Winter activities to enjoy at daycare! Outdoor play and nature play that warm the heart and body.
We’ve gathered lots of ideas for activities you can enjoy with children during the cold winter months!
In addition to outdoor and playground activities that let kids interact with natural materials like snow, ice, and nuts, we’re introducing plenty of options for getting bodies moving to warm up, as well as traditional games that have been passed down through the years.
When it gets cold, we tend to stay indoors, but it’s a great chance to show kids that moving their bodies helps them warm up.
Incorporate a variety of activities and enjoy the winter season together with children—keeping both hearts and bodies warm and full of energy!
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Winter activities to enjoy at daycare! Outdoor play and nature play that warm the heart and body (1–10)
Games that use a long jump rope
Here are some games using a long jump rope that let you move your body and play to your heart’s content, even in the cold winter.
With just one long rope, you can enjoy many different activities.
First, place the rope on the floor and try walking along it.
It gets even more fun if you wiggle the rope into curves.
Next, try jumping forward and backward over the rope.
There’s also a way to play by tying one end of the rope to a pole.
Sit with your legs out in front, and pull the rope attached to the pole hand-over-hand to move yourself forward—give it a try facing backward, too! You can also jump over the rope as if it were a wave, or move the rope up and down and dash through when it rises.
There are lots of ways to play—get creative and have fun!
Freeze tag
Let me introduce “Kōri Oni” (Freeze Tag), a game perfect for running around on cold days! There are special rules that make it extra fun for kids.
First, split into runners and taggers; it helps to use something kids can recognize at a glance—like hat colors—to tell teams apart.
The rules are simple: if a tagger touches you, you freeze; if a teammate touches you, you can move again.
Anyone who never freezes from start to finish is a winner.
For extra excitement, have kids strike an animal pose or their favorite pose when they freeze—little twists like that really liven up the game!
Rolling Dodgeball
Let me introduce Rolling Dodgeball, a game that lets you play energetically outdoors even in the cold winter! Please prepare a large, soft ball.
First, draw a big circle on the ground.
Since this is rolling dodgeball, you’ll hit players by rolling the ball.
People on the outside of the circle roll the ball toward the people inside.
Anyone inside who gets hit by the ball is out.
If you’re hit, step outside the circle.
When adults roll the ball, varying the ball’s speed makes it even more exciting.
Because you roll the ball instead of throwing it, even kids who aren’t fond of regular dodgeball can enjoy it—highly recommended!
Winter activities kids can enjoy at daycare! Outdoor play and nature play that warm the body and the heart (11–20)
grass sledding
In winter it’s cold and we tend to stay indoors, but kids love sliding down grassy embankments outside, don’t they? Using cardboard helps cushion the impact on their bottoms and is highly recommended.
Since plants are dry in winter, the cardboard slides really well, too.
For children who are scared, don’t force them—slide together with them or offer words of encouragement.
When you go grass sliding, make sure everyone is dressed warmly, have multiple adults supervising, and slide only in a safe area.
Tunnel of Light
Winter is the season when illuminations are especially beautiful.
As Christmas approaches, you may find more houses decorated with lights and even glowing trees.
Here’s an idea for a tunnel where you can enjoy those lights.
Make a tunnel out of cardboard and thread dried tree branches along the inside.
Wrap string lights around them so they sparkle.
It looks quite pretty even during the day, so why not try it as a winter activity? Adding Santa or snowman figurines would likely be a hit, too.
ice rolling
Ice-rolling is a great recommendation for teachers who want to keep kids active outdoors even in the cold winter.
Place ice you’ve made in the freezer onto a pipe that’s been cut in half.
If you give the pipe a slight incline, you can watch the ice roll in a fun way.
Of course, prepare scoops for picking up the ice, but it’s also fine to let the children touch it with their bare hands.
They’ll never get tired of observing the texture of the ice and how it melts.
Even in warmer regions, this method lets you enjoy ice play, so give it a try!
Hana Ichi Monme
The traditional children’s song “Han’ichi Monme” has long been loved, and the game played with the song is still passed down today.
As you move and call out in time with the music, warm up your body while having fun.
Split into two teams and sing back and forth.
Try to win rock-paper-scissors and pull a friend over from the other team.
Even if your team gets smaller, raise your spirits with loud voices so you don’t lose to the other team, and enjoy it right to the end—that’s the key.
It’s a game full of fun actions, from movements that match the song to whispery strategy talks.
