Snow-Day Activities That Target Gross And Fine Motor Skills

There are so many fun activities to do with your kids on cold snowy days! Below is a list of inside and outside activities to keep your children active and engaged! 

Outdoor Activities

Tic-Tac-Toe in the Snow: Use snow paint (see link below) or gather sticks to create the tic-tac-toe board. Use your hands (in gloves of course) or a stick to draw X’s and O’s to play the game!

Obstacle Course: Create an obstacle course by having your children do things like making a snow angel, army crawl across the snow, step inside your footprints, or build a snowman. You can also have your children create their own course, you’d be surprised with the fun activities they come up with. This activity is great for when your children have tons of energy from sitting inside!

Scavenger Hunt: This is a great way to get everyone in your household engaged and moving! Create a list of outside items (or use this list) that can be seen while playing in your yard. This is a perfect way for kids to use their visual scanning skills to find various objects!

Snow Sledding Race: Sledding/tubing is a great gross motor activity to keep your children moving! Find a hill and have fun sledding/tubing races. You can use a timer or set up a finish line to make it a competition! 

Indoor Activities

Too cold to go outside? No Problem! Below is a list of indoor activities to do with your children on a cold winter day!

Snow Sensory Bins: Grab a bin and fill it with snow, small toys, measuring utensils, cups, etc. Have your little ones wear gloves or mittens to keep their hands from getting too cold while they search for and play with items hidden in the snow. You can also use this link to make your own snow to play in!

Snowflake Craft: Click here for a very simple snowflake craft. This is great for following directions, folding, midline, and cutting!

Indoor Snow Ball Fight: Gather paper or plastic wrap and form it into balls. Set up an area in your house to have an indoor snowball fight!

Window Art: Use dry erase markers and have your children create drawings on your windows- a great fine motor activity that promotes handwriting, reaching, and crossing midline! Don’t worry, your windows won’t stay dirty for long! When your children are done, have them help you clean your windows.

Marshmallow Snowman Art: A tasty craft your kids will love that promotes bilateral coordination and fine pincer grasp. Directions and supplies needed can be found HERE

– DeAnna Smith, OTR