Wondering what to make with real snow with kids? Check out these fun outdoor snow activities on snowy days, fun things to do with snow for the family, and creative winter kids activities. Huge list of snow day activities outdoors! Fun snow and winter activities for playing in snow!
31 Fun Ideas For What To Make With Real Snow
Wondering what can kids make with snow or need fun snow day activities for families to do at home on snow days? Add these real snow themed activities! Here’s what to make in the snow for kids and fun ways to play in the snow — no need for a fake snow recipe!
What can I do with fresh snow?
Snow Activities with Real Snow:
- Build a snow penguin
- Make vanilla snow ice cream
- Create stop motion snow scenes
- Make snow monster footprints
- Make a copycat Wendy’s chocolate frosty with snow
- Build an upside down snowman
- Create a snow volcano
- Make snow cones with real snow
- Snow paint (make food color snow for snow art activities)
- Make snow lanterns
- Create mini snow people
- Make a snow sensory bin for winter sensory play
- Build snow yetis
- Make sugar snow maple candy
- Create a snow igloo
- Make the perfect snowballs
- Make snow suckers
- Prepare a snowflake slide and view it under a microscope (fun educational activities to do in the snow!)
- Make a snow fort
- Create a snow track and drive your Hot Wheels on it
See the full list of what to make with snow below. KEEP SCROLLING for fun snow activities for kids using real snow and what to do on a snow day outside (and even a few indoor snow activities for indoor snow play)!
Keep reading to find out what can you do with snow!
Best Snow Activities For Kids With Real Snow and Cool Things To Build With Snow
Playing with the snow is one of my best memories as a kid.
And, there are so many fun things to do in the snow at home using actual snow.
(If you’re wondering is snow fun, the answer will be YES after trying some of these ideas with now!)
Here are creative things to make out of snow for kids at home and fun snow day activities outside to have an awesome day playing in the snow!
1. Make real snow snow cones.
If you’re kids love sno cones, how about making snow cones with real snow?
How to make snow cones with real snow:
- Scoop clean snow into snow cone cups
- Use snow cone syrup to top your sno cones
2. Build a snowman.
When asking what activities can be done in the snow, the first thing that probably comes to mind is to make a snowman, right?
How about taking it up a notch and making an upside down snowman, sledding snowman, or learning how to make a real snowman (aka: giving your snowman real person characteristics).
Real snowman ideas include using real scarves, hats, or clothes, giving your snow people realistic faces, or making snowmen doing everyday things.
(Like making your snowman shovel snow for a fun play on snow or a group of snow people playing in the snow!)
3. Make snow cream (ice cream with snow).
Making snow ice cream in one of those super cool things to do in the snow!
Gather up clean snow while it’s falling (or from a clean area like a table on your patio) and then make snow milk ice cream!
Get the full recipe for how to make real snow cream.
4. Make maple snow candy.
This is a favorite snow idea that I remember from childhood making with my mom!
Maple candy is a fun snow real cooking project!
Boil maple syrup and then pour it into fresh snow (clean snow).
Then twist the snow candy onto a stick for a sucker or eat it from the snow as taffy!
GET THE SNOW TAFFY RECIPE HERE
5. Make a Wendy’s Frosty with snow!
Love Wendys frosties?
How about making one using snow as part of your fun things to do in snow?
Scoop up clean snowflakes and add in sugar and chocolate for a perfect snow day recipe!
LEARN HOW TO MAKE A SNOW FROSTY HERE
6. Make snow lanterns.
A Swedish snowball lantern is one of those super cool things to do with snow that your kids will always remember!
Snow lanterns are made by layering snowballs into a pyramid shape then placing a candle inside. At night, they glow and make a beautiful lantern!
To make a snow lantern:
- Start with a circle of snowballs.
- Play a candle or remote control light like this inside.
- Place another layer of snow balls on top of the first layer.
- Continue layering (each layer circle should get smaller and smaller) until the last layer is one snowball on top.
- At night, remove the top snowball and light the candle (or leave in place and use the remote control light).
- ENJOY!
Really cool things to do in the dark outside with snow!
GET THE FULL DIRECTIONS FOR SNOW LANTERNS HERE
7. Make snow pictures or snow art.
Painting on snow is one of the most fun snow day art projects.
