Here’s a list of 18 children’s ministry winter activities and ideas for kids, families, and teachers.

Whether kids live in the north, south, east, or west, they all have one thing in common—they love snow! Kids dream of an icy-cold white blanket to dig in, roll in, shape, throw, and even eat!

So we’ve taken those snowy-white dreams and given you 18 ideas to help kids learn about Jesus with a blizzard of games, crafts, treats, and more!

18 Winter Activities That Are Perfect for Your Children’s Ministry

Winter Games

Snowman Bowling

Age Level: Elementary ages

Materials:

• 10 white disposable cups of any size per child
• black markers
• beanbags or small balls

Give each child 10 white plastic foam cups and a black marker. Have the children draw snowman faces on each cup. Then show the children how to arrange the cups in a 10-pin bowling pattern. Use beanbags or small balls for bowling balls. The children may each take their bowling sets home.

Snowman Stacking Game

Age Level: All ages

Materials:

• white disposable cups of any size
• a timer

Form teams, and give each team a package of white plastic foam cups. Have each team work together to make as tall a pyramid of the cups as possible. Use a timer to increase the game’s pace and fun.

Snow Sock Toss

Age Level: Elementary ages

Materials:

• white socks
• cotton stuffing
• yarn
• buckets

Have each child stuff a sock with cotton and tie the sock with yarn in two or three places. Children may toss their snow sock into a bucket for a game or play catch. The shape formed by tying the sock in several places creates a fun challenge for controlling the direction the sock is tossed.

Snowshoe Races

Age Level: Elementary ages

Materials:

• 6-8 facial tissue boxes

Children will put their feet inside two tissue boxes, then race on a smooth surface. To play, have three or four children race at a time.

Sleigh Relays

Age Level: All ages

Materials:

• flattened cardboard boxes
• scissors
• thick rope about 4 feet long for each snowboard

Make sleighs from flattened cardboard boxes. Poke two holes in one end of each box, then thread a length of thick rope through the holes and tie the ends of the rope together.

Form two even teams, and give each team a sleigh. Team members take turns sitting on the sleigh, while the team captain pulls the person from start to finish across the floor. When all the teammates have reached the finish line, the relay is finished.

Melting Snowball

Age Level: Preschool to kindergarten

Materials:

• a white ball, a beanbag, or white paper bag stuffed with paper (to be a “snowball”)

Arrange the children in a circle. Play this game like Hot Potato. Have children pass the “snowball” quickly around the circle so it won’t stay in their hands too long and “melt.”

Winter Treats

Allergy Alert: Be sure to check for allergies before allowing kids to create or consume these snacks.

Popcorn Snowmen

Ingredients:

• 6 cups popped popcorn
• a large package of marshmallows
• a half cup of margarine
• candy decorations
• plastic sandwich bags

On low heat or in a microwave oven, melt a large package of marshmallows and a half cup of margarine. Stir well, then add six cups of popped popcorn. Mix well. You may add more popcorn to make the mixture less sticky, but make sure the popcorn sticks together well enough for children to mold.

Let the mixture cool to room temperature. Give each child plastic sandwich bags to use as gloves and a mound of the mixture to form into a snowman. Children can add candy features with M&M’s candies, gumdrops, licorice whips, and pretzel sticks for the face, buttons, and arms. Provide plastic sandwich bags if children will be taking their snowmen home.

Snowball Treats

Ingredients:

• peanut butter
• powdered sugar
• coconut flakes

Mix equal amounts of peanut butter and powdered sugar. Add more powdered sugar if needed to make the dough less sticky. Have the children roll the dough into balls, then roll in coconut flakes to make snowball treats.

Snow Angels

Ingredients:

• gelatin set inside cookie sheets
• gingerbread-people-shaped cookie cutters
• whipped topping
• paper plates
• spoons

Have children use spoons to spread whipped topping on a paper plate. Then help children cut out one or two gingerbread shapes from the gelatin. After children place their gingerbread shapes in the whipped topping “snow,” have them use their fingers to make angel wing prints in the snow.

As the children eat their snow angel treats, encourage them to thank God for all the seasons.

Winter Crafts

Glittery Snow People

Age Level: Preschool to kindergarten

Materials:

• white clay or homemade craft dough
• silver or white glitter
• paper plates

While children each form a snowperson out of clay or dough, talk about the beauty of winter. Encourage the children to pray with you and thank God for loving people in all the seasons. Help the children roll their snow people in silver or white glitter scattered on a paper plate.

