Lovely Play & Recreation

Fun snow play ideas that captivate both kids and adults!

10 years as a kindergarten teacher / elementary school teacher / junior and senior high school teacher / childminderkepiko
Graduated from Kunitachi College of Music, Faculty of Music (now: Department of Music Culture and Education, Early Childhood Music Education major). In elementary school, my homeroom teacher was Jun Kusaba, a game researcher. After graduating from university, I worked as a kindergarten teacher for 10 years and as an after-school childcare instructor for 7 years, then took a position as a music teacher at an international school in Singapore. In addition to music education, I engaged in activities that introduced Japanese culture, traditional games, and recreational activities, working with many children. Later, through freelance writing, planning, and editing at Shogakukan, I met many delightful adults and experienced the joy of communicating and sharing. Drawing on the perspective cultivated in the field of education and my experience as an editor, I provide practical information with an emphasis on both input and output, mainly in areas related to music and children. My hobbies include instruments, singing, handicrafts, toys, drawing, traditional games, the outdoors, and books. My special skill is spinning-top tricks.
20 years of experience as a nursery teacher / kindergarten teacherhiyoko sensei
I’m Hiyoko-sensei, a former nursery school teacher from Hyogo Prefecture. Ever since I was five, my dream was to become a childcare worker, and before I knew it, 20 years had passed since I achieved that dream. Through singing and playing with the children, I kept working with the spirit of someone in their twenties, even as I increasingly felt my physical limits year by year (haha). From here on, I’d like to share helpful information carefully and thoughtfully, drawing on my on-site experience.

When the snow piles up, kids’ eyes really sparkle, don’t they? Snow play usually brings to mind snowmen and igloos, which are great fun, but there are actually many more ways to play.

Here, we’ll introduce plenty of snow play ideas that will captivate elementary schoolers.

From snowball basketball and soccer on the snow for kids who love to be active, to easy treasure-hunt games and adorable pretend play with winter plants and flowers, there’s a wide variety to enjoy.

Discover unique winter fun, forget the cold, and dive into playing in the snow to your heart’s content!

Fun Snow Play Ideas That Kids and Adults Alike Will Love (21–30)

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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Snowball catch

Yuma and Miita playing endless catch with snowballs

Snowball catch

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.

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Ideas for Fun in the Snow (31–40) That Kids and Adults Alike Will Love

Treasure Hunt Game

[Experience Event] 1) Let’s search for ○○ in the snow with a midwinter treasure hunt game 💎 Come play at Kamuinoyu Forest Park in winter ☃️ Asahikawa, Hokkaido ✨ #ninjya #shorts #Asahikawa #Tracy #Steve #KamuinonomoriPark

Treasure Hunt Game

Kids get excited when it snows a lot, don’t they? Here’s a snow activity you can enjoy on those big snowfall days: a treasure hunt where you hide colored paper in the snow and search for it.

Competing to see how many pieces of colored paper you can find within a set area is super fun.

I think doing a treasure hunt while feeling the chill of the snow makes it feel extra special and even more enjoyable.

If it’s hard to find them, giving hints can be a great idea too.

Try making it even more fun with team play and role assignments.

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snowshoe

Second graders at Iida Elementary School experience snowshoeing in their PE class

snowshoe

Snowshoes are items used for walking on snow, and attaching them to your shoes prevents your feet from sinking deeply.

Because you can walk on fluffy snow and the shoes are wider than regular footwear, you may feel a curious sensation through the soles of your feet.

Since the walking sensation differs from usual, even simple games like tag can offer a new kind of fun.

Playing for a while with snowshoes on and discovering how to shift your weight and move your feet for better mobility can be an enjoyable part of the experience.

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Snow lantern

Snow Play 2 [How to Make a Snow Lantern] Snow and Candles - How to Make a Snow Lantern with Kids

Snow lantern

Snow lanterns.

Just hearing the name, you probably thought they’d be hard to make, right? Actually, they’re very easy.

You can pack snow into balls by hand or use cups or pudding molds—there are various methods—but the idea is to make lots of pieces using the same mold.

Stack the pieces with small gaps between them so light can leak out.

See? It’s already done! After it gets dark, just place a candle inside the stacked pieces and light it.

It’s simple work, so it seems like something you could make together with your kids.

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Playing in the snow with a hula hoop

Kids Lesson — Snow Play: Hula Hoops

Playing in the snow with a hula hoop

By incorporating hula hoops—often associated with indoor play—this activity helps participants get a feel for wearing bulky winter clothing and walking on snow.

Even a simple motion like spinning a hula hoop becomes more challenging due to the gear and environment, encouraging greater focus and enjoyment.

Repeated walking and running movements on snow can help them grasp the unique sensation, potentially sparking interest in other sports as well.

We also recommend having them dive through a rolling hula hoop—something hard to do indoors—to let them experience the softness of the snow.

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Making snow candles

Snow Play 1 [How to Make a Snow Candle] Quick and Easy! Glowing Igloo Bucket Candle — How to make a snow candle with kids

Making snow candles

I once saw lots of snow candles at a ski resort event.

They were so magical.

They’re very easy to make—even kids can do it.

First, pack about 10 cm of snow into a bucket.

The trick is to tap it a little to compact the snow.

Place a narrow thermos or any cylindrical object in the center of the bucket.

Pack more snow around it, pressing it firm.

Take it out of the bucket and gently tap the top to hollow it out, then make a side hole to insert a candle—and you’re done.

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