Coloring the snow is simple, but is a lot of fun because they are so many different pictures in the snow ideas.
Fill different spray bottles with water and food coloring drops. Shake well.
Then, head outdoors and us them to spray on the snow and make snow art.
IMPORTANT: Food coloring may stain little hands or clothes.
Snow and food coloring can make for an afternoon of fun in the snow!
Let the kids get creative with their own snow art ideas and snow drawing ideas. It’s like making crafts with snow!
AFTER YOUR SNOW FUN OUTSIDE, WARM UP AND MAKE SOME HOMEMADE HOT CHOCOLATE USING THIS RECIPE!
8. Make a winter snow sensory bin.
If you’re looking for preschool activities with snow with toddler snow activity ideas, a sensory snow bin is a great one!
Snow sensory play is one of those fun things to do with snow inside and great snow day activities for preschool.
(Plus, there’s just something fun playing with snow inside and getting a little messy!)
Ideas for a real snow sensory bin:
- Add real snow to a basin or bin and bring snow indoors.
- Provide cookie cutters or play dough cutters.
- Place some spoons, scoops, spatulas, and cups in the bin.
- Add in plastic toys (animals, people, etc.)
- HAVE FUN!
COLD SENSORY BIN TIP: Freeze some plastic toys in ice cubes to add to your snow sensory table!
9. Make snow monster footprints.
Monster footprints are funny things to make in the snow and will encourage outdoor pretend play for kids.
Make your own or grab these monster snow feet.
Great to help create snow story ideas, too!
10. Make snow slushies.
Snow slush are more fun recipe things you can make with snow!
Simply gather freshly fallen snow and place in a cup.
Then, mix together Koolaid (flavors of choice, with sugar added) and pour over the snow.
11. Make chocolate snow ice cream.
More fun things to do on a snowy day inside using snow that’s real is to make chocolate snow cream!
Add in lots of fun ice cream toppings for your chocolate snow ice cream.
LEARN HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE SNOW CREAM
ALSO CHECK OUT THESE FUN SNOW THEMED IDEAS:
(More fun things to do when it snows and after having fun in the snow!)
(Pet snowmen in jars are fun snow day activities for preschoolers ideas!)
Ideas for Snow Days and Things To Do When Snowed In
Add a Learning About Snow Lesson
12. Make snow fairy houses.
Looking for creative things to build in the snow that not everyone else is making?
How about a fairy house from snow?
Make mini igloo forms and add in nature finds for decorations on the outside (evergreen limbs, leaves, sticks and stones, pinecones, etc.).
You can even put these in for your fairy!
13. Look for animal tracks in the snow.
Looking for snow tracks on winter nature hikes make awesome outdoor snow activities for preschoolers and up!
You can even have an animal tracks scavenger hunt using these cards.
If you’re wondering what to do in the snow to get kids outside, they’ll have a lot of fun with this!
14. Make a snow volcano.
Want exciting science snow activities?
How about a volcano of snow!
Add snow volcanoes to your science activities with snow, especially if you’re looking for snow ideas for teens and tweens.
Get directions for these fun snow day science activities here to learn how to make a real snow volcano.
15. Make snow angels.
If you want traditional winter snow activities, you have to make snow angels!
- Find a deep part of fluffy snow.
- Then, fall backwards.
- Wave your arms and legs back and forth in the snow.
- Have someone pull you up out of the snow so you don’t destroy your snow angels!
You can even spray them with food coloring snow paint after!
16. Create mini snow people.
Don’t want to do a full snowman?
How about creating a mini snow family!
These are fun preschool snow day activities because they’re perfect for little hands.
Sit them on your window sill so your kids can keep an eye on the mini snowman even when they’re on the inside!
17. Make snow buddies.
Have you ever made a snow buddy?
This is one of my daughter’s favorite snow play ideas!
(She created an entire army of snow penguins in our backyard one year!)
You can get a snow penguin, snow yeti, snow astronauts and more!
18. Create a snow obstacle course.
Kids have cabin fever being stuck inside after it snows?
It’s time to create an obstacle course and then compete against each other in outdoor games in the snow!
Great for things to make in snow that helps burn energy!
19. Make a snow car track.
Do your kids love playing with Hot Wheels cars, toy tractors, or mini construction machines?
Why not build a snow track as part of your outdoor snow day activities!
