Snow Activities with Baby
Enjoy the season with outdoor and indoor activities.
by Annie Wiesman
Dec 27, 2017
I don’t know about you, but once the snow falls, my inner child longs to run out and play.
When my daughter was just a baby, I wanted to bring her along to experience the joy and delight that snow brings. After trying to get her to sled with me, I quickly discovered she is not the adventurous type.
That epiphany led me to come up with some more creative ways to get outside with her and relish the winter weather.
There are lots of ways to take pleasure in the snowy outdoors with your little one; some are unique to Christmastime and others can be enjoyed on either side of that small window.
Outdoor Snow Activities
• Baby’s first time in the snow is delightful. Simply letting her sit in the snow and feel it fall on her face is wonderful: the perfect setting for a photo shoot.
• Give her a bucket and shovel or large spoon and bowl; see if she can fill the bowl with snow.
• Make a snowball and let her roll it around or just smash it.
• See if she can push a ball in the snow while crawling.
• Build an igloo, snow cave or fort for baby to play in.
• Make a tiny snowman or snow castle and let baby smash it.
• Freeze ice cubes with food coloring and bury them in the snow for a cool treasure hunt. (Happy Hooligans)
• Go walking or snow shoeing in the woods. The woods take on a magical stillness with a layer of snow. I always love being in nature, but there’s something truly enchanting about it in the winter. If the trail is smooth enough and baby can sit up on his own, try pulling him behind you in a sled.
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Special Outdoor Christmas Activities
These work equally well with snow or no snow – although more breathtaking with the gently falling flakes:
• With darkness setting in so early, it provides the perfect opportunity to go for a peaceful drive to view the festive lights. Baby will be dazzled by the display and may even fall asleep so you and hubby can enjoy a quiet date.
• Many zoos create holiday displays that offer an up close and personal experience with Christmas lights, often with moving animation and cheerful music to delight all ages.
• Walking through neighborhoods gives you another chance to get a closer look at the lights. The large inflatable Santas and other figures that are so popular now are sure to amaze your sweet little one.
Indoor Snow Activities
Sometimes it’s just too cold to go outside:
• Bring the snow inside. Lay down a plastic shower curtain on the kitchen floor, fill a plastic tub with snow, and let baby explore. Hide some small toys inside and have him find them.
• Make colored “snow” in a bag by filling a large zip lock bag with shaving cream and food coloring. Seal the top with tape so there’s no chance for a mess and let baby squish and squeeze the “snow.” (Best Toys 4 Toddlers)
• Draw a snowman shape on the non-sticky side of clear contact paper with a black Sharpie and tape it to a low window. Peel off the protective paper so that the sticky side is facing out. Place cotton balls on the floor and let baby explore the soft cotton balls and sticky window. The Train Driver’s Wife
As your child engages with all of these activities, commentate on what he is doing using appropriate words, such as "cold, snow, snowman, build, sticky, wet and soft" to develop important language skills. Show facial expression and motions as you say, “brrr!”
Every new season and adventure is made that much richer with children. Bundle that cute baby up and get him outside to enjoy all that winter has to offer. Check out Snow Clothing for Baby for tips on dressing your little one for the cold, as well as our other related articles below. Happy playing!
Annie Wiesman
Annie Wiesman is the co-author of “Education Begins at Birth: A Parent’s Guide to Preparing Infants, Toddlers, and Preschoolers for Kindergarten.” She is a former kindergarten teacher turned stay-at-home mom who enjoys traveling, hiking in the mountains, and creating memories together with her husband and little girl.
