10 Fun and Frugal Winter Activities to do with Kids

The holidays (and all of the fun activities that go with them) are over, the weather isn’t predictably good enough to make outdoor plans, so what do you do when the kids are bouncing off the walls?

For those wintery days where everyone needs something fun and entertaining to do (but may not have a lot to spend on expensive outings) I’m sharing a list of some of our favourite indoor and outdoor activities to do on a budget!

In case you missed them, read our other Fun and Frugal activity postings here:

10 Fun and Frugal Summer Activities to do with Kids

10 Fun and Frugal Fall Activities to do with Kids

10 Fun and Frugal Spring Activities to do with Kids

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1. Go for a puddle stomp: One of the easiest activities to do on a less than sunny day! Grab your raingear, head to your local park, and splash in every puddle you can find.
2. Exercise together: Did you make a resolution to exercise more? Get the kids involved in achieving your goals! My kids love to exercise along with me – we make kid versions of weights, get them in their own execise gear and turn up the music. I recently purchased a beautiful Scoria yoga mat, why not try out some yoga with the family?
3. Go to the “cheap zoo”: There are many times that we’ve visited a local pet or aquatic supply store to see what amazing things we can see. You can make this trip do double-duty by combining with number 4 on the list!
4. Make your own art gallery: Choose a topic, provide some paper, paints, and markers and designate an area to make your own gallery. Then hang the beautiful works of art on the wall and enjoy!
5. Visit a free local attraction: Our nearby municipal museum often has free events, craft days, and they have a permanent indoor play area for kids – and it even has a focus on sustainability to generate conversation with the kids. Check out what free local resources are available in your area.
6. Check books out from the library: Sign up for a library card and enjoy the many books on hand for free!
7. Make your own playdough: easy, budget-friendly and colourful, this recipe uses items that you likely have on hand.
8. Build a fort: Pillows, blankets, chairs – they’re all fair game! Build a fort that fills up a room, pretend to be explorers in a new land, move stuffies into the fort and pretend that it’s a hospital – it’s amazing what little imaginations can come up with.
9. Put a twist on a favourite game: one of our favourites right now is hide and seek in the dark!
10. Discover a fun new family activity: my family recently went ice skating, a first for our kids – and they loved it! Obtain a copy of your local activity guide and see what might be on offer. Borrow equipment from friends and family for an even more budget-friendly outing.

What does your family do to keep busy and active on cold and rainy winter days?

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