The Best Outdoor and Indoor Winter Activities for Babies & Toddlers
As the days shorten and the temperature drops, many of us head indoors—where cabin fever can take hold. And this winter, with life still looking less than normal, it’s going to take extra effort to keep cabin fever at bay.
Winter’s arrival doesn’t have to mean the end of fun activities for you and your baby. Bask in the beauty of the season and the coziness it brings to indoor play with these activities to try with your baby or toddler.
Winter activities for newborns and younger babies
Winter’s harsh weather (in many climates) means that you’ll be spending more time indoors. This is especially true for young babies. Babies can’t regulate their body temperatures as effectively as older children and adults. This means you’ll want to limit your time outdoors if the weather is harsh where you live and be sure you’re dressing your baby appropriately for the temperature and conditions. A good rule of thumb is that your baby should always wear one more layer than you do, indoors and out.
Despite this, time outside can benefit both you and your baby. Exposure to sunlight can be a powerful mood-booster as well as help regulate circadian rhythm—for you and your baby. This is really helpful if your baby is brand-new and has mixed up her days and nights. Bundling up for even a short stint outdoors can give you both a bit of fresh air, reduce your sense of cabin fever, and help you straighten out those days and nights for her.
The newborn-to-six-months phase is really all about getting into routines, bonding with your baby, and starting to help him make sense of the world. Winter won’t change this—but you can embrace the coziness of the season. Young babies are developing their ability to focus on objects in the first few months of life, so dangling holiday ornaments near them provides stimulation and exercise for the eyes. Babies this age are already absorbing language, so cuddling up with board books can be a fun and educational bonding time. Look for board books with touch-and-feel features and bright colours to engage your baby. You can also choose books with a winter or holiday theme.
If you’re capturing precious memories with a baby memory book, be sure to fill in all your baby’s “firsts” this season, including a family photo with a holiday background. You’ll also want to write down who celebrated with you, and what you did. Looking for an easy-to-use baby memory book? The My First Years memory book has a story-like structure with 88 pages and guided prompts.
Winter activities for older babies and toddlers
Older babies and toddlers might enjoy exploring the winter wonderland outside after a snowfall. Remember that children this age enjoy exploring the world with all five senses, so be prepared for your baby to try his first mouthful of snow (and have your camera ready to capture his reaction). Here are a few other activities your baby or toddler might enjoy.
Making a snowman. If you live where it snows—and you get a few inches of good packing snow—you and your baby might love making a snowman together. This doesn’t have to be the epic snowman of your childhood. Keep things simple and make a toddler-sized snowman. You can point out shapes to your baby (circles for the body) and even work on making a face together. This can be a great vocabulary-building activity to share.
Indoor snow play. If the weather outside is frightful, bringing snow inside can be delightful. Snow can provide a fun sensory play activity with your young child. Fill a baking tray or dish with some snow and let your young baby feel the texture and watch it melt. Look for clean snow, as your baby may be unable to resist tasting it. Older babies and toddlers working on fine motor skills might like playing with the snow with sand toys like shovels or small buckets. Another fun twist is to fill a squirt bottle with water and a few drops of food colouring so your child can “colour” the snow—but this is best with older toddlers who have developed a bit of hand strength.
Make snow dough. No snow where you live? You can make “snow dough.” Made from cornstarch and olive oil, this concoction has the texture of grainy snow. To make it, place 8 cups of cornstarch and 1 cup of olive oil in a zippered plastic bag and mix well. Your older baby or toddler will love this sensory play activity, but you’ll probably want to play in an area that’s easy to clean.
Seeing holiday lights. Short days mean long winter nights—and you can break up the monotony by taking a walk or drive to see holiday light displays in your neighbourhood. Many older babies and young toddlers love the bright colours and festive decorations.
Looking for signs of Nature. The winter landscape can be a source of inspiration and joy in Nature. Look for the patterns frost leaves make across car windows or when puddles freeze at their edges. If you live where it snows, look for the tracks birds and rabbits make in fresh powder. Even simple pleasures like watching a birdfeeder for winter visitors can bring a bright spot to you and your child’s day.
Snowflake handprint. Make a keepsake craft with your child. You’ll need construction paper and paint—make this baby-safe homemade paint if you’re up for it. Once you’ve dipped your child’s hands in the paint, you stamp the paper in a snowflake pattern with a total of six handprints. Let your child practice colouring with washable markers or use the leftover paint to add details.
Winter reading. Make your reading time winter-themed with books that focus on winter. Winter Sleep: A Hibernation Story by Sean Taylor and Alex Morss takes us along on a walk through winter’s landscape, as a child and grandmother explore all the ways Nature goes to sleep during this season. Cozy by Jan Brett introduces us to the tundra and to a musk ox whose warm coat keeps many other winter friends warm. Winter is the Warmest Season by Lauren Stringer shows us how animals keep cozy during the coldest days. Books like these can help your child begin to understand Nature’s changing calendar.
Winter can feel like a long, dreary season—if we let it. But if you embrace this as a time for being cozy and get creative about activities that will help your baby or toddler grow and develop, you’ll find joy in its crisp days.
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