25 Best Winter Activities for Preschoolers
Winter presents a magical time for preschoolers, introducing them to a world transformed by frost, snowflakes, and cozy indoor activities. Our list of ’25 Winter Activities for Preschoolers’ is designed to leverage this season’s unique opportunities to foster creativity, physical development, and cognitive skills.
These indoor and outdoor activities are crafted to be fun, educational, and perfectly suited for little hands and curious minds. So, grab your mittens and get ready to dive into a world of winter wonder with your preschooler!
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Supply List for Winter-Themed Activities for Preschoolers
Before jumping into the crafts, let’s review some basic materials you will need for these winter-themed activities. Most of these items can be found in your home or at a local craft store. Pick and choose what supplies you use for which projects.
Most importantly, have fun!
23 Winter Activities for Preschoolers
If you are looking for winter activities that will keep your child engaged and entertained, you have come to the right place! At Kidz Craft Corner, we believe in blending learning and fun together. That’s why all of our activities are designed to be educational, creative, and enjoyable for kids.
These winter theme activities cover various subjects such as science, art, math, literacy, and more. These activities not only help children develop important skills but also encourage their curiosity and imagination. Enjoy!
1. Watercolor Snow Painting
Watercolor snow painting is a fun winter activity that offers many benefits for preschoolers. Firstly, it allows children to explore their creativity and express themselves. The unpredictable nature of painting on snow encourages them to adapt and react to the changes, promoting problem-solving skills.
Furthermore, combining cold snow and warm watercolors provides a sensory experience that can enhance their understanding of temperature and cause-and-effect relationships. With so many fun benefits, why not try this fun winter-themed activity?
2. Snow Flake Art With Salt
Watch as this fun snowflake art comes to life with just a sprinkle of salt! This activity combines art and science by introducing the concept of crystallization.
As your preschooler paints snowflakes on dark paper using watercolors, they can observe the magical transformation as salt is sprinkled onto the painting. The salt absorbs the watercolor, creating a unique texture that mimics real snowflakes’ crystal structure.
3. DIY Frozen Slime
Are you looking for a fun winter activity that will assist in developing fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and sensory play? Look no further than DIY frozen slime! This simple recipe only requires three ingredients and can be made in minutes.
Plus, the addition of glitter makes it a fun and sparkly winter-themed activity. Your preschooler will giggle with delight as they explore the texture of this ‘snowy frozen’ slime.
By Our Crazy Adventures in Autism Land
4. Frosty the Snowman Activity
Are you looking to work those fine motor muscles with cloud dough? Why not make your own cloud dough and make Frosty the Snowman with it? This winter activity is perfect for preschoolers as they mold and shape their own dough and snowman using only a few ingredients.
This is a great sensory experience, and it allows children to practice their counting skills as they add different parts of the snowman – 1, 2, 3!
By Our Crazy Adventure in Autism Land
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- 21 Snowman Crafts for Kids
- 21 Winter Sensory Bins for Preschoolers
- Fun Popsicle Stick Reindeer Craft
5. Winter Snow Volcano
This winter-themed sensory activity is a must-try! The Winter Snow Volcano is not just a fun experiment but an adventure into the world of chemistry right in your own backyard. Simply take a mound of snow, carve out a crater, and add baking soda and food coloring.
Next, let your kiddo pour in some vinegar and watch their faces light up with delight as the ‘volcano’ erupts, spewing snowy ‘lava’ all around. This tactile and visual spectacle does more than just entertain; it’s a hands-on way for preschoolers to learn about chemical reactions. Plus, outdoor cleanup is a breeze!
Next, be sure to check out this fun volcano experiment!
6. Frozen Snowflake Sensory Bottle
Sensory activities play a critical role in a child’s development. They stimulate the child’s senses: touch, smell, taste, movement, balance, sight, and hearing. These activities can naturally encourage children to use scientific processes while they play, create, investigate, and explore.
If you have yet to try a sensory-related activity with your kiddo, this winter-themed sensory bottle is a must! For more sensory bottle ideas, take a look at these captivating glitter sensory bottles.
7. Winter Sensory Bin
The Winter Sensory Bin is a wonderful tool for imaginative play, developing hand-eye coordination, and exploring different textures. Here’s how to set it up:
- Select a Bin: Choose a large, shallow bin. This will be your base for the sensory bin.
- Pick a Base Material: Fill the bin with a base material that imitates snow. Options include cotton batting, cotton balls, styrofoam peanuts, or even shredded white paper.
- Add Winter-Themed Items: Once your ‘snow’ base is ready, add winter-themed items to the bin. Think small toy snowmen, pine cones, plastic icicles, holiday ornaments, shiny tinsel, or small winter animals.
- Include Tools: Provide your preschooler with tools for exploring and manipulating the items in the bin. This could include scoops, tweezers, cups, or even just their own hands.
- Let Them Explore: Finally, let your preschooler explore the Winter Sensory Bin. Stand back and watch as their imagination takes hold, creating their own winter world.
