Snow Day Fun: 5 Kid-Friendly Winter Activities to Do Inside

If weather outside is frightful, stay warm and comfortable inside this winter season. But if you’re a parent, you know that staying put and finding activities for your kids to do at home can be challenging.

Why not embrace the weather and explore the science behind it? We’ve rounded up five fun, family-friendly science experiments and activities that explore wintery weather and heating and cooling that you can do from the comfort of your home or yard.

1. Build a snow volcano.

Ever heard of a “snowcano”? Get ready for an explosive time!

Materials needed:

• Tall cup or plastic bottle
• Dish soap
• Baking soda
• Warm water
• Red food coloring
• Snow
• Vinegar

Steps:

1. In the tall cup or plastic bottle, add 1 tablespoon dish soap.
2. Fill halfway with baking soda and add ¼ cup warm water.
3. Add several drops of red food coloring to give the effect of lava.
4. Place the cup in the snow and create a “snow volcano” around it. Pack snow right up to and around the cup—just make sure to leave an opening at the top for the lava.
5. Pour vinegar in the top of the volcano, and watch it erupt. The more vinegar, the bigger the eruption!

2. Make (and melt) a snowman.

If you live in a place where it doesn’t snow but always wanted to make a snowman, this experiment is for you.

Materials needed:

• Baking soda
• Water
• Orange foam paper
• Black beads or googly eyes
• Baster, eyedropper or spoon
• Vinegar

Steps:

1. Place baking soda in a bowl.
2. Slowly add water and mix until the mixture becomes “packable,” where you can form it into balls. If the mixture is runny, you’ve added too much water.
3. Pack the mixture together to make snowballs!
4. Cut the orange foam paper into small triangles to create a nose.
5. Add the black beads or googly eyes and orange foam paper nose to the snowballs to create a snowman face.
6. Place the newly formed snowmen into the freezer. The more time spent in the freezer, the longer it will take to melt them later.
7. When you’re ready, take the snowmen out of the freezer and place on tray or dish.
8. Use a baster, eyedropper or spoon to add vinegar to the baking soda snowmen. Watch them melt just like Frosty!

3. Paint snow inside.

Bring the fun of the outdoors in and let your creatives juices flow with this snow activity.

Materials:

• Small shovel
• Snow
• Large baking sheet
• Watercolor paints
• Water
• Paintbrushes

Steps:

1. Using a small shovel, collect snow and place onto baking sheet.
2. Inside, set up a painting station with watercolor paints, water and paintbrushes.
3. Bring the tray of snow inside and to the painting station.
4. Unleash your inner artist and use the snow as your blank canvas!

4. Create a snow globe.

Making your own snow globe is easier than you think, and you likely already have the tools to do so in your own home.

Materials needed:

• Small glass jar
• Plastic figurine, toy or another small object to place in the snow globe
• Hot glue gun or Super Glue
• Water
• Glitter
• Glycerin (optional, but it makes the glitter float better)

Steps:

1. Open the small glass jar. Place glue on the inside of the lid, and stick the plastic figurine to it. Let glue dry.
2. Fill the jar with cold water.
3. Add glitter to water. About 1 or 2 teaspoons should do the trick.
4. If using glycerin, add a few drops to the water-glitter mixture.
5. Once glue is dry, put the lid back on the jar. You can glue the lid to prevent spillage.
6. Turn upside and shake! There you have your very own snow globe.

5. Make fake snow.

Why go outside and play in the cold when you can make snow right in your home? This activity creates snow in a flash, but be careful—it can get messy!

Materials needed:

• A large- to mid-size piece of Styrofoam
• Blender
• Plastic container

Steps:

1. Take the piece of Styrofoam and break it into smaller pieces.
2. Place small pieces of Styrofoam into blender and blend. It should take only a matter of seconds for the Stryofoam to transform into a snow-like texture.
3. To avoid mess, place the “snow” into the plastic container for play!

We hope these activities bring some wintertime magic to your home. If you test them out, share the results with us! Find Rheem on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.