Fun Winter Sensory Activities for Kids

Where I live it’s a rare thing to see snow in December (though a recent Facebook memory reminded me it snowed in mid-December once, 10 years ago!) but this time of year, whether there’s real snow on the ground or some people are just wishing there was (or you live in the other half of the world where some snow sounds pretty nice right about now) it’s a great time to make some snow related sensory activities.

I almost added this snow marble run from Happy Toddler Playtime to my Christmas STEM projects roundup, but then I decided winter/snow deserved its own post because we’ll still be in winter a lot longer than we were in Christmas season. This one calls for actual snow and you can do it indoors or out, but you could probably use some of the snow alternatives we’ll talk about later to do this one if you don’t have real snow handy.

But if you do have snow, you can try this fun snow paint activity from Two Kids and a Coupon. I like that you can do it inside, because that’s always my preference when it’s cold and snowy.

If you don’t have real snow, you can make your own from hair conditioner and baking soda. Find the recipe and ideas for playing with it in this winter toddler sensory bind post from The Mindful Toddler. Or you can make snow dough with this recipe from The Best Ideas for Kids.

While you’re making snow playdough you can also print out these winter playdough mats from Crafty Kids Play. You can use store-bought dough or make your own in different colors.

Use Styrofoam from a leftover holiday packing box to make this arctic sensory bin from Little Ladoo.

Or make a melted snowman art project with homemade puffy paint. 5 Minutes for Mom shows you how with a tutorial from Busy Mommy Media.

Are you looking for the best sensory toys and activities for your child? Explore our comprehensive resources to enhance your child’s sensory play and development. Check out our curated Amazon Idea List featuring top-rated sensory toys and items, and don’t miss our expertly written articles on sensory activities. Start creating fun and educational sensory experiences today!

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Fun Facts about Christmas Trees and Christmas Tree Crafts

Human brains are pretty amazing, allowing us to think, feel, create, communicate, move and more. But humans aren’t the only animals with cool brains, as Crab Museum explains in the book The No-Brainer Brain Explainer (illustrated by Bruno Valasse).

This book, aimed at kids in grades 1-4, is colorful and silly but also educational about how brains actually work, with billions of neurons sending electrical and chemical signals around the body.

“Everything we think, feel and experience comes from an electrical relay race, with neurons passing chemical batons to each other,” the book says. “The constant chatter of billions of brain cells creates your entire world.”

The book compares the brains of mammals to those of crabs (the book is “written” by a crab after all) and notes that crabs have fewer neurons and of course are much smaller, but they have separate parts of their brains that control their eyes and their legs. Crabs are also capable of remembering things, using tools and solving puzzles.

Some animals’ brains allow them to know more about their world in different ways from humans, such as spiders being sensitive to vibrations in their webs and catfish having an amazing sense of taste, with taste sensors all over their bodies.

It notes that 95 percent of brain activity goes toward things we do unconsciously, like breathing, walking and catching a ball flying toward us. It also talks about dreams, memory, how our emotions try to predict the future, where brains came from and fun facts about brains. For example, did you know a sperm whale is believed to have the biggest brain of any creature that’s even lived? Their brains weigh 18 pounds, compared to just 2.5 pounds for humans.

Information on what creatures have the smallest brains, the toughest brains, the most brains and those who actually eat their own brains will delight kids (and maybe gross them out a little bit). They’ll also enjoy learning about the mycelium network of fungi, which is like a brain without a body, and slime molds, which are like a brain without a brain.

It ends talking about why human brains are so special because we’ve found ways to work together, communicate and build communities on a scale bigger than any other animal.

Kids and adults alike will enjoy this colorful, silly and informational book about brains!

About the book: 64 pages, hardcover. Published 2026 by Wide Eyed Editions. Suggested retail price $19.99.

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