The Best Winter Activities for 2021

The Best Winter Activities for 2021

Winter weather might not always be as inviting as other times of the year, but there are still plenty of ways to enjoy the season. Whether you're looking for fun things to do in the snow or a calm, relaxing activity to do indoors, there is something for everyone. Discover the best winter things to keep you busy until spring.

Outdoor Winter Activities

Winter can bring beautiful snowy days that kids and adults alike can enjoy. This year, try these things to do outside in winter and make memories you will treasure forever.

Go Sledding

When snow days cancel school, pull that old sled out of storage and locate the nearest hill. Kids will have fun sliding through the snow and playing with their friends. Kids of all ages can participate in sledding, though younger children may require adult supervision.

Sledding is a fun thing for adults to do in the winter as well. Up the thrill factor by sculpting little mounds out of snow for extra bumps as you go down the hill. Climbing up the hill repeatedly can be a great form of exercise, too.

Try Skiing and Snowboarding

For another active outdoor winter activity, consider testing out your skills on the slopes with skiing or snowboarding. Heading to a ski resort can be a great day trip to get out of the house. It can also be ideal for a weekend excursion or a longer vacation. Many ski resorts offer a variety of services, including lessons, dining facilities, rentals and places to stay.

Even children as young as four can go skiing. Because most ski resorts offer different difficulty levels, you can adjust your skiing schedule to match your skills and those of the people you're with. Make sure to invest in the proper safety equipment to keep yourself and others safe while skiing, including:

Build a Snowman

If you are searching for fun things to do in the snow, building a snowman is the perfect winter activity for kids. When the snow starts to pile up, you can send your kids outside and let them use their creativity to make a unique and original snowman.

Building a snowman is an excellent way for kids to get outside and play together while enjoying the winter weather, too. And, when they finish, take a picture of them with their creation so they can treasure the memory forever.

Ice Skate With Friends

While you might be able to find an indoor ice skating rink in the summer, some city centers open outdoor rinks during the winter. Outdoor rinks offer a unique way to enjoy the ice and the scenery at the same time. Get a group of friends together and help each other out on the ice when you fall or need a hand to lean on.

Ice skating is a great way for everyone in your family to enjoy each other and burn off some energy. If you have younger kids, you may want to invest in a helmet and knee pads to protect them if they fall.

If you or your kids fall in love with ice skating, consider gifting them lessons for the holidays or their next birthday. Ice skating is a skill that applies to many different sports, including figure skating and hockey, and your child might want to do one of them after a trip to the ice skating rink.

Snowshoe Somewhere Scenic

Snowshoeing is the perfect winter activity if you love hiking. You can explore the best places to visit in winter as you walk through snowy and icy terrains. Snowshoeing can be a great winter activity for kids since many outfitters sell smaller sizes for younger kids. As long as they can walk, they can snowshoe.

If you are new to snowshoeing or are heading to a more challenging trail, you can invest in a pair of poles to provide more balance as you walk. You are sure to find some Instagram-worthy sights while on your adventure, and maybe you will even form a new annual tradition with your friends and family.

Construct a Snow Fort

If you need ideas for fun things to do in the snow with kids, build a snow fort with them. Kids who want a challenge or have already built their share of snowmen will appreciate the new activity. While you can build a snow fort with just your hands, you can also break out summer sand toys to create fun shapes in the snow.

Your kids can express their creativity with their snow fort by decorating it with items they find outside or painting it with diluted food coloring. Each kid can build their own fort and mark it with an object to identify it as theirs. Kids can play house and decorate their little forts, or they can use them as lines of defense and home bases in epic snowball fights. No matter which direction they take, building a snow fort might just become one of their favorite snow activities.

Attempt Ice Fishing

If you enjoy sitting out on the lake with friends during the summer, ice fishing can be the perfect winter activity for you. Ice fishing is a great way to get outside during the winter months, where you can sit on the lake with friends or family and make valuable memories while waiting for fish to bite.

Especially for long-time fishing lovers, ice fishing is a cheaper fishing option. You can use your summer fishing gear for ice fishing — there's no special equipment required other than an ice auger. You can also save money on ice by packing your cooler with ice and snow from the lake if you're considering bringing your fish home for a good meal.

