Winter activities for kids at home: 25 cheap indoor ideas for cold days

Cold, dark afternoons and long school holidays can make the days feel very long for children and parents alike. You do not need expensive days out to keep kids busy: most of the best winter activities for kids at home use things you already have, a little planning and some paper. Here are 25 cheap indoor ideas for ages 3 to 9, grouped so you can pick one when you need it, plus a simple way to plan a winter week.

Safety first. Always supervise young children with scissors, glue, small items, ovens and hot drinks. Ideas are suggestions only; choose what suits your child's age and needs.

Calm, quiet activities

1. Winter colouring pages. Snowy scenes, arctic animals and Christmas pictures are perfect for a quiet hour. Print a few at a time so there is always something new.
2. Make a blanket den and read stories inside it with a torch.
3. Audio stories from the library app, with a colouring sheet to keep hands busy.
4. Sticker or drawing diary: one page for each day of the holidays.
5. Puzzle afternoon: borrow jigsaws from friends or the library and swap them.

Crafts with things you already have

6. Paper snowflakes from folded scrap paper (older children can cut; younger ones can draw the lines).
7. Toilet-roll penguins and polar bears with paint or coloured paper.
8. Homemade cards for grandparents, neighbours or teachers, which also saves on shop-bought cards.
9. Salt-dough decorations: flour, salt and water, baked low and painted the next day.
10. A winter window: colour pictures, cut them out and stick them to a window so people walking past can see.

Active games for small spaces

11. Indoor snowball fight with rolled-up socks.
12. Freeze dance: music on, stop and freeze like a polar bear.
13. Hallway obstacle course with cushions and chairs.
14. Animal walks: waddle like a penguin, hop like an arctic hare.
15. Treasure hunt with picture clues for younger children and written clues for older ones.

In the kitchen

16. Simple baking: biscuits or flapjacks, with children measuring and stirring.
17. Make a pizza night with wraps as bases and everyone choosing toppings.
18. Hot chocolate tasting (cooled to a safe temperature) with a homemade score card.
19. Bird feeders from pine cones, seeds and a little fat, hung outside to watch from the window.

Learning that feels like play

20. Counting with buttons or pasta: make groups and arrays to practise early multiplication (small items are a choking hazard: supervise closely and use bigger objects with younger children).
21. Snow-day maths: how many mittens for 5 children? How many snowballs if each of 3 friends makes 4?
22. Write a winter story together, one sentence each, and illustrate it.
23. Arctic animal fact cards: look up one animal a day and draw it.
24. Weather chart: record the weather each morning for a week.
25. Shop role play with real coins to practise counting money.

How to plan a winter week without spending much

A little structure helps on long days at home. Try a simple rhythm: something active in the morning, something calm after lunch, and one "special" activity each day that children can look forward to, such as baking on Tuesday or a den day on Thursday. Write the plan on a sheet of paper and let children tick off each activity.

Keep a "boredom box" ready before the holidays: scrap paper, glue, crayons, a few printed colouring pages, puzzles and a list of the ideas above. When someone says "I'm bored", they can pick from the box.

If the holidays involve travel to see family, our Christmas travel checklist covers what to pack, including activities for the journey.

Keep screen time balanced

Screens can be part of a winter day, but mixing them with offline activities makes days feel calmer for many families. A simple rule such as "one activity from the box, then a programme" is easy to stick to and avoids constant negotiations.

Budget tips

• Use the library for books, audio stories and puzzles.
• Swap craft supplies and games with other parents.
• Print colouring pages as you need them instead of buying several books.
• Plan treats, like hot chocolate night, as part of your weekly food shop.

For the wider Christmas budget, see our guide to Christmas on a budget in the UK.

Printables that can help

All Fernbrook printables are original, code-drawn layouts, not hand-drawn. Print at home on A4 or US Letter.

• Winter Colouring Pack for Kids (€5.49): Christmas, snowy winter and arctic animals colouring books together, 66 colouring pages and 2 activity pages for ages 3–9.
• Christmas Colouring Book (€3.49): 25 Christmas colouring pages for ages 3–8.
• Year 2 Multiplication and Division Worksheets (€4.99): equal groups, arrays and the 2, 5 and 10 times tables with answers, for ages 6–7. Practice only; no particular result promised.

FAQ

What can kids do at home in winter?

Colouring pages, simple crafts, active games in small spaces, baking, and learning games such as counting with buttons or writing a winter story are all cheap indoor ideas.

How do I keep kids busy in the Christmas holidays on a budget?

Plan a simple daily rhythm, keep a boredom box of supplies and printed activities, use the library, and swap games and crafts with other parents.

What age are these winter activities for?

Most ideas suit ages 3 to 9. Adjust to your child and always supervise scissors, small items and the kitchen.

Are the colouring pages hand-drawn?

No. Fernbrook colouring pages are original, code-drawn designs.

Written with AI assistance. General information only, not financial, tax, legal, medical or educational advice; no particular outcome is promised. Price includes VAT where applicable (collected by Lemon Squeezy, our merchant of record).