Once Christmas is over, we will still have a lot of winter left here in Michigan. The days are short, the weather is cold, and it’s really easy to slip into “we’re just stuck inside” mode.
That’s why I love having a Winter Fun Bucket List—a simple, low-pressure way to give us ideas for cozy days at home and ways to get outside and enjoy the season a little more. (If you missed our Christmas Bucket List, check it out here!) Think of it less like a checklist you have to finish and more like a menu of fun things to choose from when everyone is asking, “What should we do today?”
I like to print our winter list and hang it on the fridge where everyone can see it. It helps me remember to plan a few things ahead and lean into the season instead of just wishing it away. There’s no pressure to do everything. Some years we check off almost every idea, and other years we repeat just a few favorites over and over. Either way, it gives us a gentle little nudge to make memories in a season that can otherwise feel a bit blah.
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Here’s a look at our Winter Fun Bucket List for this year:
You can save it, screenshot it, or print it out and use it with your own family. Use it exactly as it is or as inspiration to create your own version that fits you and your schedule.
- Go sledding – Find a good hill, bundle up, and spend an afternoon racing down and climbing back up until everyone is rosy-cheeked and tired. Don’t forget to bring the hot chocolate!
- Go ice skating – Visit a local rink or outdoor ice if you have it nearby. Skates might be wobbly at first, but that’s half the fun.
- Build a snowman – Roll up some big snowballs, add a hat and scarf, and give your snowman a spot in the yard to “watch” winter go by.
- Build an igloo – Get some snow molds (they’re like sandcastle molds but for snow!) and build an igloo or snow fort together. This is one of our favorite things to do as a family when we’ve just gotten some good packing snow.
- Have a snowball fight – Keep it friendly and fun, and don’t forget to warm up with hot chocolate when you’re done.
- Make paper snowflakes – Cut out classic snowflakes or try 3D versions. I’ve been making those beautiful 3D paper bag snowflakes for years now, and they always make the best decorations. I’ll be posting a tutorial soon!
- Celebrate the New Year in a special way – We don’t always stay up until midnight, but we usually spend New Year’s Eve playing card and board games, snacking on a charcuterie board, and watching a good movie. New Year’s Day is for a special family breakfast and a cozy dinner together.
- Make family goals for the new year – Sit down together and talk about what you’d love to learn, do, or work on in the year ahead. Keep it light and fun.
- Make a new soup or stew – Try a cozy new recipe and let it simmer on the stove while everyone hangs out at home.
- Bake something new – Pick a recipe you’ve never tried before and bake it together—bread, muffins, cake, or a fun dessert.
- Go bowling – Such an awesome, relatively inexpensive way to pass the time and have some family fun on a cold day.
- Go to the trampoline park – Let the kids jump out all that extra winter energy while you stay warm inside.
- Go roller skating – Head to a local rink, put on some skates, and enjoy the music, lights, and wobbly laps around the floor.
- Have a family game night – Pull out board games or card games, make some snacks, and declare it a no-screens evening. Our favorite family games:
- Go on a winter hike – Bundle up and explore a local trail. Winter hikes are so peaceful, and everything looks different under bare trees or snow.
- Go to the movies – Catch a matinee or a special movie night and enjoy popcorn in a warm theater.
- Go skiing or snowboarding – My oldest has been wanting to learn, and I haven’t skied in years. This is on our list as a fun new experience for all of us.
- Go hot tubbing – If you don’t own a hot tub, no worries! Look for a public hot tub garden or spa you can rent by the hour. We have a place near us that we love to go to. The kids can come (our rec center doesn’t allow kids under 16), and they have a blast.
- Go to a museum – Winter is our favorite time to visit museums. Check what’s nearby—sometimes there are even free days or family passes available.
- Go to an ice or snow fest – Look for a local festival with ice sculptures, snow activities, or winter markets and make a little outing of it.
- Go on a weekend trip – Take a short getaway somewhere nearby—a cabin, a small town, or a city you haven’t explored yet.
💬 I’d love to hear how you handle the long stretch of winter where you live.
Do you make a winter bucket list, or do you mostly go with the flow and see what each week brings? And what’s one winter activity your kids never get tired of—inside or outside?