8. Winter Mitten Mats
Are you looking for a winter theme activity that incorporates fine motor practice? Look no further than Winter Mitten Mats! These free printable worksheets include mitten outlines for children to practice color coordination.
You can also use these mats as a sorting activity by providing different colored pompoms or buttons and having your preschooler match them to the corresponding color on the mat.
By Little Bins for Little Hands
9. Free Winter Playdough Mats
Grab these free winter playdough mats for a fun and engaging activity that will promote creativity, fine motor skills, and sensory play. These printable mats provide different winter scenes for your child to create using playdough, polar bears, evergreen trees, and other arctic animals.
By Little Bins for Little Hands
10. Polar Animal Playdough Tray
The Polar Animal Playdough Tray is an imaginative and educational activity that your preschooler is bound to enjoy. It promotes hands-on learning, allowing children to shape and manipulate playdough to create their own winter wonderland.
This activity is not only a great medium for creativity and sensory play, but it also introduces your child to various polar animals, enhancing their knowledge about different species and their habitats.
Make this play-doh tray even better by making your own homemade playdough first!
11. Penguin Lacing Cards
Are you ready for some winter fun? These free printables intertwine the love for the winter season and fine motor practice. These penguin lacing cards are a fun, hands-on way to engage your preschooler in developing hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills while also incorporating a winter theme.
Simply print out the templates, cut out each penguin, and punch holes around the edges. I recommend laminating each penguin if you have one so they can be used multiple times.
Then, let your child use a shoelace or string to lace through the holes for a fun winter activity!
12. Ice Ornaments
Are you looking for a fun addition to your typical winter activities? Why not make one of these ice ornaments? These beautiful and easy-to-make decorations are perfect for adding a touch of winter magic to your home.
Simply mix together water, food coloring, and any additions you’d like, such as glitter, paper, or small decorative items.
Related crafts: 25 Handmade Ornament Crafts for Kids
By DFW Crafts
13. Winter Pretend Play
Try this fun winter dramatic play activity with your preschooler! Set up a winter scene using cotton balls, a jar, and a scooper or tongs. Let your child see how many snowballs they can get into the jar.
This makes for great counting practice and fine motor development. You can also incorporate pretend play by pretending to make hot chocolate.
By Fun-A-Day
14. Winter Scavenger Hunt
Experience the chilly season like never before with our free printable Winter Scavenger Hunt. This fun-filled activity encourages your preschoolers to explore their surroundings, notice winter’s unique features, and engage with the natural world.
15. Snowflake Wind Chime
16. Snowman Science Project
This is a fun snowman, and then watch him melt! This science project is a great winter-themed activity that kids of all ages will enjoy! When you’re done, don’t forget to name your snowman so you can remember him forever!
17. Winter I Spy Printable
The Winter I Spy printable is a delightful addition to your preschooler’s winter activities. It brings the unique elements of the season to your child’s fingertips, promoting observational skills, cognitive development, and an appreciation for the natural world.
As your child scans the printable to find winter-themed objects, they also strengthen their understanding of shapes, patterns, and colors. Grab your free winter I-Spy printable now!
18. Winter Bingo
Who doesn’t love playing bingo? Grab these free bingo cards and enjoy a nice evening inside, creating special moments with your little ones!
19. Make Frozen Bubbles
Creating frozen bubbles with kids is a fun and magical winter activity that combines science and play. All you need is some bubble solution, a bubble wand, and cold outdoor temperatures.
As the kids blow bubbles into the frosty air, they will be thrilled to see them freeze into beautiful icy orbs, introducing them to the concept of freezing and providing an unforgettable winter memory.
20. How to Make Homemade Snow
Creating two-ingredient homemade snow is the perfect winter-themed activity to keep preschoolers engaged and learning. After all, if you can’t have real snow, why not make your own?
Additionally, homemade snow provides an exciting opportunity for sensory play, promoting fine motor skills and fostering creativity, as children can build and mold their own snow creations right at home.
By Red Ted Art
21. Preschool Winter Activity Book
Are you looking for a winter activity book to keep your kiddos entertained while making dinner? Why not print out his fun 7-page winter activity book for preschoolers?
22. Winter Color By Number
This pre-k cold weather color-by-number is a great way to practice those early math skills. Your preschooler will love using different colors to fill in the winter-themed pictures and reveal a hidden image.
This activity encourages number recognition, counting, and color identification while also incorporating a fun winter theme. Plus, it’s a great quiet-time activity for those chilly days when you’re stuck indoors.
23. Watercolor Ice Cube Tray
If you can’t bring snow inside, why not bring ice? This fun winter activity involves freezing ice inside of Tupperware and then letting your kiddo use their watercolors to paint it!
Once you are finished, you can set it outside (if it’s cold) to display their creation all winter long.
Winter Activities for Preschool – Summary
I hope that you have found a handful of fun winter activities that will make the colder months spent indoors more doable. From winter sensory activities to dramatic play center ideas and math games – these activities are bound to keep your preschoolers engaged and learning all season long.
Don’t forget to bundle up, stay warm, and have fun exploring the wonders of winter with your little ones! Keep checking back for more seasonal activity ideas.
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