Then, head outside with cars, trucks, and tractors and spend an afternoon in snow play.
20. Prepare a snowflake slide for microscopes.
Want educational things to make with snow or looking for a science activity with snow?
How about a snowflake microscope slide for a real snow experiment!
Great for snow day activities for middle schoolers and high school, too (and inside snow day activity ideas).
21. Make snowball targets.
If you’re wondering what can kids make in the snow, add snow targets!
Make different targets around the yard and then compete in throwing snowballs at them.
Here’s How To Make Perfect Snowballs
22. Make a snow fort.
This is another snow day activity I remember making as a kid.
Whenever it snowed, my brother and I would head outside to dig a snow igloo or make a snow fort.
You can make one one on your own or use these to make snow blocks for snow forts or even a snow castle (or other snow building ideas)!
If it stays cold, you can get a lot of time to play snow igloo!
23. Have a snow beach day.
Wondering what to do when snowed in and wanting that warm beach weather?
How about making a snow beach!
Stick that beach umbrella in the snow and sit your beach chairs under it.
Then, get all your beach toys out and let the kids make starfish, sand dollars, and more with snow instead of sand!
The kids will think it’s hysterical to have a beach day in the snow and beach toys for playing in the snow are fun!
24. Make snow shapes.
You don’t need to buy special things for the snow, especially if you’re looking for outdoor toddler activities or preschooler ideas (or even kindergarten snow activities).
Bust out those cookie cutters and play dough cutters and make your own snow shapes!
Shape cutters make cheap and easy toys for playing in snow for a snow day activity for toddlers and preschoolers.
(You can even bring snow inside to do this!)
It sounds so simple, but trust me.
Add this to your toddler activities snow day ideas.
They’ll love it!
25. Make weird snow faces.
If you’re looking for creative things to do in the snow, then definitely try snow faces.
But, this not for the faint of heart!
To make weird snow faces, you need fluffy fresh fallen snow and someone who wants to plunge their face into it.
Make a funny face or smile before plunging your face into the snow.
Then, carefully remove your head.
The funny thing is they take on this fun 3-D snow look.
26. Make snow cookies.
Bust out the cookie cutters and let kids make snow cookie shapes.
You can even provide sprinkles to decorate cookies.
(And, bonus? If they use clean snow they can even eat their “snow cookie”!)
Definitely add snow cookies to your things to do when it’s snowing outside with toddlers or preschoolers!
27. Make snow stop motion videos.
Want to get your screen addicted kids or couch potato kids outside on a snow day?
How about making stop motion snow videos for creative, unique, and different snow day activities!
Learn how to make stop motion videos here (just make them in the snow instead of with a backdrop!).
28. Freeze snow popsicles.
Did you know that popsicles were created by accident?
A kid accidentally left his drink mixture out on the porch on a cold night and it froze. The next day he had an unexpected cold treat!
You can make popsicles in the snow just by adding drink mixtures to a cup and adding a popsicle stick. (Or, grab these, fill them up, and leave them in the snow overnight!)
Try adding fruit and different types of drinks (flavored carbonated water, cranberry juice and Sprite, etc.).
29. Make snow sculptures.
Snow sculptures are great for snowy days, especially if you’re looking for snow day activities for tweens / snow day ideas for teens.
Making sculptures in the snow can be anything you want — from a simple snow caterpillar (using snowballs) to a Robert Indiana LOVE sculpture out of snow!
Get simple snow sculpture ideas here and then make your own snow projects.
30. Make indoor snow art.
Gather up a nice clean patch of fresh snow on a cookie sheet and bring it inside.
Pack the snow down on the cookie sheet / baking sheet.
Smooth down the top so that it is even.
Use food coloring or paint and paintbrushes to paint your own picture right on snow.
As the snow melts, the colors will mix and combine and create even more art!
31. Play snow games.
Get outside and play games in snow!
Games to play in the snow:
- Snow Tic Tac Toe
- Snowball bowling
- Buried snow treasure scavenger hunt
- Snowball toss (use snowballs and a hula hoop)
Let us know your favorite snow outside games and we’ll add them to our list!
What are your favorite things to do on a snowy day outside? Let us know and we’ll add it to our list of fun snow activities for kids using real snow.
Have fun with these what to make with real snow ideas!
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