20 Ways to Keep Your Kids Active During Winter

When the snow comes and the temps drop, figuring out ways to keep your kids moving can seem challenging. But given enough imagination, winter can offer opportunities for recreation and exercise.

Tricia Quitales
January 3, 2025
6 min read

20 Ways to Keep Your Kids Active During Winter — Polesie Toys on Pexels

Winter presents a challenge for preserving youngsters’ degree of physical activity, especially when the weather keeps them indoors. Still, with some thought and preparation, your kids could enjoy many fascinating and thrilling activities that will keep them going. These activities, from indoor games to outdoor adventures, help release surplus energy and improve physical and emotional wellness. These 20 ideas will ensure your children stay active all season long, whether you’re staying comfy indoors or battling the elements.

1. Indoor Obstacle Course

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You can use blankets, chairs, and pillows to set up a great obstacle course in your living room. Have kids jump, crawl, and balance their way across the course for a heart-pounding challenge. This workout keeps them occupied indoors and improves coordination.

2. Snowshoeing Adventure

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If enough snow falls, have your kids snowshoe on a neighboring trail or backyard. This excellent aerobic activity tones legs and builds endurance, allowing them to explore the winter environment. Their rhythmic movement will sustain their involvement and help them feel like explorers in a winter paradise.

3. Dance Party

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Plan an impromptu dance session with your chosen upbeat songs, and let your kids showcase their best movements. Dancing is a great way to have fun and increase their heart rate. The music and activities will also help them feel better on depressing days.

4. Winter Scavenger Hunt

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Prepare your children with a list of winter-themed objects, such as animal footprints, icicles, or pinecones. This will keep them moving and investigating as they rush to retrieve the objects across the yard or park. It is a terrific way to encourage outdoor exercise and introduce children to nature.

5. Ice Skating

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Get your kids ice skating at a frozen pond or local rink. Ice skating is a great full-body workout that boosts endurance, flexibility, and balance. Your kids will be engrossed in gliding and having fun; they won’t even know how much exercise they are getting.

6. Sledding Races

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Show your kids the nearest hill for a sledding competition. Apart from the thrilling rush of sledding, the hill climb back-up provides a natural exercise. Their friendly rivalry from competing against one another fuels them to keep on top.

7. Winter Hiking

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Get ready to guide your kids across snow—or ice-covered paths throughout winter. Winter hiking offers a different experience than summer hiking, with less traffic and the calmness of nature. The chilly air wakes your kids’ lungs and increases their energy levels.

8. Yoga for Kids

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You can show your children yoga with kid-friendly DVDs or create your practices. Yoga tones muscles enhances awareness and develops flexibility, which is especially helpful in the cold. For extra fun, try animal poses, such as the lion, dog, and butterfly.

9. Snowball Fight

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Get outside and set up teams for added fun, or have a lovely snowball fight with your kids. While boosting arm strength, calorie burn, and teamwork, this classic winter activity also improves. It’s the perfect strategy to stay active and competitive while enjoying the snow.

10. Snowman Building Challenge

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Ask your children to design the most creative or tallest snowman imaginable. This activity engages numerous muscle groups and requires problem-solving skills. Moreover, it will give your kids a terrific way to appreciate the winter surroundings.

11. Trampoline Time (Indoor)

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Design an indoor trampoline for your children to safely and powerfully bounce about. Trampolining improves coordination, balance, and cardiovascular condition—design activities, including timed leaps or high-bounce contests, to give even more thrill.

12. Winter-Themed Relay Races

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Plan relay races in your living room or lawn using winter clothing, such as scarves, mittens, and snow boots. Every relay leg should involve physical movement, such as hopping or skipping. These fun challenges will increase cooperation and calorie-burning power.

13. Indoor Swimming

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Suppose your indoor pool lets you take your kids swimming in the winter. Swimming, which is soft on the joints and almost works every muscle in the body, is one of the most effective workouts ever. Moreover, it’s a great way to let off steam during bad outdoor weather.

14. Winter Sports Skills Practice

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If your kids want to try skiing or snowboarding in the winter, take them to a nearby indoor center to practice. There are many dry slopes and skiing simulators, so you can exercise even when it’s not snowing. This will help them stay active and improve their skills.

15. Ice Fishing

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Take your kids ice fishing for a laid-back yet active winter vacation. While it requires patience, ice fishing entails moving about, drilling holes, and sometimes traveling considerable distances. This is an excellent way to interact with the environment and pursue a peaceful but engaging pastime.

16. Winter Yoga in the Park

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Bundle up and mix physical exercise with fresh air for an outdoor yoga session in a nearby park. The colder temperature keeps your children conscious and involved as they stretch and hold positions. Since yoga and the outdoors are boxing, this winter practice is perfect for striking a balance between rest and movement.

17. Hot Cocoa and Nature Walks

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Have hot cocoa, and then go for a brisk walk around the park or neighborhood. While the walk keeps your kids moving, the warm drink will keep them excited about being outside. I appreciate the beauty of winter all around while doing a small exercise.

18. DIY Bowling

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Empty cans and a ball can create a DIY bowling alley in your living room or basement. Your kids will be excited to try to knock down the cans, which will add some game movement. To keep things interesting, you can create several challenges, such as rolling with one hand or shooting for specific goals.

19. Snow Sculpting

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Let your children design abstract paintings, animals, castles, or original figures or themes out of the snow. By demanding physical effort and attention, sculpting inspires people to interact playfully with their surroundings. It also gives them a chance to remain active and emphasize their creativity.

20. Winter Garden Work

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Getting your kids moving might involve building a small indoor herb garden or growing winter-friendly plants, even if it does not seem like a typical winter pastime. Children water their plants, shovel snow, and plant seeds in pots. Gardening teaches young people responsibility, patience, and physical mobility.