15+ Snow Activities for Toddlers

(Easy indoor and outdoor snow activities for toddlers and preschoolers)

Here are a great list fun and easy ways to make snowy days indoors or outdoors even more enjoyable for your kids.

I love winters mostly for the snow. I am not a huge fan of the cold. This Christmas the theme of my gifts were ways to keep mommy warm while she skiis! But snow, I do love.

So when we get a big dump of it outside, I love taking the kids out to play in it of course but I also love bringing snow inside!

Snow Play Ideas

There are tons of things you can do with snow outdoors. Sledding, build a snowman or a snow fort to name a few. But this list is all about the ideas you probably would never think of to do with your kids. Things such as building a bird feeders or making snow volcanoes or making frozen snow bubbles! This list is sure to keep your little one learning and playing in the snow all winter long!

Have you ever brought snow inside your house to play with? It’s a lot easier than you think and tons of fun! All you need is a sensory bin (see below) and a few towels. And once armed with this list you will have tons of super easy ways to keep your toddler or preschooler entertained in doors during snowy or blustery days when going outside to play in the snow isn’t possible.

Indoor Snow Activities for Toddlers & Preschoolers

1. Snow Dinosaurs

Do your little ones love dinosaurs? If your answer was do birds fly?, check out this fun snow dinosaur sensory bin that incorporates their favorite dinosaur toys! Combine them with snow for this fun and easy snow dinosaur sensory bin!

Materials

• Snow
• Sensory Bin
• Small Dinosaur Figures
• Toy Trees

How To Set Up

1. Head outside and fill a sensory bin with snow. Pack it down to keep it from melting too quickly. Bring it back inside.
2. Add tree and dinosaur toys.
3. Invite toddler or preschooler to play. They can wear gloves to keep hands warm. Build volcanoes or whatever they can image!

2. Maple Snow Candy

Materials

• Pure maple syrup
• Saucepan
• Baking sheet
• Fresh snow
• Popsicle sticks

How to Set Up

1. Scoop clean, fresh snow into a shallow tray or baking sheet and pack it down lightly.
2. Pour pure maple syrup into a small saucepan and heat it on the stove until it gently boils and thickens slightly.
3. Carefully drizzle the hot maple syrup in thin lines over the packed snow.
4. Let the syrup sit on the snow for 5–10 seconds until it firms up.
5. Use a stick, fork, or spoon to roll the syrup onto itself and enjoy right away.

3. Snow Puzzle Match

Combine your puzzles with snow? Recipe for fun!! Try this creative and fun puzzle matching activity! It is super easy to set up and makes the perfect activity to do when you get a fresh dump of snow!

Materials

• Snow
• Baking sheet
• Shape puzzle

How to Set Up

1. Go outside and grab enough snow to cover the entire baking sheet. Pack it down and add a bit more. The harder packed it is the longer it will last! And that is a good thing especially with toddlers.
2. Grab you shapes puzzle. I used a wooden shapes puzzle and the pieces survived being put into the snow. I did not leave them in the snow long. If you have a plastic shapes puzzle use that!
3. Press each shape in the snow firmly so that it leaves an imprint of the shape that will be clearly identifiable to your toddler. Continue until you have completed all the pieces
4. Have your toddler match all the shape puzzles pieces in the snow. As they go along name each shape and colour. When they are done have them return the puzzle pieces to the board, again naming all the shapes and colours. And the repeat

4. Snow Kitchen Sensory Bin

Playing kitchen is a classic kid’s activity. It is perhaps the first pretend play activity your little one will be able to do on their own. Adding snow makes this classic super fun for winter!

Materials

• Snow
• Large Storage/Sensory Bin, 41 Quart,
• Kitchen play toys
• Food colouring (optional)
• Pom poms, caps (optional)

How to Set Up

1. To prep for this activity, I went simply outside and filled our large sensory bin with snow. It was as easy as that!
2. I packed the snow down inside the sensory bin. I found that this helped to keep it cold longer so that it lasted longer while inside. I also laid out a picnic blanket on the floor to help catch any snow that fell out while my daughter played.
3. Add food colouring to make different dishes different colours. You can also incorporate pom poms or caps to add some color to the snow.

5. Cookie Cutter Painting in Snow

Here is a fun activity to do on a snowy day! Make snow cookies and cakes using cookie cutters and play baking tools.

