36 Fun Activities For Your Family To Enjoy This Winter
Written by admin on January 10, 2023
And if you detest going outdoors in the cold, there’s plenty of fun products in here to keep you busy until winter is over.
We hope you love the products we recommend! All of them were independently selected by our editors. Some may have been sent as samples, but all opinions and reviews are our own. Just so you know, BuzzFeed may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page if you decide to shop from them. Oh, and FYI — prices are accurate and items in stock as of time of publication.
1. Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza — a card game you can play together as a family on cold winter nights or even at the beach when the weather (eventually) warms up again. Hope your little ones are ready for endless giggles!
Amazon
You deal all the cards out to your two to four players, and everyone keeps their mini-deck face down. Everyone takes a turn putting a card down in the middle of the table, saying one of the words “taco,” “cat,” “goat,” “cheese,” and “pizza,” in that order. If the picture on your card matches the word that’s said, everyone slaps their hand on the card in a pile as quickly as possible. The last person on the pile has to take the stack and add ’em to their cards, and whoever runs out of cards first wins!
Promising review: “This is such a fun game for our family with two kiddos in their early twenties. We love to play games and this is a favorite. Not too long and fast paced. I *might* get a little too excited and end up with bruised knuckles #iykyk. So fun!” —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $9.47.
2. Silly Poopy’s Hide and Seek — which is pretty much exactly what you’d think it is. It’s a rainbow, light-up poop-shaped toy your littles can take turns hiding throughout the house. It’ll shout out clues and play a song when it’s finally found!
John Mihaly / BuzzFeed
What Do You Meme? is a small business that sells card games/toys, plushies, and pool floats.
Promising review: “This game is HILARIOUS. My kids love playing with it and taking turns hiding it (8, 6, and 3 years). They all think poop is funny and run around yelling ‘Silly Poopy, where are you?’ It keeps them busy for at least half an hour at a time and they leave me alone. Also? It’s pretty durable. I found it outside in my garden in the 20-degree winter weather. I guess my 8-year-old left it out there for a few days. It also gets thrown down the stairs and Silly Poopy just keeps on giggling and having fun.” —Adele
Get it from Amazon for $20.38.
3. Crayola Globbles, a fun lil’ toy everyone in your home can use to burn off some steam when they need a quick mental break from their homework or day job. Don’t worry, they won’t leave residue on your walls.
Promising review: “I waited over two months to write my review! My daughter is 4 and plays with these DAILY! YES they do attract dirt and hair HOWEVER they are so easy to rinse off, it’s not a big deal! We took these to a family gathering and ended up giving two away because they were SO loved! The two we gave away went to a 12-year-old and my 19-year-old brother. They discovered throwing them at the ceiling fan and watching them shoot across the room which was pretty entertaining! None of these have busted or ripped and they are definitely NOT gentle with them! I will definitely be buying more!” —Kindle Customer
Get a pack of six from Amazon for $10.69.
4. A “My First Magic Show” set complete with 25 different tricks and how-to videos so the child in your life can start training to become the next David Blaine.
Amazon
Promising review: “I definitely recommend this magic set for beginners! Decent quality, age appropriate and reasonably priced. My son AND husband have really enjoyed this product.” —M. Stevens
Get it from Amazon for $13.55.
5. A 3D printing pen kids, teens, and adults alike will be in awe of after they see how freakin’ cool it is to make their own drawings come to life.
Amazon
Promising review: “This pen is SUPER COOL!!! My tweens are loving it! I actually am having fun with it too! I thought it is like a magical crayon!!! It is easy to use and you can create endless creations. You don’t have to be an ‘artist’ to use. You just have to have a great imagination! Has kept my daughters entertained for hours. So happy with the purchases. Bought one for each of my daughters. Would recommend to anyone.” —Whoopie Pie
Get it from Amazon for $76.79.
6. A Fortnite drawing guide book for when your kid finds the strength (or you scold them enough that they listen) to take a break from gaming to focus on one of their other many talents.