Snow People

Age Level: All ages

Materials:

• bulletin-board paper
• scissors
• pencils
• markers
• poster putty

Have each child lie down on a length of bulletin-board paper. Kids can help one another trace their shapes. Help younger children cut out their shape.

Have the children use markers to make their facial features, hair, and clothing. Write across the chest of each child’s shape: “Wash me and I will be whiter than snow.” –Psalm 51:7. Ahere the “snow people” to a hallway with poster putty.

Friendship Snowflakes

Age Level: Elementary ages

Materials:

• white paper
• scissors
• tape

Have each child fold an 8½×11-inch sheet of white paper into quarters—and once or twice again. Show the children how to cut shapes from the folds in the paper. Have children unfold their paper to reveal a snowflake pattern. Next, have children cut apart their snowflakes on the quarter-fold lines.

Each child will keep one-quarter of their snowflake and exchange the other three parts with friends in the class. Help the children tape their four pieces of snowflake together to form unique snowflakes. Tell the children their friendship snowflakes will remind them that they have friends in Christ who’ll help them when they need a friend.

Handprint Snowflakes

Age Level: Elementary ages

Materials:

• white paper
• scissors
• pencils

Celebrate kids’ unique individuality with this fun craft. Have the children trace their handprints onto whitepaper. Then have children cut out and fold their hands two or three times while cutting a few shapes from each fold. When the children unfold their handprints, they’ll see a unique snowflake design.

Discuss how different and how beautiful each child’s snowflake turned out. Stress that God has made each of us unique, special, and beautiful.

Snow Globes

Age Level: Preschool to kindergarten

Materials:

• an empty, clean plastic jar with a lid for each child
• plain paper cut into 1×6-inch strips
• scissors
• pencils
• glue
• plastic confetti in winter shapes
• water

Write on a 1×6-inch strip of paper, “Thank you, God, for winter!” Have children each glue a strip to the bottom of their jar. Then have children place plastic confetti inside the jars. The confetti comes in shapes such as snowflakes, snowmen, and smiley faces (at your local craft store or online). Add water to within an inch of the top of the jars and close the lids tightly.

Show children how to shake their snow globes to watch the confetti shapes move.

Winter Service Projects

Snowman Offering Banks

Age Level: All ages

Materials:

• powdered soft drink containers with lids
• white spray paint
• a craft knife
• markers
• felt
• glue

Before class, spray paint the containers white and allow to dry. Use a craft knife to cut a slit for coins in the lid or in the plastic container, whichever is easier to cut.

Give each child a prepared container. Have the children use markers, felt scraps, and glue to decorate their snowmen. Encourage the children to use the banks to save their money to bring for the offering.

You might want to use the banks as a special missionary offering or donation to a local charity your church hosts or supports.

Sharing Snowman

Age Level: All ages

Materials:

• a barrel or large trash can
• white paper
• construction paper
• scissors
• glue

Use a friendly character to boost a winter food or clothing drive. Cover a barrel or large trash can with white paper. Cut out construction paper snowman features and glue them on. Make a sign for the snowman to hold that says, “Please share.”

Publish announcements in your bulletins and newsletters, and have classroom teachers explain the snowman to the children. Try to fill the barrel with clothing or nonperishable food to share with a local food pantry or to give to families in your church who are facing hardships.

Winter Teacher Appreciation

Heartwarmers

Materials:

• packages of cocoa mix
• ribbon
• gift tags

Make a “heartwarmer” packet for each person on your team. Tie a pretty ribbon around an envelope of cocoa mix. Add a tag that says, “Your willingness to serve warms our hearts.”

Shining Lights

Materials:

• white taper candles
• cellophane
• glue
• wiggle eyes
• felt
• gift tags

Use white taper candles for this teacher-appreciation gift. Have kids glue wiggle eyes and a felt mouth, nose, buttons, and a hat to the top half of the cellophane-wrapped candle. Tie a tag to the middle of the snowman taper that says: “Your light will shine for many years through the children you’re touching now.”

Mary J. Davis has been in children’s ministry for more than three decades and lives in Marshalltown, Iowa.

For more activities, check out the Humongous Book Set! In this set, you’ll find books for children’s ministry Bible skits, games, and children’s messages. Looking for more winter ideas? Start here!