Materials

• Snow
• Food Coloring
• Turkey Baster
• Syringe
• Eye Dropper
• Small Bowls
• Water
• 2 Baking Sheets
• Old kitchen towel or regular towel
• Cookie Cutters
• Play Baking Toys

How to Set Up

1. The first thing to do is to set up the coloured water for painting. We painted with six colours (pink, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple).
2. Time to get the snow! Grab your baking sheet and head outside (don’t forget to put on a hat and boots!).
3. To make snow cookies, stick the cookie cutters into the pack snow and then push out the snow cookie on to the second baking sheet.
4. Let your little one decorate it using the fine motor tools and the coloured water!

6. Snow Counting

Snow Counting activity is a fun way to practice counting in winter or on snowy days! Bring the snow indoors for this fun and easy snow numeracy activity for toddlers and preschoolers.

Materials

• Baking sheet
• Snow (real or fake)
• Pom Poms
• Colourful bowls
• Eye Dropper
• Water

How to Set Up

1. Grab a baking sheet and head outside and fill it with snow. The key to keeping it from melting too quickly once you bring it inside is to pack it down. Bring it inside and pack it down and smooth the surface with spoon or spatula or your hand.
2. Use a marker and numbers and punch small holes in the snow to correspond to the numbers. See the picture above. Place the foam numbers beside the holes.
3. Next, grab enough Pom Poms to count out and place inside the holes. You can also use buttons, squeeze pouch caps, small stones or just about anything you have that will fit in the holes in the snow.
4. Invite your preschooler to come and count out the correct number of Pom Poms for each number and place then into the holes.

7. Snow Ice Cream

Materials

• 8 cups clean, fresh snow(Collected from the top layer, away from roads and pets)
• 1 cup milk or cream(Whole milk, half-and-half, or heavy cream all work)
• ¼ cup granulated sugar(Adjust slightly to taste)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

How to Set Up

1. Collect the snow. Scoop clean, fresh snow into a large bowl. Light and fluffy snow works best. Place it outside or in the freezer while you prepare the liquid mixture so it doesn’t melt.
2. Mix the base. In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, sugar, and vanilla until the sugar is mostly dissolved.
3. Combine with snow. Pour the liquid mixture slowly over the snow. Stir gently with a spoon as you pour.
4. Adjust the texture. Add more snow a little at a time until it reaches a soft, ice-cream-like consistency. It should be thick and scoopable, not soupy.
5. Taste and tweak. Taste the snow ice cream. Add a pinch more sugar or a splash of vanilla if needed.
6. Serve immediately. Scoop into bowls or cups and eat right away—snow ice cream melts quickly.

8. Snow Painting

This is a super fun and easy winter activity that had my three year old entertained for almost two hours!? After the 4th doing it I had to tell her that this would be the last time!

Materials

• Snow
• Food Coloring
• Turkey Baster
• Syringe
• Eye Dropper
• Small Bowls
• Water
• Baking Sheet
• Old kitchen towel or regular towel

How to Set Up

1. Add a drop or two of the food colouring for each colour into separate bowls. Then add  water and mix in the food colouring.
2. Time to get the snow canvas! Grab your baking sheet and head outside (don’t forget to put on a hat and boots!). The key to having the snow last inside without melting into a puddle of water in 5 minutes is to pack lots of snow on the baking sheet.
3. Have your little one use the tools to pick up the coloured light and draw on the snow.

9. Snow Marble Run

Here is another run snow activity that you can do either indoors or outdoors after a fresh snow fall! It is easy to make and great for toddlers, preschoolers and kindergartners!

Materials

• Snow
• Baking sheet
• Marble
• Small spoon

How to Set Up

1. Cover the entire baking sheet with snow and pack it down so that your marble run will last longer if you are coming indoors. Smooth out the top of the snow with your hand.
2. I used a small spoon to create a maze in the snow. First I used the spoon handle to carve it out in the snow. This part can be a bit tricky (especially if you are indoors). Some parts of the maze may start to crack as you create a path, if this happens just grab the snow you dug out and patch up the crack! Its tricky but the fix is easy!
3. Then I used the spoon part to complete the marble run. I found it best to dig right down to the back sheet. The marble moves better when on the surface of the baking sheet.
4. Hand the baking sheet to your child and have them try and get the marble through the maze. To do this they will have to tilt it back and forth gently moving the marble through the path!