7. A portable karaoke microphone that’ll transform any room of your home into a party from the moment you connect it to the app of your choosing. Ahem, that’s just me clearing my throat to treat you all to my rendition of Aladdin‘s “A Whole New World.”
Promising review: “We need something to let the kids sing without having to turn on the whole karaoke system. This works like a charm. The Bluetooth connection helps as well. You can just turn on YouTube and look for any song and they probably have a karaoke version or a song-a-long they can sing to. The range is also great. We were outside and the volume can be heard nicely.” —Phong Bui
Get it from Amazon for $30.99 (available in 11 colors).
8. A geode-breaking activity from National Geographic to give you and your kids an excuse to pick up a hammer and smash rocks in half. The best part? The cracked-open rocks will reveal stunning crystal centers you can learn about together.
Promising review: “We bought this for our boys who are 4-1/2-years-old. They loved the goggles and the magnifying glass that came with the kit. Breaking open the rock was a little more difficult than I thought. My boys definitely couldn’t do it. You will also need to make sure you have a hammer and chisel to break them open. The rocks we got looked very different which is great! One was black on the outside and one was a creamy white brown color and the insides were very different as well. The lighter colored one was also much easier to open. The rocks are so much prettier in person and they really sparkle in the sun. It comes with a nice picture book as well. Great activity! Definitely recommend!” —Martin
Get it from Amazon for $19.99+ (available in two styles).
9. A glow-in-the-dark fort-building kit that’ll put the blanket forts you built as a kid to shame. It’ll also encourage your kid’s imagination to run wild.
The set comes with 53 rods and 28 spheres. It’s recommended for kids 4 and up.
Promising review: “Great gift for kids of all ages. My 8-year-old loved getting this for Christmas! She played with it all day while more expensive gifts sat under the tree…LOL. We built so many different structures and most of them she did on her own. Will probably buy a second one to expand her designs and creative thinking. I recommend highly!” —awalker
Get it from Amazon for $34.95.
10. A Big Dig Sandbox Digger Excavator Crane that may actually elicit a scream of immediate delight when your kiddo sees it. You may never need to pack your car and load up the kids to go to the park again — they can just play in your own yard with this epic toy. It works with dirt, sand, and snow for year-round fun!
This toy is recommended for kids ages 3 and up.
Promising review: “My only issue is it is so much fun, that my 3-year-old nephew cries when I make him stop playing on it! He loves it so much i have to bring it in every night and put it in his room. One of the best purchases I have ever made and at a great price.” —Rubi
Get it from Amazon for $39.95+ (available in three styles).
11. A basic Lego set and The Lego Ideas Book to jump-start any tyke’s love of this iconic building block — the set will provide all they need to create the fun ideas found in the book. Win-win.
Amazon
The set comes with 790 pieces, including 33 different colored bricks, and is recommended for ages 4 and up.
Promising review: “My 5-year-old grandson is really into Legos so I bought this for him for Christmas along with the Lego Ideas Book and he has spent soooo many hours sitting at his table creating new Lego things. The large classic brick box has a lot of pieces to it and can be used in many, many different ways.” —J. Stroh
Get them from Amazon: the set for $41.99 and the book for $22.49.
12. A Disney Princess dress-up trunk filled with tiaras, dresses, and accessories that’ll take playtime to the next level. I hope you’re prepared to channel your inner Cinderella when the time comes.
Amazon
The keepsake storage trunk includes four tops, three skirts, three bracelets, three rings, necklace, sticker sheet, choker, three headbands and a tiara. The costumes fit sizes 4–6x. Recommended for ages 3 and up.
Promising review: “This is a great dress up set. As such, I had little expectation that the material quality would be that of the one dress I purchased for my niece that cost as much, alone, for this entire trunk. Now that we have expectations addressed, let’s talk about what you get. There’s four outfits that are separate tops and skirts so they can dress up as the character or potentially mix and match. There are accessories by way of bracelets, headbands, and rings. My niece loved it. She started trying it out immediately and I kept my award for best uncle and all around best gifter.” —oldwalt
Get it from Amazon for $34.99.
