We have a great list of winter activities for toddlers!
It’s tempting to hibernate during a frigid Minnesota winter, but your tots have just as much energy to burn now as ever.
Making the most of the season, however, requires a bit of creative thinking — not to mention a lot of winter wear.
I was reminded of this recently when I helped my young daughters run their very own hot cocoa stand. (Yes, you can take the charm of a summertime lemonade stand and winterize it! It’s cozier and allows for fun toppings.)
Our enterprise didn’t last long, but our neighbors showed mercy and tipped generously.
Read the full story — including the scoop on our awesome cocoa stand (as pictured) from a Minnesota-based Etsy shop Opa And Oma’s of Elk River.
Now, without further ado, here are 25 ways for little ones to have big fun this winter and winter activities for toddlers, including some indoor options.
Set up a hot cocoa stand. Grab a thermos, fill a jar with marshmallows and give your tot a shot at early entrepreneurship. Hello, mittens and marshmallows!
Go sledding. Not sure where to find the best free hills in your hood? Sign up at Nextdoor.com, get the app and pose any question. You’ll get the inside scoop — and meet more neighbors.
Investigate animal tracks after a fresh snowfall. See tinyurl.com/tracks-mn for a printable DNR guide to common Minnesota animal tracks.
Book a carriage ride. The Hitching Company of Minneapolis offers old-fashioned, horse-drawn carriage rides through scenic Minneapolis. Their Mississippi River Carriage Tour runs 30 minutes (a reasonable length for toddlers) for $60.
Check out Wells Fargo WinterSkate. Events are held at Loring Park in Minneapolis and Landmark Plaza in St. Paul through early February, weather permitting.
Explore a place of worship. Has your toddler experienced the enormous and historic Cathedral of St. Paul? It’s free to visit and open to the public daily until 6 p.m. See website for service times.
Bake together! Crush leftover candy canes to make Minnesota Parent’s homemade peppermint bark.
Build a snowman and make snow angels
Put on a puppet show.
Check out the trumpeter swans in Monticello. This city’s Swan Park — 45 miles northwest of Minneapolis — is home to 2,000 trumpeters December through March. See monticellocci.com/pages/swans for details.
Hang out at your local library. Take in a free storytime. You can even get a library card for your little one. The Hennepin County Library system, for one, has no age restrictions on library cards (though parents are still responsible for borrowed materials).
Surprise your mail carrier with a warm-up drink or fresh-baked treat.
Contribute a book to a Little Free Library or build and register your own at littlefreelibrary.org.
Experience a touch of the tropics. Check out the Como Zoo & Conservatory’s two-story Tropical Encounters exhibit in St. Paul. They have many virtual events happening for kids to enjoy at home. Also, check out the Minnesota Zoo’s Indoor Exhibits.
Shovel for the neighbors. They will appreciate it!
Experience Crayola: Tour the Mall of America’s new Crayola Experience, including Toddler Town. Open daily. Visitors typically stay three to four hours. MOA also offers free Toddler Tuesday activities every month.
Visit a nature center. Dodge Nature Center’s West St. Paul location is hosting a Winter Expedition and a Winter Fun Festival with sledding, snowshoeing, and ice bowling. Find a list of local nature centers at mnparent.com/nature.
Attend a winter balloon launch. The annual Hudson Hot Air Affair balloon festival is in February and includes multiple balloon-launch events and many other family-friendly festivities on the St. Croix River in Wisconsin. See hudsonhotairaffair.com.
Visit an old-fashioned candy store such as Candyland in downtown St. Paul and Minneapolis or Stillwater, offering house-popped Chicago Mix popcorn and sweets galore.
Declare a pajama day. This may be impossible to pull off in June, so seize winter’s coziness and stay in your flannels all day long and enjoy movies, puzzles, popcorn, Play-Doh, and blanket forts.
Head to an indoor water park. Visit a water park such as the Shoreview Community Center’s tropical-themed park, which includes the Shipwreck Beach kiddie area. On-site is also the massive Tropical Adventure Indoor Playground, which includes a play area for ages 3 and younger. Check out our top picks for waterpark staycations.
Attend the St. Paul Winter Carnival. Get a tour of ice sculptures.
Take a train ride! On Saturdays, the Minnesota Transportation Museum offers 15-minute train rides for free with admission at its Jackson Street Roundhouse museum in St. Paul. Tots & Trains programming is offered from 10 a.m. to noon on select Wednesdays (no train rides). See the website for a schedule of activities.
Pizza night! Make your own — with toddler-approved toppings. Or just order in! Check out our top 10 picks here!
Ride the double-decker Venetian carousel in Maplewood Mall. It features spinning teacups, gondolas, and two dozen hand-painted horses. (pictured above)
