Winter Bucket List For Families: 100+ Must-Do Winter Activities

 

It always seems like summer lends itself to easily to having lots to do while the cold months get a bum rap of being a long, boring season. Change that this year with this mega Winter Bucket List For Families! This list of fun winter activities has so many ideas that you’ll stay busy all season long, making memories and having fun…together!

 

While summer provides fun in the sun and swimming and chasing lightning bugs, winter has a fun all of its own! Instead of just hiding out under the covers at home waiting for the snow to melt and the beach weather to return, make it a goal to check off all the activities on this fun checklist. 

 

In the summer it’s easy to come up with tons of activities to do. The warm sunny weather just begs kids to go outside and play.

 

Wintertime is a little different. With the short days and cold temps, many kids would prefer to stay inside and play on devices.

 

How Do You Make Winter Fun?

This time of year doesn’t mean you have to stay cooped up in the house, listening to the kids complain about how bored they are. 

 

It also doesn’t have to be a season full of being chained to computers, iPads, TVs and other electric devices. 

 

There are so many fun and wonderful things you can do together as a family in the wintertime. Some households just find themselves struggling to come up with ideas and asking themselves “what do you do in the winter vacation?”

 

That’s why I’ve done the legwork for you and compiled a HUGE list of things that you can do this winter with your family. You’ll never be short on ideas and you can feel free to repeat the ones that your family loves as often as you want.

 

Or you can make it a challenge to see if you can complete the entire Winter Bucket List For Families before winter thaws and spring blooms!

 

I don’t know about you, but I don’t particularly like the cold, dark months. For years, I pretty much just hibernated all season long. Now, after creating this collection of activity ideas, my family actually has fun during the “off season”.

 

With so many choices, we never get bored and love having options to choose from when we aren’t feeling creative.

 

With all the fun you’ll have and the memories you’ll make, you’ll be glad you tried this crazy fun list of activities! Goodbye, kids playing video games all day…hello fun and relaxing family time!

 

This list has a similar vibe to my Fall Family Activities List, but the activities listed here are totally different – perfect for cold weather months!

 

NOTE: There may be things on the list that may not be practical or possible for you and your loved ones, so feel free to pick and choose or to use it as a plethora of ideas. There is no right way to do this list – the whole point of the list is just to have fun spending time together. 😘

 

100+ Winter Bucket List Ideas For Families

The things I’ve linked to are just suggestions. In fact, the whole list is just suggestions and ideas to help you enjoy more family time this winter. I hope you find some new favorite winter/holiday traditions on this list!

 

