Fun snow play ideas that captivate both kids and adults!

Treasure Hunt

[Aiyana Channel] 2017-02-05 Snowy Treasure Hunt

It’s a game where you bury treasure in the snow and then search for it.

Some places turn the treasure hunt into a big event to revitalize their villages.

It feels different from burying it in the ground, doesn’t it? Parents write the treasures on cards, put them in capsules, and bury them in the snow, and the children search for them.

It would be fun to invite friends and play with a big group.

sledding

First time at the ski resort — we played with a sled! Playing in the snow with Hinagon and Oichan — SunflowerTV

A classic winter activity for kids at ski resorts.

Sledding is something even little ones who aren’t ready for skis yet can enjoy.

They can be pulled along by an adult, or go zipping down a slope on their own.

Speeding down a white hillside is one of winter’s true pleasures.

And you don’t even have to go to a ski resort—if enough snow piles up at a nearby park, you can have fun there too.

Ice cream making

[Experiment!?] Can you make ice cream using snow? 🍨

Let’s make ice cream using snow! The ingredients are milk, whipping cream, sugar, and salt.

Put everything except the salt into a plastic bottle, mix well, and cap it.

Wrap the bottle in aluminum foil so it chills efficiently.

Next, place the plastic bottle in a metal container and pack snow mixed with salt around it to completely surround the bottle.

Shake the metal container for 10 minutes, and you’ll have delicious ice cream! Even though it’s “only 10 minutes,” shaking can be hard work, so if you’re making this with a small child, please have a parent help with the shaking.

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sasashina

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powder surf

kids' powder surf (kids' snow play)

It’s a sport where you stand on a board and glide over the snow while holding a cord attached to the front of the board.

Keeping a posture as if you’re gently pulling the cord is key, and being mindful of its length helps stabilize your upper body.

Your feet aren’t fixed to the board, so you can quickly step off if needed, offering an added level of safety.

Think of it like standing to play with a sled—easy to try, yet it lets you fully enjoy the snowy scenery.

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kappamaki

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Building a long tunnel

Playing in the snow in Hokkaido: A long tunnel is completed

Dig a tunnel through a mound of snow and crawl through it.

Kids love tiny gaps and tight spaces, so they’ll probably squeal with delight as they play.

Snow mounds can collapse, so be sure an adult is always present.

If you don’t have a lot of snow, a small snow mound will do.

It also sounds fun to send little figurines through the tunnel!

Making snow rabbits

I made a snow rabbit on 2020-02-09! ♬

All you do is place a round lump of snow and add simple ears and eyes, yet it somehow looks like a rabbit—how curious! The person who first thought of this is amazing.

It’s easy for children to make, too.

For the eyes, prepare red berries or red beads; that alone really brings out the rabbit vibe.

As for the ears, bamboo leaves are perfect, but any long, narrow leaf will do.

Making a snowman

How to make a snowman

In regions where it doesn’t snow, a snowman will melt by the afternoon.

So why do we still feel like making one? Maybe we want to make one all the more because we know it will melt.

For the eyes and nose, leaves or twigs you find nearby will do just fine.

Even a child could probably make a small snowman in about ten minutes.

If you prepare things like marbles and gloves and make a more elaborate one, even adults might get really into it!

Cutouts in snow

How about some cookie cutters that even little kids can play with? If you live in an area that doesn’t get much snow, you might feel like snow play is a bit daunting, but it’s really not much different from playing in a sandbox! Using small molds is great because you can make things with just a little bit of snow.

Even children who are too young to pack snow into the molds themselves will be thrilled if mom or dad makes snow shapes for them.

If you have molds of their favorite characters, they’ll be hooked for sure.

But even with classic shapes like circles, triangles, and squares, you can play and learn shape names as you go—asking “What’s this?” and answering “That’s a circle!” Give it a try!

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endō

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Painting with paints

Day 2 of playing in the snow, with paints

How about drawing on the pure white canvas of snow with paint? You could make a snowman or a snow rabbit and add color to them, or draw pictures on the snow blanketing the ground.

Since using a brush on snow can be tricky, a spray bottle filled with water mixed with paint makes it easy and fun even for small children.

Prepare spray bottles with various colors and give it a try! It’s also fun to color the snow first and then shape it into all kinds of forms like modeling clay.

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sasashina

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Snowball catch

Yuma and Miita playing endless catch with snowballs

It’s a game where you play catch with balls made of snow.

Unlike a regular ball, you never know when a snowball will break, which makes it so thrilling.

Start by throwing from about two meters apart, then gradually increase the distance to raise both the difficulty and excitement.

If you have a lot of people, forming a circle and taking turns tossing the snowball around sounds fun too.

Just be careful not to pack the snow too hard, or it’ll turn into something like an ice ball.