Keep your family entertained all season with these free winter activities for kids.
Some winters seem to fly by, but we have had others here in the DC area (like Snowmageddon 2009-10) that keep us stuck in the house for days at a time! You start to get really creative with what you have on hand. It’s a great lesson, actually.
Between Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, it doesn’t take long for you to strain the family budget. If you are looking for a few free family winter activities to do as a family, then you are in the right place! Here are 10 completely free family winter activities.
Free Family Activities for Winter
Play in the snow
If you have snow where you live, take advantage! You can go sledding, make snow angels, and even make snow cream.
Do a craft using household items
Gather up a few household items, and challenge your family members to make the coolest craft. This is a favorite of ours for those long snow days off of school. Don’t we all have craft materials we haven’t used in a while?
Write a story together
Have each person decide on an aspect for your story, and then have them help in writing the story. You can have each person take turns coming up with a line for your story, or have them be responsible for a character.
Read a book together
Head to the library and find a book that is appropriate for all ages in your family. Then take turns reading the book out loud together.
Need some suggestions? I have a bunch:
- Children’s Fantasy Books with Strong Heroines
- Favorite Kids Books for ages 4-9
- Favorite Read-Aloud Books for Preschoolers
Learn a new game
Gather up all your board games, video games, or make up games to have a family game night. If you don’t have any board games, see about borrowing a few from your neighbors. We like to trade jigsaw puzzles and games with ours so everyone gets to try something new.
Have a movie marathon
Get a free Redbox code for a new movie night, or go through your current media. We all have movies we haven’t seen in years!
Need some ideas? Check out these 100 Movies for Family Movie Night.
Bake holiday cookies
Cookies are often a super simple recipe that don’t have to take very many ingredients. Chances are that if you do any amount of baking, you’ll have enough in the pantry to make some cookie recipes. Try some of these 3-ingredient holiday cookies.
Attend free winter events in your city
Check Facebook or your city’s community calendar for free winter events in your city. There will be a lot more available this time of year, so keep your eyes peeled. You can usually choose from concerts, kids’ storytimes, opportunities to volunteer for charities, and more.
And remember that stores nationwide offer FREE kids classes, crafts and workshops all year long.
Host a toy swap with another family
Know another family with too many toys in their home? Host a toy swap! This is a great chance to get together with friends and also have your kids get some new toys. Just like borrowing or trading board games and puzzles with another family, do the same with a bin of toys. Choose your sturdiest toys that can handle the wear and tear.
When my three were little, I always kept a large plastic bin of toys hidden away in a closet so that I could take it out on snow days and they’d be “new.”
Do a RAK
Winter is a great season to encourage kids to be kind and giving to friends, neighbors and their community. What are some random acts of kindness (RAKs) that you can do together? Consider shoveling snow for a neighbor, leaving thoughtful notes out in public, or visiting a senior center to sing and socialize. There are so many you can do together as a family.
You don’t need any money to have a great family experience. These 10 ideas are all free, and will be just as fun!