1. 1. Go ice skating
   2. Donate old toys to a shelter
   3. Build a snowman
   4. Complete the Cure Cabin Fever Activity Packet
   5. Have a snowball fight – Hate the cold? You might prefer this Indoor Snowball Fight kit.
   6. Make (and eat) snow cream
   7. Ride snowmobiles
   8. Go Snow Bowling – Fill some water balloons with colored water and freeze them, then peel off the balloons and use these ice balls for a round of outdoor bowling. (Use empty cans and plastic bottles for the pins.)
   9. Go sledding
   10. Donate old towels and bedding to an animal shelter
   11. Go ice fishing
   12.  See the Nutcracker
   13. Make hot mulled apple cider
   14. Make a gingerbread house.
   15. Go snowboarding (or learn how)
   16. Learn to Ski
   17. Volunteer for a charity
   18. Host a family game night (Here are our Favorite Board Games For Families!)
   19. Donate toys to Christmas programs
   20. Attend a hockey game
   21. Watch classic Christmas movies
   22. Camp out in the living room
   23. Go snowshoeing
   24. Create a pine cone wreath
   25. Make winter crafts
   26. Make your own winter table centerpiece
   27. Take a Christmas light tour
   28. See the holiday lights in your own neighborhood
   29. Make homemade bread
   30. Bake holiday cookies
   31. Make your own snow globe
   32. Make snow angels
   33. Spend a night (or weekend) in a winter cabin
   34. Build a snow fort
   35. Host a football party
   36. Visit a museum
   37. Do Elf on a Shelf
   38. Make a nativity scene (or display yours)
   39. Blow Bubbles and Watch Them Freeze – Instead of using your summer bubbles, mix 3 cups water, 1 cup dish soap and a 1/2 cup light corn syrup—and blow, baby, blow. Make sure it’s below freezing outside.
   40. Find and cut down a fresh Christmas tree
   41. Decorate your Christmas tree
   42. Stay in your pajamas all day
   43. Have an indoor picnic
   44. Celebrate the Winter Solstice – The shortest day / longest night falls on December 21st. Celebrate by making luminaries and lanterns
   45. Set goals for the New Year
   46. Shovel a neighbor’s driveway
   47. Do an outdoor winter photoshoot
   48. Make holiday cards for friends and family
   49. Take professional winter family photos
   50. Create an indoor workout routine
   51.  Go for a sleigh ride
   52. Go winter camping
   53. Donate cold weather gear to a homeless shelter
   54. Make a huge warm breakfast
   55. Make hot cocoa and share family stories
   56. Watch a marathon of your favorite show 
   57. Make handwritten letters to friends and family
   58. Send a care package to a soldier
   59. Go through your old photos/ tell stories about them
   60. Try all your favorite new casserole recipes
   61. Make your own Christmas tree ornaments
   62. Write letters to Santa
   63. Make gingerbread men
   64. Cut out paper snowflakes
   65. Make treats for your neighbors
   66. Eat candy canes
   67. Write your own Christmas story
   68. Go bowling
   69. Start a new winter family tradition
   70. Make cinnamon rolls
   71. Have a “no screen day” together
   72. Try a new restaurant
   73. Declutter and organize your closets
   74. Plan a winter staycation
   75. Go on a Scavenger Hunt (we do this as gifts from grandma & grandpa now, and the kids LOVE it)
   76. Learn a new hobby
   77. Take a winter walk
   78. Make Christmas stockings
   79. Visit Santa / take a picture with Santa
   80. Do an advent calendar
   81. Adopt a child/ family for Christmas
   82. Go caroling
   83. Enjoy a great holiday dinner with your family
   84. Start a Family Read-Aloud
   85.  Play “Elf” – secretly leave a basket of treats at a neighbor’s door, ring the doorbell and run. Don’t forget to leave a note that encourages the family to keep the fun going.
   86. Read/site by the fire
   87. Catch a local Holiday Show – It can be A Charlie Brown Christmas Live on Stage, The Nutcracker ballet, Elf the Musical or the local high school production of whatever.
   88. Have a Disney Movie Marathon
   89.  Cook Chicken Noodle Soup
   90. Make Homemade Gifts – Cookies, breads, a Christmas Tree ornament – it doesn’t matter what as long as your kiddo used their hands to create it.
   91. Have a Winter Picnic
   92. Host a Cookie Exchange Party
   93. Drive around to see the Holiday Lights
   94. Tackle a Giant Puzzle
   95. Make Ornaments – No matter if it’s salt dough ornament or made from the kits you get at the craft store, it’s a sweet tradition to add to your annual winter bucket list.
   96. Take a Train Ride 
   97. Make S’Mores – Roast them over a fire pit in the yard, in your fireplace, over the gas flame of your stove or in the microwave—it tastes delicious anyway!
   98. Go Swimming – Find a nearby indoor pool or water park and spend a day cannonballing to escape the winter cold.
   99. Have the kids do an act of kindness for each other
   100. Play Tic-Tac-Toe in the Snow
   101. Go Snow Tubing – It’s not the same as sledding—it’s better. You can do it at most ski mountains.
   102. Learn to play Chess

 

Wow! There you go! 100+ fun indoor winter activities (well, mostly indoor) to keep you busy and having tons of fun all winter long. Don’t stop there! There are so many great things you can do together as a family in the winter! 

 

I hope this Winter Bucket List for Families has inspired you to try some and to think of even more great, fun ideas on your own. You can even get your family in on it and have them come up with ideas to add to your activity options as well!

 

Have a wonderful winter!

 

Are there any fun winter activities that you and your loved ones do that didn’t make the Winter Bucket List For Families? Tell me – I might add your activity to the list!

 

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