Shop UK Site 
25+ Activities and Crafts for Fall and Winter
- EI Editor Posted On Apr 12, 2023
Leaves are changing and falling, the weather is getting colder…yep! It’s time for fall and winter, which means we’ve put together some seasonal activities that will take advantage of those last nature walks and keep you busy when you’re stuck indoors! Check them out:
OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES AND CRAFTS
Fall Leaf Safari- Your curious kiddo has probably noticed that leaves come in all shapes, sizes, and colors (and they change color too!). This free, downloadable activity from Spark More Play has four fun parts to it: Leaf Hunting, Leaf Identification, Leaf Observation, and a Leaf Rubbing art activity! Kids will get to collect leaves on a nature walk, learn to identify different characteristics of the leaves they found, and create beautiful leaf art! Plus, get an up-close look at your leaves with GeoSafari® Jr. My First Microscope!
Download the free Leaf Safari activity here and find more free, downloadable activities at Spark More Play!
Download the free Leaf Safari activity here and find more free, downloadable activities at Spark More Play!
OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES AND CRAFTS
DIY Binoculars- a few household items to create your very own, customizable binoculars! Once you're done, take them on a backyard adventure or play I Spy!
Supplies:
- Two empty toilet paper tubes
- String
- Paper
- Markers
- Stapler
- Tape or Glue Stick
- Strickers, beads, or glitter for decoration
- Place the toilet paper tubes next to each other. Staple them together at the top and bottom.
- Cut about 12-16” of string. Use a pen to poke a hole in one side of each toilet paper tube. Insert the string and tie a knot so it's secure.
- Wrap the piece of paper around your binoculars and mark where the ends of the paper meet. Also mark the bottom of the binoculars.
- Cut the paper along the lines you marked.
- Decorate the paper and make it unique! Add your own personal touches like your name, a cool pattern, or a fun picture. Go exploring!
INDOOR ACTIVITIES AND CRAFTS
Let it Snow! Paper Snowflakes- Make a unique paper snowflake with our alien snowflake template!
Step by step (with pictures): Download print friendly instructions here.
Step by step (with pictures): Download print friendly instructions here.
- Download the template, print it out, and cut out the square.
- Pre-fold all the solid lines.
- Fold the template in half and then fold it in half again. Next, fold along the diagonal edge, making sure to keep the puppet shape exposed…now you're ready to cut!
- Cut out the shapes…the grey portion is the part that is discarded.
- Unfold your creation carefully.
- 6. Put on the finishing touches by drawing in the eyes of the puppets (and the mouths if you didn't cut them out in the previous step). You're done! Tape the snowflake to your window, your notebook, etc. Enjoy!
INDOOR ACTIVITIES AND CRAFTS
DIY Clock- This is a useful tool to show children what time their next activity will begin, help teach how to tell time, and help understand concept of elapsed time.
Supplies
Directions
Supplies
- Two pieces of construction paper (two different colors)
- Scissors
- One brad (a paper fastener)
- Marker or crayon
Directions
- Trace a circle onto a piece of construction paper to create the clock face. You can do this freehand or trace a large coffee can, tea kettle, or pot.
- Cut out the circle-this will be your clock's face.
- Using the second piece of construction paper, trace and cut out arrow shapes for the clock hands. Be sure to make a smaller hand for the hour hand and a larger hand for the minute hand.
- Place the hour hand on top of the minute hand and push the brad through both arrows. Then push it through the clock face and open the brad arms on the back.
- Have your child write the numbers on the clock face with a marker or crayon.
INDOOR ACTIVITIES AND CRAFTS
Make a Balancing Ball Maze- This DIY game uses things you already have around the house and practices balance, coordination, and fine motor skills!
Watch a quick video to see a demonstration of the gameplay!
Supplies
- Cardboard box
- Ping pong ball or marble (smaller is more difficult)
- Construction paper
- Marker
- Scissors
Directions
- Cut the sides off of a cardboard box. Use a box that is at least 12” x 12” if possible.
- Cut the side pieces into ten strips, each about 2” wide.
- Tape or glue construction paper to the bottom of the box to make a flat surface.
- Write the numbers 1-10 (one number per strip) on the center of the cardboard strips.
- Fold the cardboard strips into a U shape and tape or hot glue the ends to the construction paper all around the inside of the box. Place them at random, number-wise and orientation-wise. Make sure your ball fits through each U shape before attaching it to the bottom of the box.
- Hold the box flat on your lap (or over a table). Start with the ball in the center of the box and tilt it all around to get the ball to pass through each number. The goal is to tilt the ball through the numbers in order from 1-10 as fast as possible.
- Start a tournament with a sibling or parent to see who can get through the entire course fastest.
OTHER IDEAS FOR INDOOR PLAY
- Teach your kids to cook or bake—Spend some quality time together, learn measurements and basic math, and get a yummy treat or snack out of it!
- Classic Card Games—From Go Fish and Old Maid to Concentration or even Spoons, card games are a great way to spend time together, as a family. And all you need is a deck of cards (and some spoons)!
- Sardines-You may have forgotten but you'll soon remember what fun it is to hide and seek! One person hides while the rest cover their eyes and count to 30, then let the hunt begin! Find the hidden one and join them until everyone's hiding - together! Then choose a new hider and start all over again.
