.

4. Planning a Family Event: Let your child plan a small holiday gathering or family activity. They’ll learn organization, creativity, and leadership skills.

5. DIY Gift Making: Crafting homemade gifts teaches resourcefulness and problem-solving, as well as how to give meaningful gifts from the heart.

6. Volunteer as a Family: Volunteering at a soup kitchen or organizing a food drive encourages empathy, compassion, and teamwork.

7. Set Up a Holiday Hot Cocoa Stand for Charity: Kids can run a hot cocoa stand to raise money for a cause, teaching entrepreneurship, planning, and giving back.

8. Decorating the House Together: Let children help with planning and decorating the home. They’ll learn collaboration, creativity, and a bit of practical home management.

9. Meal Planning and Grocery Shopping: Plan a holiday meal together, and let kids help create the shopping list and stick to a budget. This teaches organization and financial awareness.

10. Learning to Sew or Knit a Holiday Gift: Teach basic sewing or knitting to make scarves, mittens, or small crafts. This activity builds patience, fine motor skills, and self-sufficiency.

11. Managing Time with a Countdown Calendar: Have kids create a countdown calendar with small tasks each day to help manage their time and build anticipation.

12. Organizing a Toy or Clothing Drive: Encourage kids to go through their belongings and donate items in good condition. This fosters gratitude, generosity, and organizational skills.

13. Create a Family Recipe Book: Document favorite holiday recipes together, teaching kids about cultural traditions, food preparation, and organizational skills.

14. Learn Wrapping and Presentation Skills: Teach kids to wrap presents neatly and creatively. They’ll gain patience, attention to detail, and fine motor skills.

15. Outdoor Winter Gardening or Birdfeeding: Set up bird feeders or a winter garden to care for wildlife. This promotes responsibility, awareness of nature, and environmental stewardship.

16. Budgeting for Charity: Decide on an amount to donate as a family, and let kids help choose charities. They’ll learn budgeting, generosity, and the impact of giving.

17. Practice Communication by Calling or Visiting Loved Ones: Encourage kids to make phone or video calls to wish family members happy holidays. They’ll learn communication and social skills.

18. Create a Family Year-in-Review Scrapbook: Document family memories together. This activity helps with storytelling, memory keeping, and creativity.

19. Set Holiday Goals and Resolutions: Talk about resolutions as a family. Encourage kids to set personal goals, teaching them about self-improvement and planning.

20. Host a Family Talent Show

Give each family member a chance to perform something they’ve practiced. This builds confidence, preparation skills, and creativity.

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Life Skills To Learn From Crafting

Crafting is an excellent way for kids to develop a wide range of life skills. Here are some essential life skills kids can gain from engaging in various crafting activities:

Fine Motor Skills: Crafting involves actions like cutting, gluing, painting, and assembling small items, all of which help develop dexterity, hand-eye coordination, and control over fine motor skills.
Creativity and Imagination: Crafts encourage kids to think outside the box and experiment with different materials, colors, and techniques. This fosters a creative mindset, which is valuable for problem-solving and innovation in all areas of life.
Patience and Focus: Many craft projects require attention to detail and patience, especially those that take time to complete. Kids learn to focus, pace themselves, and work through projects without rushing.
Planning and Organization: Crafting often involves steps that need to be done in a specific order. Kids learn to plan, organize materials, and follow directions, which are essential skills for effective project management.
Problem-Solving: When something doesn’t go as planned—like glue not sticking or paint smudging—kids have to troubleshoot and figure out how to make adjustments. This helps build resilience and adaptability.
Decision-Making: Choosing colors, materials, and designs helps kids practice making decisions, both big and small. It also teaches them to trust their instincts and feel confident in their choices.
Self-Expression: Craft projects allow kids to express themselves and communicate their feelings, thoughts, and ideas through art. This is especially helpful for kids who might struggle to express themselves verbally.
Confidence and Self-Esteem: Completing a craft project from start to finish provides kids with a sense of accomplishment. This builds their confidence and self-esteem as they see their ideas come to life.
Following Instructions: Many crafts come with guidelines or steps to follow, which teaches kids how to understand and execute instructions—a valuable skill in both academic and practical situations.
Social Skills and Collaboration: Group craft activities encourage kids to communicate, share, and work together. They learn how to collaborate, compromise, and celebrate each other’s efforts.
Time Management: Larger craft projects require planning and managing time effectively to finish. Kids learn to pace themselves, prioritize steps, and understand the importance of completing tasks within a given timeframe.
Resourcefulness and Sustainability: Crafting often involves using materials found around the house or recycling items like cardboard and paper. This encourages kids to be resourceful and think sustainably, understanding the importance of reusing and repurposing materials.
Resilience and Persistence: Not all crafts go perfectly the first time. Kids learn to handle setbacks, adapt their plans, and persist until they succeed, building a resilient mindset.
Mindfulness and Relaxation: Crafting can be therapeutic, helping kids focus on the present moment and calm their minds. This is beneficial for mental health and teaches them the importance of relaxation and self-care.

