50 Outdoor Things to Do with Your Kids in Winter

This piece was written before 2020, when the world changed.

Winter is far from my favourite season, personally, especially when it is super cold out. However, living in Canada, and in particular, living in Saskatchewan, we have no choice but to embrace winter. We simply bundle up and head outdoors! It's what we do.

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I compiled this outdoor winter bucket list for kids to make planning your family's winter outdoor adventures that much easier.

Unlike other winter bucket lists for kids that focus on lots of indoor activities, this one focuses purely on ideas and activities to enjoy outdoors together. Because staying cooped up all winter is not an option, right?

Most of the ideas on this winter bucket list for kids are free or inexpensive, use materials that you have on hand, and/or use materials that you can find in your backyard! So bundle up and get outside with one of these fun and easy ideas!

1. Have a snowball fight.
2. Go sledding — try making a DIY duct tape sled first!
3. Go skating at an outdoor rink or on a pond.
4. Build a snowman.
5. Spray paint snow with food colouring and water — simply mix it up in a spray bottle. Maybe try spray painting the snowman too!
6. Make a snow maze.
7. Make snow angels.
8. Build a snow fort.
9. Make animal snow sculptures and use twigs, berries, leaves or other nature bits to decorate.
10. Blow bubbles and watch them freeze.
11. Play a giant game of tic-tac-toe in the snow. Draw the board and use twigs and acorns as Xs and Os.
12. Make rainbow sculptures with balloons.
13. Take cake pans and muffin tins outside and use them as snow molds.
14. Make different tracks in the snow. For example, point your feet out and stagger them to create tractor tire marks.
15. Play football or soccer in the snow.
16. Catch snowflakes on your tongue.
17. Make snow ice cream.
18. Play a game of bowling using snowballs.
19. Measure fresh snowfall.
20. Have a winter picnic.
21. Make faces on tree trunks with snow.
22. For older kids, try a game of icicle javelin and see who can throw the farthest without their icicle breaking.
23. Draw smiley faces on snow covered car windshields.
24. Make and hang a bird feeder in the backyard.
25. Have a sled-pulling contest.
26. Have a snowball throwing contest.
27. Play at a playground after a fresh snowfall.
28. Have a contest to see who can roll the biggest snowball.
29. Bury your legs in the snow.
30. Paint the snow.
31. Warm up around a winter campfire.
32. Go on a hike.
33. Have a scavenger hunt in the snow.
34. Go skiing.
35. Play a game of hockey.
36. Go to a local ice sculpture garden! Or marvel at your local snowpeople!
37. Shovel a neighbour's driveway or sidewalk. (If you're doing this one, wear a mask!)
38. Go snowshoeing.
39. Make ice moulds and suncatchers.
40. Go snowmobiling.
41. Roll in the snow then hop in your hot tub.
42. Check out your local zoo — some offer free admission during the winter months!
43. Go out searching for animal tracks after a fresh snowfall.
44. Make a pyramid out of snowballs.
45. Make ice cube sculptures.
46. Throw icicles on the ground and watch them smash.
47. Play a game of snow golf — bury tin cans in the snow to be your holes.
48. Measure your body with snowballs.
49. Build a snow catapult with a piece of wood for launching snowballs.
50. Write your name in the snow, like you would on a beach.