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Kidding Around: Winter Activities for Families
Here’s What to Do in Iowa When Things Get Cold
As winter rolls around and the holidays arrive, most of us enjoy a well-earned break from work and school. With all that free time, it’s only natural to want to spend time with your family, especially if you have kids.
There are many wonderful things associated with the season, but winter also brings chilly temperatures and shorter days. Even if you can’t spend all day playing outdoors with your kids, there’s still plenty to see and do in Iowa throughout the winter. Get ideas for some things to do this winter below!
Outdoor winter activities for kids (and parents)
Winter might be cold in Iowa, but it’s also the perfect time to enjoy snow day activities with your family. Put on your warmest coat, coziest gloves, and favorite hat, and try these family-friendly winter activities in Iowa.
Try ice skating and ice fishing
Winter is the ideal (and maybe only) season to enjoy ice skating, especially on a local pond or lake. There are several small lakes in the Mason City area, as well as in larger cities such as Des Moines. Teach your kids to skate early, and you'll start a fun holiday family tradition. This winter activity is a great way to keep your kids active even if they don’t play outside as much as they do during the summer.
Alternatively, you can take your family ice fishing at several ponds and lakes in Iowa. Ice fishing is an excellent bonding experience, plus it’s a cold weather activity that teaches your kids how to be patient and deliberate as they wait for the perfect moment to snag their catch of the day. No matter what, be sure to stay safe when on frozen bodies of water.
Build a snowman
As soon as the first snow arrives, you can bet everyone will want to build a snowman. Take your family or friends outdoors and make a snowman in the classical style – with a carrot nose, button eyes, and a colorful scarf – or get a little creative and dream up a snowman no one’s imagined before. It may even come alive!
Feeling competitive? Host a snowman-building competition for your family, friends, and neighbors, and offer some homemade hot chocolate as a prize!
Or have a snowball fight!
Good snow isn’t just for building; it’s also for flinging. One of the most popular winter activities to indulge in is a good old-fashioned snowball fight! Arm yourself with a handful of snowballs and challenge your friends and family members to a “last man standing” battle for snowy supremacy. Just be sure to guard your face!
Snuggle up around a winter bonfire
As the sun sets early in Iowa, there’s no better way to feel close to your loved ones than to light a winter bonfire in the backyard and huddle up for some s’mores and stories. After a snowstorm, winter nights often bring the clearest skies, so take the opportunity to stargaze with your kids and teach them about constellations.
Visit a museum or aquarium
Iowa is home to many popular museums and aquariums. These day-trip destinations are perfect for the entire family, as they're entertaining and educational in equal measure. Consider visiting the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium or check out the Putnam Museum and Science Center. Alternatively, visit both on separate weekends when your kids get a little stir-crazy at home.
Go sledding!
Toss your sleds in the back of your car and take the kids sledding for an all-day winter activity and an adventure you can only enjoy while there is snow on the ground. If museums aren’t your speed, Iowa also has ample sledding spots where you can reach top speeds sliding downhill. We recommend Seven Oaks Recreation near Boone, the Mt. Crescent Ski Area near Honey Creek, or Sleepy Hollow Sports Park near Des Moines.
Indoor winter activities for kids to keep them busy
When Iowa experiences a little too much snow during a blizzard or snowstorm, or it gets too dark to play outside, you can keep your kids entertained and engaged throughout the winter months with these indoor family-friendly winter activities instead.
Enjoy a movie marathon
There’s no better time to binge watch a few movies than in the winter when you’re stuck indoors, making a movie marathon an ideal winter activity for all to enjoy. Draw up a list of your group’s favorites and throw in a few holiday classics to round out your all-day or all-night marathon – we like The Santa Clause, Frozen, and How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Consider browsing apps such as Disney+, Hulu, and Netflix for some Christmas favorites.
Don’t forget to whip up some tasty winter snacks, like hot chocolate and homemade cookies, to sip and munch on as you sit through your favorite flicks.
Engage your kids in some arts and crafts
Your family can have fun indoors by making some homemade winter crafts, like ornaments for the Christmas tree, window decorations for the living room windows, or picture frames for the holiday family photos. Run to the store to pick up important supplies, like glue, construction paper, and markers, or collect things from outdoors, like pinecones, to make your crafting as creative as possible. This family-friendly winter activity can get a little messy (can you say glitter!?), so you might want to protect your surfaces and put down some newspaper or deconstructed delivery boxes first.
Build a winter fort in the living room
If your kids like to build more than draw, invite them to make a (controlled) winter fort in the living room. Not only is this a great creative winter activity to keep them occupied for hours, but it’s also a prime place to enjoy the above-mentioned movie marathon all huddled together. Don’t forget to add blankets and pillows inside your fort so everyone can be nice and cozy.
Have the kids help decorate for the holidays
As winter settles in across Mason City and Iowa, you'll probably want to put up some holiday-themed decorations, like lights, a Christmas tree, and paper snowflakes around the house. Holiday decorating can be a fun winter activity for the whole family, not just the adults. Get your kids involved so they can spark their creativity and learn how to work as a team!
Host a game night
A game night is a delightful way to pass the time and a fantastic winter activity. Whether you played board games regularly before this winter or not, start the tradition now by stacking up a couple of great games on the kitchen table after dinner and inviting everyone to engage in some fun competition. Not so much into competition? Puzzles can also be a great choice!
Build a gingerbread house together
If you like to bake, then it’s time to fill your home with delicious scents and engage the rest of your family in the process by baking a gingerbread house. Once the baking is complete, you and your family and friends can decorate the gingerbread house with icing, candy canes, and other tasty additions. Proud of your work? The Historic Inn in Mason City, Iowa, holds a gingerbread house contest every year, and all ages are welcome to enter.