10. Snowman Sensory Bin

Snowman Sensory Bin is the second best way to build a snowman this winter! Too cold to play outside in the snow? No problem, bring the snow inside and set up this fun and easy snowman sensory bin. Let your little one pour and scoop to create little snowman jars!

Materials

• Sensory bin
• Real or Artificial snow
• Clear jars of various sized (plastic)
• Packing tape
• Black and orange sharpie
• Yarn
• Spoons or shovel

How to Set Up

1. First off draw snowman faces on plastic jars using a permanent markers to create your snowman jars. Finally, take some yarn and wrap it around the jar for the scarf of the snowman.
2. Take your child and go outside to collect some snow. Fill up your sensory bin and bring it back inside. Add your snowman jars, spoons or a shovel and invite your little one fill the jars to create snowmen!

11. Hide the Penguins Sensory Bin

Materials

• Sensory bin or sensory table and sensory table bins
• Penguin fingurines
• Real snow or Fake Snow (find fake snow recipes here)
• Muffin tin
• Shovel or spoons

How to Set Up

1. Grab your sensory bin. Place your muffin tin on one end and fill the rest with real snow. No snow? No problem. You have a few options: you can use white rice as your sensory bin filler or you can make fake snow. I have 5 super easy recipes here that all only use 2 common household ingredients. Add spoons or scoopers or measuring cups or even a shovel for digging in the snow.
2. Place your penguins in the snow and invite your little one to hide them in the holes of the muffin tin and cover them with snow to hide them! So fun and easy but irresistible to toddlers and preschoolers!

12. Build an Igloo Sensory Bin

Materials

• Sensory bin or shallow plastic container
• Ice tray
• Water
• Blue and purple food coloring
• Snow (real or artificial)
• Arctic animals (polar bears, seals, walruses)
• South Pole animals (penguins)

How to Set Up

1. Start by filling an ice tray with water. Add a drop or two of blue and purple food coloring to create icy-looking cubes. Freeze overnight.
2. Once frozen, add the ice cubes to your sensory bin. Scatter snow gathered from outside around the ice to create a base for building. Nestle the animals into the bin so they’re partially buried or “waiting” to explore. This small detail immediately draws kids into the play.
3. Invite children to use the ice cubes to build igloos or shelters for the animals. 

Outdoor Snow Activities for Toddlers & Preschoolers

1. Winter Backyard Obstacle Course

Here is a fun way to play in the snow in your backyard! Create a backyard obstacle course this winter! This is an amazing way to keep kids big and small entertained outside on a snowy day!

Materials

• Cardboard box
• Skipping rope
• Toddler slide
• Hula hoops
• Bicycles
• Sidewalk chalk
• Bowling set
• Ball Pit Balls
• Basket
• Storage Bin
• Painter’s Tape
• Basketball net
• Balls
• Buckets

How to Set Up

1. Of course when creating an obstacle course in the snow using the snow as an obstacle is the best part! If you are lucky enough to have lots of snow you can build a maze; make mounts to jump over or run around; make snow angles; or get your sled or skis involved!
2. The possibilities are endless! We unfortunately didn’t a ton of snow at the time of us doing this obstacle course. So instead I used some other items that we had in our backyard such as plastic toys and chairs and sticks!

2. Snow Volcano

Materials

• Clean snow
• Baking soda
• Vinegar
• Food coloring (optional)
• Small cups, plastic containers
• Spoon or finger for shaping the snow

How to Set Up

1. Pack clean snow into a small mound and use your finger or a spoon to make a hole in the center large enough to fit a cup or small plastic container.
2. Add 1–2 tablespoons baking soda and dish soap into a cup. Place the cup in the hole and pack the snow around it.
3. Mix a little vinegar with food coloring in a separate cup.
4. Slowly pour the colored vinegar into the first cup of the snow volcano.
5. Watch it fizz and bubble, then repeat with new colors if you want.

3. Snow Bubbles

Materials

• Empty plastic water bottle
• Sock
• Elastic band
• Bubble solution

How to Set Up

1. Cut the bottom off the bottle (adult step).
2. Stretch a sock over the cut end and secure with an elastic band.
3. Dip the sock into bubble solution.
4. Help your toddler blow gently through the bottle.
5. Watch bubbles stack and freeze in the cold air.

Looking for more Fun Winter Activities? Check out these fun ideas:

• 50+ Winter Activities for Kids
• Amazing Winter Sticky Wall Activities
• 20+ Snowflake Crafts & Activities