27 Winter Break Activities for Kids (Indoor & Outdoor)

Around day 4 of winter break, the "I'm bored" chorus starts. The new toys have lost their shine, and the weather has opinions about going outside.

After hosting a few winter game days, I’ve pulled together 27 winter break activities for kids, from blanket forts to bundled-up walks. Each idea lists the ages it suits and what you need to grab. A few will get the whole house shouting.

Quick list

• Indoor: Weekend game night, Song Quiz, karaoke sing-off, Guess the Emoji, forts, baking, kitchen science, crafts, scavenger hunt, movie marathon
• Outdoor: snowman or snow fort, sledding, snow painting, winter hike, backyard bonfire, animal-track hunt, ice skating, giving back
• Toddlers and preschoolers: CoComelon: Sing & Play with JJ, sensory bins, pillow obstacle course, bubbles, "I Spy"
• Teens: Spot On, Sketchy AF, cooking challenge, photo project

Jump to the section that fits your crew, whether that means a snowy hike or a living-room sing-off. Save the list for any chilly week, and find more ideas for when it's cold outside.

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Indoor winter break activities for kids

Indoor days go best with one big activity and a few small ones. These 10 cover most moods.

1. Weekend game night (ages 6+): Put Jeopardy! on the TV and pick Casual, Classic, or Expert to match the room and age group. Follow it with Wheel of Fortune, where players team up to solve word puzzles. You need: a smart TV. 
2. Song Quiz sing-off (ages 6+): Song Quiz plays a short clip from any decade or genre. Shout the song and the artist, and you earn half points for each one you get right. You need: a smart TV.
3. Karaoke night (ages 5+): Karaoke on Roku scores pitch as well as lyrics, so the best singer wins. Kids who love it will also enjoy these music games for kids. You need: a Roku TV and a few willing performers.
4. Guess the Emoji (ages 6+): Guess the Emoji suits fast, fun visual puzzle lovers. You need: a smart TV.
5. Build an indoor fort (ages 3+): Sheets, couch cushions, and clothespins make a hideout kids defend like real territory. You need: blankets and chairs.
6. Bake snowball cookies (ages 5+): Butter, flour, powdered sugar, and vanilla roll into balls and bake at 350°F. You need: an adult for the oven.
7. Run a kitchen science experiment (ages 6+): Race ice cubes with salt versus sugar, or fizz baking soda and vinegar. You need: pantry basics and a tray.
8. Make winter crafts (ages 4+): Paper snowflakes, pinecone ornaments, and cotton-ball snowmen keep hands busy. You need: paper, scissors, and glue.
9. Host an indoor scavenger hunt (ages 4+): Hide 10 clues around the house, each leading to the next. You need: paper and a pen.
10. Hold a pajama movie marathon (ages 3+): Let each kid pick one film, such as Frozen or Home Alone, and add popcorn. If the holidays are close, a few Christmas activities for families fit right between films. You need: a TV and snacks.

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Outdoor winter break activities for kids

Bundled up right, cold air becomes its own activity. These 8 ideas need little more than warm layers.

11. Build a snowman or snow fort (ages 3+): Pack bricks for walls and add carrots for faces and scarves for necks. You need: snow, mittens, and boots.
12. Go sledding (ages 4+): Check local rules and pick a gentle slope. You need: a sled and a helmet.
13. Try snow painting (ages 3+): Fill spray bottles with colored water and turn a snowbank into a canvas. You need: spray bottles and food coloring.
14. Take a winter hike (ages 5+): Frost-covered trails make a familiar park look new. You need: sturdy shoes and a thermos.
15. Host a backyard bonfire (ages 5+): Toast marshmallows and swap stories under blankets, with an adult in charge of the fire. You need: a fire pit and supplies.
16. Hunt for animal tracks (ages 5+): Fresh snow shows who passed through overnight. You need: snow and a phone for photos.
17. Go ice skating (ages 6+): Choose a local rink or a pond you know is safe. You need: skates and a helmet.
18. Give back outdoors (ages 6+): Shovel a neighbor's walk or drop off a warm meal. You need: a shovel or a dish.

Rain can wipe out any of these plans. When it does, a rainy day swap keeps the energy up.

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Quick answers for cold days

What are some fun winter activities for kids? Sledding, snowman building, baking, forts, and family game nights top the list. Pick one active option and one calm option each day.