13. A Radio Flyer Play and Fold Climber that won’t take up much space in your garage (it folds away!) and will keep your tykes entertained for hours. You can set it up inside or outside, making it a great addition to your “it’s-freezing-outside-what-do-I-do-with-these-kids” plans.
Amazon
This adorable toy is recommended for kids ages 2–5 years old.
Promising review: “This is a great portable option that can be collapsed fairly easily. We have this set up indoors currently and it’s nice having a little climbing and sliding structure indoors for rainy days. This took about 30 minutes to assemble so fairly easy and directions were easy to follow. I’d say this is good for age 3.5 and under maybe 3 and under if you have a taller kiddo. Lots of fun! Great reliable brand.” —Amy
Get it from Amazon for $189.99 (available as a pirate ship or a castle).
14. A crystal-growing kit any wannabe scientist will be blown away by — I mean, look at the results! You’ll all have the best time ever watching these majestic crystals grow before repurposing them into a night-light.
The kit comes with materials to grow crystals in eight colors, four silicone growing chambers, and a light display for five crystals. Recommended for ages 8 and up.
Promising review: “This kit takes a bit of effort but WOW the results are stunning! I bought this for my 6-year-old daughter for Christmas. We set up the first four crystals per the directions and let them sit for 10 days. We had fun looking each day to see how big they were. After they were done, I removed the crust from the edges of the cup, poured off the liquid, and eased the crystal out of the cup. They came out easily. To get the seed rock out, I used a razor blade, went around the edges and flaked off the crystal growth to expose the edges, then used the corner of the blade to pop the rock out. I was veeeery careful and all four crystals came out intact! It takes patience but totally worth it, the resulting night-light is a treasure she will probably keep for life.” —Gapeach
Get it from Amazon for $27.59+ (available with six crystals or eight crystals).
15. A Magna-Tiles set that’ll surely be a big hit with any budding architect. They can use it to build all kinds of cool 3D structures, then knock ’em down and start again the next day.
The set comes with translucent magnetic pieces to build 3D creations all day. Recommended for ages 3 and up.
Promising review: “I have a 4-year-old daughter who likes to build things and I want to encourage that. One review recommended Magna-Tiles, so I took a shot in the dark and got these. They were an instant hit! I never could imagine my kids would have liked a toy this simple. My daughter doesn’t have the greatest fine motor skills so building toys that need tools would have been frustrating for her. With Magna-Tiles, you just hold pieces next to each other and they snap together! They have great balance, too. She’s made pretty skinny 3D towers out of triangles and they get pretty high before they fall apart. Now I just have to get a bigger set to add on! 😀 Try these, you’ll love them!” —Green
Get it from Amazon for $49.97 for a 32-piece set or $119.95 for a 100-piece set.
16. A pack of snowball-making molds, so you and your family can square off against your neighbors in the most epic snow battle your block has ever seen.
17. A pop-up tunnel play set that’ll keep little ones busy so you can kick back and enjoy your coffee while it’s still hot on a cold winter morning.
Promising review: “Easy to set up and tear down, and I like that it comes with a storage bag. I also love that it can be configured different ways and you can just use pieces and not the whole thing if you want. The addition of stakes for using outside is also handy. Overall a great product and my kids love it. They got it for Christmas and two months later it is still holding up well after regular use. Even the cat loves it!” —Azure
Get it from Amazon for $82.45.
18. A set of four Pokémon puzzles you and your tyke can build side-by-side on a rainy day while watching old episodes of the series. Just try not to judge them too harshly based on which Starter they choose.
19. An Uno “Nothin’ But Paper” card game made from fully recyclable materials that’ll teach your tykes to respect Mother Earth and kick your partner’s butt in a classic card game.
