Winter weather presents new opportunities for your toddler to play and explore. Whether you want to play indoors or outdoors, including snow in the play teaches kids about the winter weather component and winter in general. When playing outdoors with a toddler, remember to dress him in warm layers with mittens or gloves, hats, and other protective layers.
Indoor Snow Play
Outdoor temperatures are a concern for many parents of toddlers. If you want to keep your young child in the warmth, grab some snow from outside so she can still explore. A bowl of snow is enough to entertain her until it melts. Another option is to carry several buckets of snow in the house and dump them in the bathtub. As the snow melts, it runs down the drain, meaning less of a mess for you to clean. Measuring cups and other household items work well for playing in the indoor snow pile. Mittens are necessary even indoors to protect your child's hands from the cold snow.
Ball Ramp
A large pile of snow outdoors creates a ramp for a ball in a snow activity suggested by Wonder Time. Pack the snow firmly into a hill. The height depends on personal preference and the amount of snow you have available. Carve a track down the side of the hill wide enough for a small ball to roll down. Make different paths, with some straight and others curved. Your toddler places the ball at the top of one of the paths and lets go to watch it roll to the bottom of the snow hill.
Snow Jumping
Smaller snow hills give young kids a chance to practice their jumping skills while getting exercise during the winter. Disney Family Fun suggests creating snow piles about the size of a basketball, but you can make them smaller if your toddler can't jump that high. Make several of the snow hills around the yard. Encourage your toddler to run and jump over the snow hills.
Snow Castle
A snow castle works well on days when the snow holds together well. Test it by grabbing a handful of snow and packing it into a ball. If it holds the ball shape well, the snow castle should also work. Wonder Time suggests using your sand toys, such as buckets, to create the snow castle, just as you would to make a sand castle. Leaving it overnight allows it to harden so the castle is less likely to crumble. Smooth out a moat, roads and other features to complete the snow castle.
