It’s wintertime and the snow has begun to fall. Take advantage of this time of year with these snow activities. There’s a lot to learn about and with snow, but don’t forget to have fun in the process!
1. Learn about snow
First things first, ask questions about snow and find the answers. Use these free resources to start.
How Does Snow Form? (Free Worksheets and Google Slides)
Get it: How Does Snow Form? (Free Worksheets and Google Slides) at We Are Teachers
Why Is Snow White? (Video)
2. Snow painting
Fill squeeze bottles with food coloring and water and use them to paint snow. This activity is great for when you have a lot of snow. If you don’t have as much, pack a bin with snow and make a smaller painting.
Buy it: 2-Pack Squeeze Bottles at Amazon
3. Paint a snowman
Once you’ve got snow painting down, try to paint a snowman. Add clothes to make a specific type of snowman, or just get creative with spray bottles and paintbrushes.
4. Snow ice cream
Once you make snow ice cream, you’ll look forward to snow in the forecast. You’ll need snow, vanilla extract, and sweetened condensed milk to make ice cream with snow.
Get the full recipe at Happy Hooligans.
5. Make a snow kitchen
Perfect for outside play time, fill a bin with snow and add kitchen utensils and cups. Kids can pack snow into cakes, ice cream, and whatever else they can imagine.
6. Snow volcano
Looking for snow activities that appeal to science lovers? Cover a jar with snow to make a volcano. Then combine baking soda and vinegar to create the lava explosion.
Learn more: Snow Volcano at Messy Little Monster
7. Make sugar on snow candy
Another snow recipe: Drizzle heated maple syrup onto snow and watch it cool into stretchy candy.
Get the instructions at Science Buddies.
8. Make frost on a can
If you don’t have your own snow, create some with this frost-on-a-can experiment. You need ice cubes, salt, and a metal can with the wrapper removed.
Get the experiment directions at Little Bins for Little Hands.
9. Make fake snow
If you need more snow than covers a can, make your own DIY snow with 1 cup of baking soda and 1 cup of cornstarch. Add water a tablespoon at a time until it’s the consistency of the snow you want.
Get complete directions at Let Grow.
10. Make a snowstorm
Create a snowstorm with water, baby oil, white paint, Alka-Seltzer tablets, and glitter. Combine this activity with a lesson about snowstorms and weather for a fun, snow-filled afternoon.
Get the full directions at One Little Project.
11. Make a snowball launcher
Before the snow falls, learn how to make a snowball launcher with a plastic cup, fabric, and a hot-glue gun. Then, when there’s snow on the ground, test it out!
12. Take a virtual field trip
Learn where snowflakes come from, how icicles form, and more in seven different virtual field trips from Teachers Using Tech.
13. Build an igloo
To make an igloo, you’ll need a lot of both hard and soft snow. If you’re lucky enough to have that kind of snowfall, check out the directions on how to build snow bricks and build your own snow igloo at Your Modern Family.
14. Discover what’s over and under the snow
If you’re looking for snow activities that involve reading, check out Kate Messner’s book Over and Under the Snow, then take your own nature walk and look for clues of the wildlife that live over and under the snow in your area.
Buy it: Over and Under the Snow on Amazon
15. Snow-melting experiment
Conduct a full science experiment from hypotheses to results with three jars and snow, ice, and water. Which do you think will melt first? How do you make sure the conditions in each jar are the same so you can compare them? And which melts first?
Get the full directions at STEAM Powered Family.
16. Catch snowflakes
When it’s snowing, get construction paper that has been in the freezer for two hours and take it outside to see how many snowflakes you can catch. Bring a magnifying glass with you to see what each flake looks like up close.
17. Make snow blizzards
If it is very cold where you live, and has been for a while, you can try this experiment. Toss water in the air and see if you can make a frozen sculpture. Adult supervision is required for this one.
Get the full directions at STEAM Powered Family.
18. Use Google Maps to see where it is snowing
If it’s not snowing where you are, find a place where it is snowing. Read all about how to use Google Maps to see where it’s snowing at STEAM Powered Family, and check out the video above for more Google Maps tricks.
19. Take photos in the snow
When it’s sunny and snowy, take a camera out and see what happens. Learn all the tips and tricks for taking pictures in the snow and see what develops.
20. Take an Owl Moon–inspired snow walk
Read Owl Moon by Jane Yolen, then head out into the night for a nighttime nature walk. Maybe you’ll see an owl of your own!
Buy it: Owl Moon at Amazon
21. Make snow dough
Potato starch, flour, and coconut oil are ingredients in snow dough, an edible dough that kids can play with to create their own snow scenes.
Get the recipe for snow dough at STEAM Powered Family.
22. Snow slime
Snow slime is a fun alternative to either snow dough or going outside and making snowballs.
What are your favorite snow activities for kids? Come share in the We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook.
Plus, check out this list of picture books about winter.