Amazon
Me (30), my husband (30), my sister (27), and her boyfriend (27) recently broke out a pack of Uno cards and had a surprisingly fun time as a group of adults who hadn’t played this game in years and years. Highly recommend!
Promising review: “Pretty and lightweight, these cards are just as fun as the original deck. They are not as durable so be gentle but otherwise I’m pleased with my purchase.” —Ronnie B.
Get it from Amazon for $6.49.
20. A jar of stress relief therapy dough, because why should anyone inhale that very specific-but-not-necessarily-pleasant Play-Doh scent when you can unwind with a version that’s the scent and color you’ve always wanted?
Quirky Ginger Uniques/Etsy
CosmicSoupp is small business based in Colorado that specializes in handcrafted goods like ornaments, jewelry, and more.
Promising review: “I love the dough. It feels amazing! I bought this to fidget with during my therapy sessions and online classes, and it really makes a difference! First of all the Stress Away smells like very soothing peppermint tea with hints of minty freshness. All the scents blend very nicely together. The dough itself is a lot like Play-Doh but more malleable and softer. It makes my hand feel and smell good and helps relieve a lot of anxiety and anger. Only con I can think of is that occasionally it gets stuck under my nails but that is solved easily by clipping them. 9.5/10 I strongly recommend for stress relief, anger relief, for fidgeting, for the smell and texture. The owner was very nice and helpful, the item shipped very swiftly, and she even sent in a car freshie! Very satisfied with my purchase. I strongly recommend!!!” —K. Minton
Get it from CosmicSoupp on Etsy for $8.24 (available in eight colors and seven scents).
21. A “Build-a-Flower” toy set your kiddo will love if they have big dreams of becoming a florist or simply have been missing their favorite part of spring — ripping dandelions out of the ground and sweetly presenting them to you while getting clumps of dirt all over the house. These flowers will last a *little* longer and be keep play time a *touch* cleaner.
Axel Adventures / Etsy
Axel Adventures is family-run small business based in Nevada. The set comes with 112 pieces, so there will be more than enough fun to go around for all of your kiddos.
Promising review: “The flowers are a big hit, and arrived on time!” —Dean
Get it from Axel Adventures on Etsy for $27.81.
22. Disney Princess nail polishes you can use for a fabulous at-home spa day with your little one (good luck convincing them to do your toes for ya’).
This kit comes with 18 different polishes that are designed for small hands and feet (SO CUTE). Each color has a quick-dry formula that can also be easily peeled off, so no worries about using nail polish remover on your tyke.
Promising review: “My 8-year-old daughter cried when she got this for her birthday. She loved it. She is always trying to use my nail polish, so to have her own was amazing. The colors are quite nice and vibrant. The bottles are glass and very nice looking. The polish actually stays put until you pull or scrub it off. I would by this again in a heartbeat.” —nkcacciola74
Get it from Amazon for $18.99.
23. An interactive The Floor is Lava game that’ll get you and your kiddos out of your seat and bouncin’ around the house — in a good way!
Amazon
Promising review: “This is one of my son’s (age 8) absolute favorite games. We have a blast playing as a family and will play multiple rounds at a time. Being able to adjust the difficulty by putting the pieces closer or further apart is helpful when playing with younger kids or when trying to make it harder. We also adjust the game to allow furniture to be climbed on when trying to get to hard to reach tiles (just as long as you don’t fall in the lava). I’ve even taken this game along to adult parties (shhhh don’t tell my son).” —Alicia A. Atkinson
Get it from Amazon for $16.97.
24. Handcrafted, nontoxic constellation blocks you and your mini-me can use to learn the symbols, names, hemispheres, and scale of magnitude for 16 constellations in the night sky. Will I pressure my kids into learning about their horoscopes? Yes, yes I will.
