Outside Activities

1. Follow the leader: snow version. With sturdy boots, make a path in fresh snow (or have one of the kids do it). Tell the rest of the kids to see if they can try to step exactly in the footsteps, to make it look like only one person has walked through the snow. Select multiple leaders for multiple snow tracks.

2. Treasure Hunt: Hide objects in the snow and allow students outside for a treasure hunt in the snow. (plastic easter eggs work well or small toys & items). Keep track of the number of hidden eggs. Once all eggs have been found students and turn their backs and hide the eggs again. It may be necessary to make multiple areas to limit the number of students in one area.

3. Build a snowball centipede: Have each classroom build a centipede making equal size balls to form the body. Have a contest to see which class can make the longest centipede during recess.

4. Build a milk carton Igloo: Fill student milk cartons with water one day and put outside to freeze. The next day when cartons are frozen use them to make an igloo out of the of milk cartons.

5. Create a tic-tac-toe game in the snow and play with bottle caps.

6. Have a snowman-building relay race! Students line up in lines and run down and build a snowman and run back and tag the next person.

7. Have a snowman hat-toss: take turns trying to throw and land a hat upon the snowman’s head. (Hats are available at dollar store). Keep track of the hats that land on the snowman for one point per throw.

8. Have a snowball rolling contest to see who can roll the biggest snowball in five minutes!

9. Draw large circles in the snow and have a snowball tossing contest. Whoever can get the most snowballs in the circles wins! (you can also use hula hoops as targets).

10. Play Hopscotch in the snow: Have student draw a hopscotch and play hopscotch in the snow.

11. Footprint Tag: Play tag as you normally would, but stepping only in others’ footprints.

12. Rope Snow Tug: Have you ever tried TUG OF WAR in the snow?!

13. Freeze Tag: What fun in the winter-time! Play this just as you would indoors and any other time of the year. The person who is ‘It’ tags someone; that person stays frozen until another player tags him/her again to ‘unfreeze’ them.

14. Get On a Roll: Pair up for a contest in which the object is to finish with the biggest snowball. The contest ends when the teams can no longer roll their entries or when you run out of snow.

15. Long jump: Make a start line in the snow by using a stick to draw a line, or with a skipping rope, and see how far your child can jump. Snow makes a soft landing spot! Can your child jump a further distance?

16. Snowy Simon Says: Play Simon Says with winter actions.

17. Snow Soccer: Kick off the snow day with a round of soccer in the snow. Just put together a team, grab a soccer ball, draw lines in the snow to mark your goals, and get to playing.

18. Eskimo Circle – A Game Originated by the Eskimos

All players stand in a tight circle with their hands extended out, palms facing upward and touching each other (the book says to use bare hands, but that makes me cold just thinking about it!)

• The first person makes a small snowball and puts it in her hands

• Then she moves the snowball to the next person by slightly tilting her hands and having it roll over

• The ball continues around the circle in this fashion

• The game ends once the snowball falls to the ground or gets melted by warm hands!

19. Build a Snow Labyrinth: Create a large, walkable labyrinth in the snow.

Classroom Activities

1. Indoor Crafts: Set up a crafts station with materials for painting, drawing, winter-themed crafts, or even DIY slime.

2. Board Games and Puzzles: Break out board games and puzzles for family-friendly competition and brain exercise.

3. Reading Time: Choose winter-themed stories or any genre that interests them. Read in small groups.

4. Indoor Treasure Hunt: Set up a treasure hunt around the classroom.

5. Movie Marathon at Recess: Have a movie with a selection of kid-friendly movies, shown only at recess and continue movie in subsequent recesses.

6. Dance Party: Put on some music and have a dance party to get some exercise and lift everyone’s spirits. Use YouTube for same sample dances.

7. Follow the leader exercises: Select simple exercise routines suitable for kids.

8. Paper skating: Each student uses a piece of paper and slides feet on paper around the room.

9. Make a Snowflake– To make a paper snowflake, start with a square piece of paper, fold it diagonally to form a triangle, then fold it in half again. Cut shapes along the edges and unfold to reveal your snowflake design. YouTube Demo- https://youtu.be/7J2FcmWnMA4?si=9NxztHw6xCqlvBc0 (3 min)