07 Jan Creative Winter Activities + Things to Do With Kids
Following the chaos of the holiday season, it’s nice to settle back into a routine and become more purposeful with how we spend our days. With little ones at home, it can be easy to throw caution to the wind and forget the importance of routines so we found a few fun winter ideas from our friends at Fantastic Fun & Learning to inspire a creative approach to tackle each day.
Marshmallow Counting
Grab a hot cocoa mug and a number cube. Have your child roll the cube and add that many marshmallows to the mug. Keep rolling and adding until the mug is filled. If your child is ready count all the marshmallows in the mug at the end for an added challenge.
Build A Snowman
If you have snow, head outside (or bring a small bin of snow inside) and see what you can create. If you don’t have snow, use play dough, blocks, marshmallows or whatever you have on hand to see what kind of snowman you can create.
Playdough invitations are a staple around here! I love them because they take just a few minutes to set up but lead to TONS and TONS of play and learning. They’re also great for mixed age groups. All kids will interact with the materials in their own unique way.
Q-Tip Snowflakes
Grab some cotton swabs. Cut some of them into smaller bits. Set out the bits and some whole cotton swabs with paper and glue. Let kids create their own snowflake art.
Think & Write
Make a list of things your child already knows about penguins to activate prior knowledge. Then write down a few questions to learn about this week. Find nonfiction books (Penguin book list available on Fantastic Fun and Learning) or watch some YouTube videos to see what you can learn along the way.
Hot Chocolate Surprise Science
You know those activities you do that your kids talk about FOREVER?! This is one of them! Every winter when the temps drop and we start making hot cocoa more regularly, one of my kids will say, “Remember that time when you tricked us and made the hot cocoa erupt?!”
I sure do! I’d have to say it was one of my finer parenting wins. And the belly laughs that came after the surprise still ring in my ears. This is a fun twist on classic baking soda and vinegar reactions, so if you’ve got hot cocoa and those two items in your pantry you just might be able to try this today!
Check out the full list of activities for more great ideas!