Travel for Vacation

Snowy backdrops and mountain landscapes make for some of the best places to travel in winter. There are many locations across the country that offer an unforgettable winter experience.

Whether you escape to a picture-perfect cabin in Vermont or a ski town in the middle of the Rocky Mountains, you are bound to find many destinations that you can explore this winter.

Indoor Winter Activities

Sometimes, the winter weather is too harsh to be outside. But, when you're searching for things to do in winter, you can find plenty of indoor winter activities to keep you busy. Check out these winter things to do inside.

Host a Movie Marathon

On days when the snow doesn't stop and it is too cold to play outside, you can settle into a pile of warm blankets for a winter movie marathon. There are plenty of classic winter films to choose from that cover a variety of themes, from Christmas and holidays to funny classics that take place during the winter. Some highly-rated, family-friendly options include:

You can find the perfect movies to fit every audience, whether you have a group of young kids who need to warm up after a day in the snow or adults looking for something more mature. You can select the best movie line-up to create the best movie marathon.

Bake Holiday Cookies

Bring back a winter tradition and spend the day baking and decorating cookies. You can choose to follow a holiday or seasonal theme, or you can let your creativity fly and use those sprinkles or cutters you've never had a chance to use yet. Spend the day baking with close friends and turn decorating into a friendly competition, or take the opportunity to teach your kids a family recipe and create a winter tradition with them.

Make the cookie-making process even more personal by creating them from scratch. Skipping pre-made doughs also allows you to change and substitute ingredients. You can find the perfect recipe that lets you cater to friends and family members with allergies or diet restrictions.

Plan a Winter Party

There's no better way to get friends and family together in the winter than by throwing a party. You can choose from a variety of seasonal themes and go all out with your decorations. Everyone can pitch in and bring their favorite winter dish for a fun potluck, or you can prepare a traditional holiday feast.

You can include several activities at your party to mix things up and create a fun, memorable experience for everyone. Have an ugly sweater contest and urge your guests to come wearing the worst winter sweater they can find. You could also plan a secret Santa or white elephant gift exchange.

Go to the Ballet

Enjoy a winter classic by scoring tickets to see the Nutcracker this winter. Because the ballet takes place around Christmas, many families consider it a holiday tradition. Additionally, the themed dances, like the Waltz of the Snowflakes, will surely leave you in the winter season spirit.

You have many options when choosing how to see the Nutcracker. Many local dance studios put on their versions of the ballet to show off their dancers' hard work and skill, and you can find shows that feature dancers of all ages. Professional studios often travel around the U.S. during the holiday season, too, letting you experience the Nutcracker in a fancy theater.

Make Spiced Cider

Discover a new favorite seasonal drink by making your own spiced cider. The drink is easy to make and will provide you with warmth on those colder days. You can make it just to keep in your fridge or serve it up at a holiday party as an alternative to egg nog and hot chocolate.

Build a Gingerbread House

For winter activities for kids and adults, you can build and decorate a gingerbread house. Make it a family bonding activity that you all do together and then display your masterpiece afterward, or let each person decorate their own house and turn it into a competition. For adults, you can post pictures of everyone's finished results later and let your followers vote on whose house is the best.

If you want an extra challenge this winter, try baking your gingerbread from scratch and carving it into house shapes. You are sure to have a good laugh, and you can eat your house after making it.

Go to a Hockey Game

Hockey is a must when you want to do something fun this winter. Support a local team or treat yourself to a National Hockey League (NHL) game and witness the teams that gather such loyal followers.

Hockey games are kid-friendly, and they might even inspire your children to take up a new sport or activity this winter.

Learn Something New

If you are unsure what to do with all of the time you have to spend indoors, you can invest that time into learning a new skill. Whether it is finally getting to that one thing you've been putting off or exploring all your options, take advantage of the colder weather and shorter days to find your new favorite hobby. Some fun winter activities you can try include:

Earn Extra Cash This Winter with ecoATM

Wherever your winter adventures take you, you can find something fun and exciting to do both out in the snow and from the safety of your home. 

Earn Extra Cash This Winter With ecoATM

Wherever your winter adventures take you, you can find something fun and exciting to do both out in the snow and from the safety of your home.

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