[For Kids] Indoor Games and Activities Recommended for Winter Break
We’re introducing indoor activities for kids that are perfect for spending winter break with family and friends!
It’s important for kids to play actively outdoors even in winter, but when it’s too cold, that’s not always possible.
Plus, winter is the season when colds and other illnesses tend to spread, so to avoid getting chilled, indoor play naturally becomes more common.
So in this article, we’ve put together a list of recommended indoor activities for winter to help you when you’re wondering, “What should we do for fun during winter break?”
We’ve picked out a variety of activities, from brain games to those that get kids moving, so be sure to have fun trying them with your child!
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[For Kids] Recommended Indoor Games and Recreational Activities for Winter Break (31–40)
Winter Outing! Hands-On Museum
Interactive museums that you can enjoy leisurely indoors are perfect for the cold season.
Here are three types of spots ideal for winter outings.
First, science museums: you can experience winter-specific science like static electricity and how snowflakes form.
Next, art museums: workshops where you mix colors or collage paper offer a special time creating original works.
Lastly, food museums: activities like making sweets or baking bread let you learn while savoring winter flavors.
Museums that offer discoveries through hands-on experiences are perfect destinations for family outings in winter.
A picture book library that soothes adults, too!
As a winter outing spot, “picture book libraries” are steadily gaining popularity.
They’re soothing spaces for children, of course, but also for adults.
In the quiet rooms scented with wood, shelves are lined with classics from around the world and seasonal picture books.
With every turn of the page, a sense of nostalgia and warm memories come back to you.
You can read together as a parent and child, or take your time savoring a favorite book on your own.
Many libraries have sofa seating and cozy little reading nooks, letting you relax and forget the cold outside.
How about spending a winter’s day peacefully in the world of picture books?
Fun indoors! Ice play
@nexus_official5 Makes you look forward to cold days?! We can’t wait for spring either, but try making this on a day when the forecast says it’ll be chilly the next day!#nexus#memorytree nursery schoolKids will love it#IcePlayWinter PlayNursery teacher / Childcare worker#MemoriesTree Nursery School
♬ Escort – MoppySound
Using tissue paper and food coloring to make “flower ice” is a beautiful winter-only experiment play.
First, place tissue paper in a clear cup, add water and your choice of food coloring or paint, and gently stir.
Depending on the color combinations, you’ll get patterns as lovely as flower petals.
Set the cups outside to freeze, and you’ll have “flower ice” with colors sealed inside crystal-clear ice.
It’s fun to hold them up to the sunlight or stack them to create an icy flower garden.
A winter art experience that captivates both kids and adults.
Instant Snow You Can Enjoy Indoors!
Playing in the snow is fun, but you can get injured or even feel unwell depending on the temperature.
That’s why I’d like to introduce instant snow, which you can enjoy indoors.
Instant snow is a product that fluffs up and looks like real snow just by adding water, and it’s easy to buy from online shops.
It’s a great item for indoor play—not only for snow play, but also for make-believe games, snow art, and even turning into slime for sensory fun.
Another nice point is that it feels cool like real snow but doesn’t melt.
Fun for parents and kids! Pottery workshop
A popular indoor winter activity is a parent-and-child pottery experience.
In a warm studio, you can enjoy the feel of clay and create a one-of-a-kind piece.
Many studios let you choose what to try, such as hand-building or using an electric potter’s wheel, and for small children, starting with hand-building is recommended.
Even if the shape turns out a little uneven, that becomes part of its charm and makes for a memorable piece.
It takes some time until the firing is finished, but the moment you receive the completed work is truly moving.
Even on cold winter days, this parent-child experience will warm your heart with the clay’s warmth and lots of smiles.
Solo play that’s safe even if you fall
Kids falling down is common, and even though we know that, every time we see our child hurt and crying, we can’t help wanting to do something to help.
So let’s add a play activity that teaches foot control.
Fix pool noodles that have been cut in half lengthwise onto a wire grid.
Place a short piece of pool noodle under the wire grid to make a seesaw, then set a marble in the center groove of the pool noodle.
Have your child place their feet on both ends of the wire grid and move the seesaw left and right, controlling it so the rolling marble doesn’t fall off.
Exercise play you can enjoy at home
Even when you can’t play outside, you still want to move your body! In times like that, let’s enjoy some active play at home.
For infants and toddlers, try baby massage or touch-and-play activities.
For preschoolers through elementary school kids, how about a spy game with a treasure hunt or a round of table tennis on the table? For the spy game, setting up obstacles around the room and preparing a treasure map can really liven things up.
For table tennis, you can substitute household items: a tissue box for the net, a pot lid for the paddle, and a super ball for the ball.
Fun for elementary school kids! 5 indoor activities
Indoor recreational activities that you can enjoy for short periods of time—such as on rainy days—are perfect for exercising both the mind and body, since the rules and movements vary by game.
Plus, enjoying each game by working together as a team helps energize communication among participants.
Competing with friends and enjoying games also leads to discussing strategies and experiencing the emotions of winning and losing.
Experiencing fun, joy, and even frustration through physical activity is recommended for fostering a positive mindset.
5 super fun activities
We’ll be introducing five activities: “Irregular Play,” “Swirly Tail Chase,” “Receive & Catch,” “Ball Rolling Play,” and “Cross Rubber Jump Tail Chase.” They mainly use a ball—putting it into a basket, catching it, and combining movements like hopscotch and forward rolls to get the body moving.
In “Swirly Tail Chase,” attach a jump rope instead of a string and run away from the tagger, changing directions between clockwise and counterclockwise.
For “Cross Rubber Jump Tail Chase,” stretch elastic bands across the room and escape from the tagger while jumping over the bands.
Animal Shogi
For those who find shogi difficult because there are many pieces and complex rules, I recommend “Dobutsu Shogi” (Animal Shogi).
The goal is the same—capture the king—but there are only eight pieces in total.
The board is small too, so games finish quickly.
Try playing it with adults versus children!
