7 Cosy Winter Indoor Activities for Kids

Too cold to play outside? Though frosty walks and playing in the snow are brilliant outdoor winter activities, sometimes the weather just isn’t on your side. For those blustery winter days when stepping outside is not an option, we have compiled seven fun indoor activities that kids and adults alike will love. Feast your eyes on our cool winter indoor activities video above, then have a read of 7 things to do indoors with kids below. 

1. Games for Cosy Indoor Fun

To entertain children of all ages, try some of these wonderful games. Classic board games like Snakes and Ladders are amazing educational toys and excellent for promoting social skills such as turn-taking. Children aged 6 and above can put their thinking skills to the test with strategy games Qwirkle and Quoridor. Younger children will enjoy Dinosaur Dominoes and Monster Bingo. Alternatively, a game to get you up on your feet is skittles! Take a look at these Fairtrade, sustainable rubber wood skittles that are ideal kids learning toys for both indoor and outdoor use – not to mention, all of the family can join in! For a free winter-themed game, you can download Winter Flashcards Matching Game on any device, print and laminate for use again and again. Children can learn new vocabulary whilst having fun. Easy card games for kids are also fabulous things to do indoors with kids. Try your hand at Garden Snap or learn a language with French Snap. 

2. DIY Colouring Sheet Jigsaw Puzzles

Colouring sheets and jigsaw puzzles are calm activities to capture attention. Children can create their very own jigsaw puzzle using these cute winter colouring sheets that help kids to develop a range of skills. Learning to colour within the lines – be it with crayons, pencils or felt tips – encourages the development of fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. Cutting out the colouring sheets to make a jigsaw puzzles further strengthens the control of such muscles in the hands and fingers. If laminated, these DIY jigsaw puzzle winter crafts can be used over and over again, making them ideal learning resources.  

3. Fun Indoor Activities: Yoga and Mindfulness

If the weather prevents you from getting outdoors and exercising, yoga and mindful activities are lovely indoor options for kids. Not only does yoga promote positive mental health, concentration and self esteem, but it also boosts flexiblity, balance and muscle strength. If you are searching for rainy day activities for kids, try learning resources like Yoga Pretzels and Mindful Kids. These flashcards are beautifully illustrated and provide easy-to-follow activities for children (and adults!). Moreover, they encourage kindness, focusing and staying calm. On top of this, Yoga Pretzels and Mindful Kids flashcards are suitable early years resources for kids aged 4 and above. For kids yoga video tutorials, browse the Cosmic Kids collection.  

4. Winter Books for Indoor Activities

Snuggling up with a book is a lovely pastime all year round, but it is especially cosy during the winter months. Plus, you can find plenty of winter-themed books to read. For babies and toddles, board books are ideal kids learning toys; That’s Not My Snowman is a touchy-feely board book with bright pictures and textured patterns for little hands to grasp. Additionally, Winnie-the-Pooh: The Long Winter’s Sleep and The Snowy Day are warming winter tales for toddlers to enjoy. Similarly, books like Guess How Much I Love You in the Winter offer a seasonal twist on renowned stories and are perfect early years resources. Older readers will love the Zoe’s Rescue Zoo: The Lucky Snow Leopard and The White Fox.  

5. Indoor Fun Den Building

Bring out your inner child and help your kids to build an indoor den! Using string, pegs and blankets, you can construct a cosy corner for reading and relaxing. To make it extra special, hang twinkling fairy lights inside. Indoor activities like this motivate children to draw upon their creative side and develop imagination and problem solving skills. Take some colouring books and easy card games for kids into the den or practice storytelling for hours of entertainment. 

6. Rainy Day Activities for Kids: Hot Chocolate Recipe

During the colder months, there are a variety of festive drinks to try. Why not make a healthy hot chocolate? Raw cacao powder contains antioxidants, magnesium, potassium and iron. Add ½ tbsp of cacao powder and 1tsp of maple syrup to a mug. Fill ¾ of the mug with boiling water and stir, then top up the remaining ¼ with milk of your choice (oat milk is super for this). Pour into a blender and mix to create a frothy hot chocolate! Kids can snuggle up to enjoy their hot chocolates with their favourite book or movie. 

7. Winter Crafts Snowflake Garlands

Wondering about DIY decorations this winter? Handmade snowflakes look beautiful when strung from the ceiling and are ideal winter crafts for kids. Start by drawing the outline of a snowflake onto coloured pieces of card – children can get creative and make each snowflake look unique. This is a great opportunity to learn about symmetry in an engaging way. Next, carefully cut around each snowflake, which is marvellous for kids developing their fine motor skills. Hole punch at the top of each snowflake before threading onto a piece of string and hanging from the ceiling. Voila! Beautiful winter crafts for kids turned into lovely decorations. Find more winter crafts for kids here. 

Discover even more learning resources, educational toys and free printables at wordunited.com!