8 Outdoor Snow Activities for Kids

There are so many ways to enjoy the snow: snowball fights, building snowmen and snow angels. When your children tire of the classics, bring in these artful and scientific play experiences.

1. Take the Toys Outdoors

toy truck in snow

Let kids experience the multifunctions of their favorite toys! Dump trucks aren’t just made for sand, they haul snow too. Mr. Potato Heads don’t necessarily need the potato to come to life, make a potato shape out of snow and pop on all the accessories. Take those hot wheel cars outside and create a snow track for them to slip and slide around.

2. Squirt Bottle Art

painting in the snow

Creative art in the snow! Fill a squirt bottle with food coloring and water, shake it up to mix and let the fun begin as you color the snow! To add some extra fun, sprinkle the snow with baking soda and watch as your creations fizzle to life.

3. Cookie Cutter Fun

cookie cutter in snow

Take the kitchen outside for some artistic fun. Bring out your paint set, paintbrushes and cookie cutters. Punch out stars, hearts and other shapes from the snow with your cookie cutters and bring them to life with fun, vibrant colors by painting them.

4. Snow Volcano

snow volcano from growingajeweledrose.com
Photo from growingajeweledrose.com

Truth is kids love to watch things blow up! They love the messiness of it. Building a snow volcano is an easy experiment that the kids will love! Take everyday household ingredients; combined with your favorite food coloring and watch as your creation explodes – smiles all around. Learn how to build a snow volcano by clicking here.

5. Have Water Balloons Left Over from the Summer?

ice balloon from iceblueberries.com
Photo from iceblueberries.com

Put that summer pastime favorite to good use this winter! Place a couple of drops of food coloring in each water balloon, fill the balloon up with water and tie a knot in it. Fill some kitchen pans with some fresh snow and place the filled balloons in it for a couple of hours to harden. Once they are solid, grab a pair of gloves and scissors to cut the balloon off and voila – beautiful, colorful natural marbles to roll around in the snow.

6. Create Colorful Ice Sculptures

ice sculptures from Happy Hooligans
Photo from Happy Hooligans

A smaller, more interactive version of the frozen water balloons, the ice sculptures take less time and are a great deal of fun for little ones. Grab some ice cube trays (bonus points if you have the fun shaped, silicone ones!), plastic Tupperware and some food coloring. Put drops of different colored food dye in various cups. Once mixed up, pour into the ice cube trays and plastic containers. Place in your freezer (or if cold enough outside, preferably overnight) until hardened. While building your structures with your new jewels, make sure to keep a water bottle on hand. Pour some water on top of each jewel you are stacking to, stack your next piece and hold in place for 10 seconds. The water acts like a glue to keep the pieces together. Create beautiful, colorful creations in a matter of minutes.

7. Monster Feet

snow monster feet from Apartment Therapy
Photo from Apartment Therapy

Break some cardboard boxes down, lay them flat and draw a monster footprint design. Cut them out, tape them to your shoes and create fun monster prints in the snow!

8. Swedish Snowball Lanterns

swedish snowball lantern from The Artful Parent
Photo from The Artful Parent

This last one is a little more complex and probably for the older kids in your home. Building one of these whimsical structures takes some time, creativity and precise skills but is well worth the time & effort. Click here to be taken to The Artful Parent’s blog for step-by-step instructions of how to create a Swedish Snowball Lantern.