6 Winter Activities for Toddlers We Actually Love Doing at Home

Winter days with toddlers can feel long — especially when it’s cold outside and everyone needs something to do. These have become some of our favorite winter activities for toddlers. They’re simple to set up, fun to explore, and actually keep little hands busy!!

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We’ve done all of these at home, and they’re perfect for slow winter mornings, cozy afternoons, or when you just need an easy win ❄️✨

1. DIY Snow (Cold Sensory Play) ❄️🤍

This one never gets old. It feels just like real snow — cold, soft, and moldable — and toddlers love it.

You only need:

• 1 box of baking soda
• White hair conditioner
• A splash of water
• Little trees, buttons, sticks — anything cute for snow play

Recipe:
Mix the baking soda with a few big squeezes of conditioner.
Add tiny splashes of water until it feels cold, soft, and moldable — like real snow 🤍
Set it up in a tray and let the magic happen.

This is one of those activities that keeps toddlers busy way longer than you expect.

2. Easy Snowman Craft for Toddlers ⛄

Such a fun winter craft to set up — simple, open-ended, and toddler-friendly ❄️✨

We glued three cotton pads onto a wooden spoon and let our toddler turn it into her very own snowman. No pressure, just decorating and creating.

You’ll need:

• Cotton pads
• Felt
• Pipe cleaners
• Wooden spoons
• Googly eyes
• Small gems or stickers
• Glue

How to make it:
Glue three cotton pads onto a spoon. Let your toddler decorate the snowman however they like — scarves, faces, buttons… anything goes ⛄🤍

3. Melting Snowman Hot Cocoa Toppers ☕️❄️

I’ve already had three… it’s that good 😭🤍
These little melting snowmen are the cutest hot cocoa toppers and such a cozy winter treat.

Fun for kids and parents 👀

You’ll need:

• Whipped cream
• Marshmallows
• Edible marker
• Pretzel sticks
• Mini chocolate chips or sprinkles

How to make it:
Pipe whipped cream into a silicone muffin tray.
Press in a marshmallow, add pretzel arms and little “buttons,” then freeze for a few hours.
Drop into hot cocoa and let the magic happen ❄️⛄️☕️✨

4. Winter Wonderland Bubble Wrap Stamping ❄️

Lily went all in with the stamping today 😅❄️
I cut out shapes from black paper, taped them down, and let her go wild with bubble-wrap “gloves.”

And honestly… it turned into the sweetest winter wonderland 🤍✨

Supplies:

• Bubble wrap
• Black paper
• Glue
• Painter’s tape

Great for sensory input, creativity, and letting toddlers explore freely.

5. Marshmallow Jail (Fine Motor Winter Activity) 🤍

This one is a BIG hit — and secretly great for development.

Stretch craft tape across a bowl in different directions. Drop mini marshmallows inside and give your toddler a kid-safe tweezer. The goal? Get the marshmallows out without breaking the tape.

Why we love it:

• Strengthens pincer grip
• Improves hand-eye coordination
• Builds patience and focus
• Feels like a fun little challenge instead of “learning”

Simple setup, huge payoff.

6. Fluffy Polar Bear Craft 🐻‍❄️

A classic winter craft with a soft, cozy twist 🤍

Cut out a polar bear head shape and let your toddler glue cotton balls all over it. Add googly eyes and use pipe cleaners for the mouth and nose — and suddenly you have the fluffiest polar bear ever.

You’ll need:

• Polar bear head template (or draw one yourself)
• Cotton balls
• Googly eyes
• Pipe cleaners
• Glue

Toddlers love the texture, and the end result is always adorable.

❄️ Cozy Winter Fun Without the Stress

You don’t need complicated setups or perfect crafts to enjoy winter with toddlers. These winter activities for toddlers are easy, cozy, and genuinely fun — for them and for us 🤍

Save a few for later, repeat your favorites, and enjoy the slower winter days together! 🙂

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