As the nights draw in and there’s a chill in the air, it’s always good to have a choice of indoor and outdoor winter activities for families lined up to enjoy, especially once the excitement of Christmas has been and gone.
We have picked out our favourite winter activities for families to share with you below. The best thing? They won’t cost you an arm and a leg!
And if you need a place to call home whilst you're trying out these wonderful winter activities, click the button below to search our collection of holiday cottages for winter.
Winter cottages
1. Fun in the snow
If the weather forecasters have it right, the UK is set to see some snowfall this winter. Bad news for anyone battling their way to work, but an exciting prospect if you love snowball fights, snowman building and sledging. If you wake up one morning to find the world draped in a blanket of white, embrace nature at its beautiful best, get out there and enjoy snowball fights, snowman building and sledging galore!
No snow predicted where you are? Read where to find snow this Christmas and head off on a snow-venture!
2. Have a creative crafternoon
It can be tempting to camp out in front of the TV on a winter’s day but so much fun can be had with a boxful of craft materials! Get out your eco-friendly glitter, dust off your paint pots and get the whole family involved in a spot of creative craftwork. Think sparkling snowflakes, winter wreaths and festive cards. Making a mess can be lots of fun, and the results might surprise you!
3. Enjoy a winter picnic
A trip to the park seems a lot less tempting once the temperature drops, but you can make it a fun outing for the whole family by bundling up in lots of layers and packing a winter picnic to take along with you. Fill a hamper with flasks of hot chocolate and a supply of marshmallows to float on top, and include yummy treats like warm sausage rolls, cupcakes and afternoon tea-style finger sandwiches (with the crusts cut off, of course). Is your mouth watering yet …?
Why not work up an appetite with an invigorating winter stroll? Here are some of the loveliest winter walks to enjoy in the UK.
4. Get your bake on
When can you indulge in delicious baked treats if not at wintertime? Everyone loves to feast on a tasty homemade cake or biscuit, but when was the last time you got the whole household involved in the baking?
Plan your own exclusive family ‘Bake Off’ when it’s too cold to venture outside, stocking up on ingredients in advance. Work in teams and bake up a storm, serving up your mouth-watering wares to be judged by each other at the end. When the competition’s over, you can all sit down together and devour the results.
5. Make your own snow globe
If you get fed up waiting for the snow, you can create your own snowy scenes with a few empty jam jars, water, eco-friendly biodegradable glitter* and glycerin. Pick a little plastic toy or sculpt a tiny figure with polymer clay and glue it to the underside of the jam jar lid. Wait until it’s set, and then fill each jar with water, a tablespoon of glycerin and some sparkly glitter. Screw on the lids, flip your jar over and admire your own snowy landscape in pride of place atop the mantlepiece.
*A choice of eco-friendly biodegradable glitter is available to buy online.
6. Feed the birds
There are slim pickings for our feathered friends at this time of year, and feeding them can be another great reason to get outside in the fresh air. You can pick up some birdseed at your local garden centre or, better still, why not make your own bird feeders? It’s a simple activity you can do together and seeing the birds enjoying your creation is more than enough reward.
Simply knot 20cm lengths of string at one end, thread them with Cheerios and hang them in the trees for the birds to feast on. Budding bird watchers can enjoy watching to see who flies by for a quick snack.
Don’t forget to get involved in the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch between 26-28 January 2024!
7. Go walking in a Woodland Trust wood
Why not wrap up warm in your winter coats, pull on a cosy hat and scarf, and embrace the beautiful outdoors? There is nothing better than a winter walk to get the whole family moving and feeling positive, not to mention to help burn off all those Christmas snacks!
When it comes to choosing the perfect route, there’s little more magical in the depths of winter than a stroll through the woods. Sparkling at the hands of Jack Frost, the woodland is transformed into a winter wonderland, offering a stillness and beauty with which summer just can’t compete!
Read our blog for some more fantastic rural places to visit this year.
8. Set up a cinema … at home!
Turn watching TV into a fun winter activity by setting up your own exclusive family cinema! Have fun casting votes on what to watch and set up your viewing area with piles of comfy cushions and snuggly blankets. Younger family members can make tickets for the upcoming screening and prepare platters of snacks, drinks and popcorn to nibble on. Grown-ups might even have a chance to relax with a favourite tipple during the show!
9. Visit a National Trust attraction
There are beautiful historic places up and down the country cared for by the National Trust, so you’re never far from a wonderful winter day out. Explore opulent homes adorned with art and lavish furniture, roam stunning gardens on crisp, clear days and warm up with a hot drink and bite to eat in one of their on-site cafes. From dazzling illumination displays to interactive trails, there is a whole host of activities to enjoy for both the young and the young at heart!
Take a look at our round-up of the best National Trust places across the UK to commemorate their 125-year anniversary!
10. Go … surfing!
Jumping in the sea might not be the first thing that springs to mind when thinking of winter activities, but as a surfer in the UK, this is when you’ll find the best waves and the least crowded lineups! Novices will still be able to find surf schools all along the coast for their first foray into the winter waves, while seasoned surfers can just get out there and enjoy riding the winter swell in all its invigorating glory.
Discover the best spots with our guide to Great British surfing.
Book a winter break
If winter seems to be stretching out ahead of you with no hint of adventure on the horizon, why not book a stay in one of our cosy holiday cottages and look forward to a wonderful break away? Choose from features such as warming wood burners, luxurious hot tubs and fantastic range cookers for whipping up a hearty winter feast!
What’s more, there’s plenty of room to enjoy some of the activities listed above, and wonderful places to discover on your doorstep.
Winter cottages