Former BuzzFeed editor (and father of two) John Mihaly has these blocks:
“These are perhaps the most beautifully designed and interesting set of wooden blocks that’s I’ve ever encountered. I liked them so much I bought them way before my kid would even be able to use them. Having nearly failed my astronomy course in college, I figured this would be a great way for us to learn all about the constellations together as I pretend to know what I’m talking about. So when my kid asks, ‘Dad, where is Orion’s belt?’ I won’t have to answer, ‘Around his waist.'”
Get it from Amazon for $25.
25. A snowman decorating kit complete with everything you and your family could possibly need to bring Frosty to life in your front yard.
Promising review: “I just ordered a second one because I purchased the first as a gift, and it was so sweet I wanted one as well! Now I am looking forward to the next good snowfall. I plan to purchase a bunch before next Christmas so I can give them to the families I see for the holidays that have kids. I like how the kit comes with everything you need, and the sticks that you push into the snowman are plenty long so they’ll stay put.” —Lisa
Get it from Amazon for $9.99.
26. A steering wheel accessory for the Nintendo Switch that’ll make you all feel like real racers. It’ll also be a bit more supportive for your hands so you can truly crush all your kiddos who *think* they have what it takes to be a Mario Kart Champion. Psh.
Amazon
Promising review: “I bought this after watching a review on YouTube. This item allows my wife that has arthritis to play and enjoy Mario Kart. Normal controllers hurt her hands but the motion control and these wheels make the game enjoyable to play for her. The paddle buttons on top of the unit work very well.” —Charles C Coogler III
Get it from Amazon for $22.99+ (also available in a set of four and two color styles).
27. Or Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit, which will turn your home into a real-life race course for Mario, Luigi, and the rest of the classic gang.
Target
Your kiddo will need a Nintendo Switch to play this game — and it’s rated for ages “E for everyone.” Essentially, this game uses artificial intelligence (and an actual remote car with a camera attached to it) to bring the classic game of Mario Kart to life in your home. I’ve personally tried it out and it is unbelievably cool and very fun. You can change the tracks over and over for new experiences each time. My favorite part is that when you run the race on your Nintendo Switch you actually feel like you’re watching Luigi race through YOUR home!
Promising review: “Adults and children love to play this in our house. Brings RC cars to a whole new level. The camera on Luigi works great and is easy enough for a toddler to maneuver. We are planning on purchasing Mario next!” —Rebecca Everwood
Get it from Amazon for $90.
28. A unicorn slime kit with over 28,000 5-star reviews that essentially prove kids and parents alike are big fans. Glitter, foam beads, and a gloopy substance — what could go wrong?!
Promising review: “This is the best slime kit I’ve come across. I saw it last minute before my daughter’s birthday (11) and thought I’d get it as an add-on to her presents. It ended up being her favorite gift! Her brother (8) joined in and made slime with her and she still has enough to make more of all types.” —Elizabeth & Rick
Get it from Amazon for $29.99 (available in two styles).
29. A classic Tamagotchi your kids have probably heard you reminiscing about since the beginning of time — now your own offspring can learn about the delight and stress of keeping a virtual pet alive.
There’s also a super cool R2-D2 version available!
Promising review: “My 11-year-old daughter came to me one day and asked me for a Tamagotchi for her upcoming birthday. I thought, ‘Wow that sounds SO familiar!!’ Sure enough, it was the same thing from when we were in high school — the little gigapet that needs constant care and beeps constantly. LOL! It’s a nice blast from the past!” —Amy W.C.
Get it from Amazon for $19.99 (available in 37 styles).
30. An arts and crafts library chock full of everything and anything to inspire your little one to create something fantastic and totally hang-on-the-fridge-worthy.
Amazon
The set includes fuzzy sticks, pom-poms, wood pieces, felt, craft sticks, sequins, wooden discs and beads, plastic beads, jewel stickers, googly eyes, thread, scissors, and glue for endless crafty combinations! Recommended for ages 8 and up.