- Sculptapalooza™-Add a bit of creativity to your together time with Sculptalooza™ the fast-paced, laugh-out-loud family game! Work together to guess what your teammate has sculpted out of squishy, squashy, Playfoam® before time runs out. No one likes reading directions, so watch this super fun tutorial on how to play!
- Storytelling Circle-Sit in a circle. Someone starts a story with a single word, the next person adds another, and so on, until a silly story begins to take shape. Guaranteed to get you giggling, this game encourages creativity and teaches flexibility and thinking on your toes!
OTHER IDEAS FOR INDOOR PLAY (CONT)
- Make a Fort and Read-Gather your pillows, blankets, and chairs (tip-chip clips are a great way to keep things in place) and design your own family fort! Then climb on in with your favorite book and a flashlight.
- Board Games-Board games bring families together and, with Educational Insights' squeezer games, even preschoolers can get in on the game! Adorable fun for everyone, little ones can practice colors with Sneaky Snacky Squirrel Game®, learn their letters with Frida's Fruit Fiesta™, and master numbers and counting with Shelby's Snack Shack Game®.
- Treasure Hunt-Take turns hiding something in your house and racing each other to find it. Give one-word hints to guide your family closer and closer until you have a winner, who gets to hide the object next!
- Charades-Get ready to giggle with a simple game of charades! Everyone writes an act-it-out challenge down on a slip of paper, folds it, and drops it in a bowl. Then, take turns drawing a clue from the bowl, set a timer, and act it out! So let it rain, or snow, or gusty winds blow - you'll be too busy having fun inside to notice!
VALENTINES DAY FREE ACTIVITIES
- Counting Love Bugs Valentine's Day Worksheet—Download this four page Valentine's counting activity, courtesy of Spark More Play! Simply download, print, and then use Playfoam®, dough, or any other non-toxic molding compound to practice counting and numbers, build fine motor skills, and encourage creativity.
- Valentine's Day Cookies Activity—Download and print this tasty activity to practice fine motor skills, shape and color learning, and more! Simply use Playfoam, dough, or any other non-toxic molding compound to decorate each shaped cookie.
- Playfoam Valentine's Day Cards—Kids can create a custom, three-dimensional Valentine's Day card, complete with envelope, using this free template! Just squish, squash, squeeze and smash Playfoam or any other molding compound onto the paper to make a one-of-a-kind Valentine's masterpiece, then share with friends and family!
- Sorting Hearts Worksheet—Download and print this sweet candy hearts worksheet to help little ones practice sorting and matching (critical pre-math skills) as well as counting and addition! When you're done, celebrate with some sweet Valentine's treats of your own.
- Frankie's Food Truck Fiasco Color-In Valentine—Have some fun with everyone's favorite feline, Frankie! Download this adorable coloring page and let your little one get creative - coloring is a great way to build fine motor strength and coordination as well as creativity and imagination!
- Frankie's Food Truck Fiasco Valentine's Cards—Skip the store and download four fun Frankie Valentines for your child to hand out instead! Simply download, print, complete the to and from.
CANDY ALTERNATIVES
Skip the sugar this year and gift your loved ones a unique and special treat for Valentine's Day!
- New Jammies—Spring is right around the corner, calling for a lighter-weight pajama. Make it a tradition to gift a new set of jammies on Valentine's Day! Make things special by throwing in some matching slippers!
- Color by Playfoam®—Your kids can create squishy, squashy works of art, using the included tool to smoosh different Playfoam colors into each section of the canvas. When they're done, scoop it out and start all over again! Choose from a Unicorn or a Dragon.
- A Journal—What better place to write about your Valentine's crush than in a brand-new journal? With so many themes to choose from, there's sure to be one your child will love.
- Playfoam®—Looking for the perfect little valentine exchange gifts! Whether the Playfoam® Party Pack, Set of 20 individual pods or the Playfoam® Pals™ Surprise Party 24-Pack, it's a great way to share the fun with friends at school!
- Kidnoculars®—Encourage your kiddo's love of nature with GeoSafari® Jr. Kidnoculars! With enlarged, focus-free eyepieces and perfect-fit goggles, even toddlers can get an up-close, magnified view of the world! And now, Kidnoculars come in pink!
CANDY ALTERNATIVES (CONT)
- Crayons—Who doesn't love a brand-new box of Crayons? Perfect for coloring hearts and kisses, maybe you'll even inspire your kids to make you a homemade Valentine. Add a special coloring book or download one of our free and watch your kids get creative.
- Pluffle™—The Squishologists at the Playfoam Wacky Workshop have formulated a totally mesmerizing, completely color-mixable, can't resistible substance! Best of all, this feel-good fluffy stuff never dries out so the sensory fun never ends.
- Stickers—Stick it to your sweetie with some Valentine's stickers! Make a sticker book, use them as drawing prompts, design your own matching games-stickers are good for hours of fun!
- Kanoodle®—Give the gift of together time with a great game! Challenge your children to a brain-building puzzle game from the Kanoodle line!
Have fun, stay warm, and have a very Happy Holidays—from our family at Educational Insights to yours!