What are some unique winter activities? Snow painting, animal-track hunting, an indoor camp-out, and a Song Quiz sing-off are all good picks. Unusual twists beat repeating the same routine.

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Toddler and preschool activities

Little ones need short, sensory activities. These 5 suit ages 1 to 5.

19. Play CoComelon: Sing & Play with JJ (ages 2 to 4): Kids can sing along to "Wheels on the Bus" and play "Peek-a-Boo." CoComelon: Sing & Play with JJ also includes shape-and-color finding and a bedtime lullaby. You need: a smart TV.
20. Fill a sensory bin (ages 1 to 4): Rice, dry pasta, or cotton balls with scoops make a calm tabletop game. You need: a bin and supervision.
21. Build a pillow obstacle course (ages 2 to 5): Crawl over, under, and around cushions. You need: pillows and tape.
22. Blow bubbles indoors (ages 1 to 5): Chasing and popping burns energy quickly. You need: bubble solution.
23. Play "I Spy" with colors (ages 3 to 5): Name something red, then something round. For more ideas at this age, try these activities for 4-year-olds. You need: nothing but a room.

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Activities for teens

Teens want a challenge and some control. These 4 keep them involved without feeling babyish.

24. Race around the globe in Spot On: Up to 4 players drop pins on a 3D globe, and the host picks 3, 5, 7, or 10 stops. Spot On rewards closer pins with more points. You need: a smart TV.
25. Sketch-off in Sketchy AF: Sketchy AF reveals a drawing one stroke at a time, so earlier guesses score higher. Shout your answer before the pencil finishes. You need: a smart TV.
26. Run a cooking challenge (ages 12+): Give each teen a budget and a mystery ingredient. You need: groceries and a kitchen.
27. Start a photo project (ages 12+): Capture 10 winter scenes and vote on the best. You need: a phone.

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Defy winter boredom with the Weekend Games app

Weekend is a gaming hub of crowd favorites on your smart TV, and it slots right into your list of winter break activities for kids. Trivia, music, drawing, geography, and toddler sing-alongs all live in one place.

After a few game nights with family and friends, Jeopardy! and Song Quiz drew the loudest reactions in my house.

Here's what's on the lineup:

• Jeopardy! brings the official TV game to your screen with familiar clues, atmosphere, rules, and pacing.
• Song Quiz brings music trivia across decades and genres into the room. Hear a short clip and shout the song and artist for points.
• Spot On sends the group around the world from the living room, dropping pins and racing to guess landmarks.
• Wheel of Fortune lets players solve word puzzles, calling letters together and racing to crack the board before the others.
• Guess the Emoji challenges the room to decode movies, phrases, and pop-culture clues from emoji strings.
• Karaoke (on Roku) tracks lyrics and pitch, so the sing-off can carry on once the trivia questions wind down.
• Sketchy AF builds a drawing one stroke at a time, and guessing early earns more points.
• CoComelon: Sing & Play with JJ gives toddlers aged 2 to 4 their own turn with familiar songs and playful, educational activities.

Start with the 7-day free trial, then launch the app and start playing right away. Weekend runs on Roku, Fire TV, Samsung, and LG. Each platform needs its own subscription, so pick the one your TV uses.

FAQs

What are the best indoor winter break activities for kids?

The best indoor winter break activities for kids are blanket forts and TV game nights. In my house, a Jeopardy! round on Weekend turned a gray afternoon into a lively race to shout the answer first.

Can I play Weekend games with my family on a winter day?

Yes, you can play Weekend games with your family on a winter day, like Jeopardy! on Roku. In my house, Song Quiz on Fire TV pulled in everyone from kids to grandparents. Each platform needs its own subscription.

Is CoComelon: Sing & Play with JJ good for toddlers?

Yes, CoComelon: Sing & Play with JJ is good for toddlers and preschoolers. In my sessions, "Wheels on the Bus" got little ones bouncing and giggling. Peek-a-Boo and a bedtime lullaby add calmer options.

What outdoor winter activities work for most ages?

Snowman building and sledding are outdoor winter activities that work for most ages. In my experience, short outings in warm layers keep younger kids happy, and a mug of hot cocoa waiting at home helps.

How can I get the Weekend Games app on my smart TV?

You can get the Weekend Games app on your smart TV by downloading it from your TV's app store. I scanned the QR code on my screen, and my phone became the controller within a few minutes. Weekend runs on Roku, Fire TV, Samsung, and LG.