Promising review: “My 5-year-old granddaughter absolutely loved this gift from her old grandpa. Thoroughly entertaining, this ‘library’ provides many hours/days of critical thinking skills and creativity. She loves it — it was an excellent decision.” —Brent
Get it from Amazon for $29.9+ (available in two styles).
31. A Crayola light-up tracing pad, perfect for young artists who want to learn how to draw their favorite characters but aren’t quite skilled enough to freehand them.
Amazon
The tracing pad comes with the light-up board, 10 tracing sheets, 10 blank sheets, a graphite pencil, and 12 short colored pencils. Recommended for ages 6 and up. Don’t forget the AA batteries!
Promising review: “I bought this as a gift for our 6-year-old. Our son immediately used the tracing pad as soon as he opened the box. As a mom who cannot draw, this item comes very handy because I don’t have to trace on my computer, LOL. Now my son can do his own tracing. It came with drawings that he actually traced and choices of clothes and accessories to draw on the character. This tracing pad is absolutely not just for the kids but also for the kid at heart.” —Samproad11
Get it from Amazon for $25.97+ (available in five colors).
32. A Yoto audio player kids will squeal with delight over — it’ll allow them to pop in cards on their own and experience songs, stories, fun sounds, and special messages from their loved ones!
It also has a built-in customizable clock and nightlight. It is recommended for kids ages 3–8. The starter pack comes with the audio player (obviously) and seven exciting cards. However, you can continue to buy other fun cards like this Pixar set filled with stories from their favorite characters.
Promising review: “I honestly can’t say when I’ve last been as impressed with a device as I am this one. My husband is an engineer and usually picky with his praise, but he can’t stop talking about how amazing our new Yoto is. Our almost 4-year-old is able to navigate through all of the different features with little help from us. She listens to either stories before bed, or the built in radio station. Then once she’s tired she flips it over and uses the night light. If she ever forgets we can just control things through the app without having to go into her room. I can see this aging really well as she grows, as many of the books are ones that I read well into my youth.” —WS
Get it from Amazon for $99.
33. An Xbox Game Pass Membership that’ll provide all of you with more than 100 games a month. I wish them luck in choosing what to play first, jeez.
34. A ball pit for the energetic kiddo in your life — it’ll keep them contained and entertained! Sounds ideal to me.
Heather Braga / BuzzFeed
I got one of these for my son for his first Christmas and he was elated the moment we plopped him inside of it. They come in an array of stylish colors, so you can select one that’ll go nicely with your giftee’s home decor. The set comes with the foam pit and 200 crush-proof balls. Little Big Playroom is a family-owned small business that sells a variety of kids items like ball pits, slides, and furniture — they’ve had their own daughter test every single product they’ve made!
Promising review: “Best feature for this ball pit is the padded base. That’s unique to this company! The sides are soft but very sturdy. Our little one is 7 months old and we love our playtime in the ball pit.” —Hannah L.
Get the earth tone pit from Little Big Playroom for $225 and check out all the other styles.
35. An inflatable ice dragon snow tube, so you and your family can shout “winter is coming!!!!” a la Game of Thrones while gliding down the hill near your house.
This fun snow tube also comes in other styles like a flamingo, penguin, polar bear, unicorn, and Disney’s Frozen.
Promising review: “We haven’t had much snow this year to see how well this thing really holds up but so far we are pleased. Definitely the coolest tube on the block. I was worried that it would be a thiner material like a pool floaty but it’s not. It is much thicker. Can’t wait for a foot or more of snow!!!” —Amy
Get it from Amazon for $30.41+ (available in six styles).
36. And the aforementioned snow castle building kit that’ll make it easier than ever to create an amazing ice fort that might just rival Elsa’s castle from Frozen. Added bonus? When summer comes around you can use it with sand!
Amazon
The set comes with a large brick snow mold, two different wall molds, and a shovel.
Promising review: “We had a single snow block mold and the kids wanted more. This was a great set providing variety in shapes. Snow easily packed in and released cleanly. They nest together well for storage.” —Lacey
Get it from Amazon for $24.99.
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