When kids want to craft or create, it’s helpful to remember that those kinds of activities are actually teaching them a lot of valuable ideas…even if they make a freaking huge mess in the process!

Winter Crafts For Kids

Winter crafts are great for little kids who love hands on activities. I have to lock up the craft closet in the winter because my youngest daughter will simply craft all day long leaving a trail of popsicle sticks, buttons and ribbons in her wake.

If you don’t feel like a crafty mom, here is my hot tip. Gather up random craft supplies in a large shoe box….bits of this and that with some popsicle sticks, scrap paper and a GLUE GUN and let your kids go to town. They will use up your random odds and ends and stay busy for hours!

Here are some great winter craft ideas for kids:

Paper Snowflakes – Cut out intricate snowflake designs from white paper.
Popsicle Stick Snowflakes – Glue popsicle sticks together in a snowflake shape and decorate them.
Cotton Ball Snowmen – Use cotton balls to create adorable snowmen.
Paper Plate Penguins – Paint paper plates black and add features to make penguins.
Salt Dough Ornaments – Make ornaments using salt dough, cookie cutters, and paint.
Paper Plate Penguins-Decorate pinecones to resemble cute owls.
Winter Collage – Create a collage using cut-out winter-themed pictures from magazines.
Paper Mittens – Trace and cut out mittens from colored paper and decorate them.
Snow Globe Craft – Create miniature snow globes using jars, glitter, and small figurines.
Handprint Snowmen – Use white paint and your child’s handprints to make snowmen.
Paper Plate Snowflakes – Cut out snowflake shapes from paper plates and decorate them.
Marshmallow Snowmen – Use toothpicks and mini marshmallows to build small snowmen.
Ice Sun Catchers–Freeze water with food coloring in different shapes and hang them as sun catchers.
Winter Animal Masks – Make masks of winter animals using paper plates and craft supplies.
Winter Wonderland Diorama – Create a snowy scene inside a shoebox using miniatures and cotton balls.
Paper Bag Reindeer Puppets – Decorate paper bags to look like reindeer puppets.
Yarn Wrapped Snowflakes – Wrap yarn around popsicle sticks in snowflake patterns.
Mitten Garland Cut out mittens from colored paper and string them together to make a garland.
Paper Plate Polar Bears – Paint paper plates white and add details to make polar bears.
Ice Skating Penguins – Use construction paper to create penguins ice skating on a paper plate rink.
Winter Tree Art – Use cotton balls or tissue paper to create a winter tree artwork.
Snowman Handprint Ornament – Make a keepsake ornament using your child’s handprint as the snowman’s body.
Paper Tube Snowflakes – Cut paper tubes into snowflake shapes and decorate them.
Shivery Snow Paintings – Paint with white paint mixed with salt to create textured snow paintings.
Snowy Owl Puppets – Make owl puppets using paper bags, feathers, and googly eyes.
Snowy Pinecone Trees – Paint pinecones white and add glitter to create snowy trees.
Winter Paper Lanterns – Decorate paper lanterns with winter-themed cut-outs and tissue paper.
Cardboard Tube Snowmen – Use cardboard tubes to make cute snowmen characters.
Clothespin Snowflakes – Paint clothespins white and arrange them into snowflake shapes.
Winter Luminaries – Decorate glass jars with tissue paper cut-outs and place candles inside for a warm glow.

The Winter Slow Down Can Be The Best Time To Learn

While many people dread the winter, I have always found it to be one of the most productive seasons of the year for learning…both academic learning and life skills. We live in Ohio where we get several months that are quite cold. And because of that we spend a lot of time inside. We also cut winter sports from our family so we are home a lot more as well!

Between all the awesome holiday learning…and then that season of slow down after the New Year, you can absolutely count on Winter as a great time to try new things!

Sarah McCubbin and her husband and 9 kids live in Ohio. She loves talking about all kinds of education topics and is passionate about helping families find the best education options in each season! Socially awkward growing up, she loves to help families teach life skills, social skills and leadership.