Stuck inside with kids during winter? Get a few winter busy bags ready to have on hand for your toddlers and preschoolers when they get restless and bored with their toys! They will have fun playing on their own and you will have few minutes to do your work around the house.
Why Busy Bags?
Busy bags are such a fantastic way to keep little ones busy while the winter weather keeps us all indoors! Busy bags keep toddlers engaged in a fun activity, and keep them happily occupied while you do what you need to around the house. They can also be taken anywhere, and buy you some peace if you are at an appointment, traveling long distances or need some quiet time.
You can use winter busy bags:
- for independent playtime at home
- when travelling by train, car or plane with your child
- when waiting at doctor’s office or restaurant
Good things about busy bags:
- you can prepare them in advance
- small and portable – pieces are usually stored in zip-loc bags
- inexpensive new toys for your toddlers and preschoolers
As you read further through this page, you will see an image with various activities. Under each image, we share a short explanation along with a link to a site where you can read in detail how to prepare each of pictured winter busy bags.
Supplies for Winter Busy Bags
As themes change, we need different supplies to prepare busy bags. Here are couple of supplies we always have at home:
- felt sheets (find here: United States | Canada | United Kingdom)
- cotton balls (find here: United States | Canada | United Kingdom)
- q-tips (find here: United States | Canada | United Kingdom)
- assorted buttons (find here: United States | Canada | United Kingdom)
- zip lock bags (find here: United States | Canada | United Kingdom)
- assorted beads (find here: United States | Canada | United Kingdom)
Take a look at these winter themed, creative and fun busy bags which you can make at home!
Snowman Themed Busy Bags
Top left – Grab a few felt pieces and prepare a snowman busy bag for your toddlers to play. We also have an awesome idea how to make a felt board with storage from a recycled shoe box!
Top right – Build a snowman using plastic round trays, cotton balls, board arms and googly eyes. (via Growing Hands On Kids)
Bottom left – Snowman Dice Game busy bag is a very cute game little ones can play while learning to count! Includes free printable mat. (via Glued to My Crafts)
Bottom middle – Learn shapes with this sweet Snowman shape matching activity. Includes free printable. (via Totschooling)
Bottom right – Arrange shapes with this mess-free Build A Snowman Baggie. (via Made by Mollie’s Mom)
Top left – Make a colorful snowman with this cute felt activity. (via Frogs and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails)
Top right – Use bottles and cotton balls to build a snowman. Perfect for fine motor practice! (via Frogs and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails)
Bottom left – Make these handy DIY Snowman stress balls as a calm down tool when needed. (via And Next Comes L)
Bottom right – Snowman dress-up busy bag comes with a free printable. To prepare it as easy as print and cut! (via Fun with Mama)
Snowflake Busy Bags
Top left – Children get to copy snowflake image cards and make fun felt snowflakes. Includes free printable snowflake cards. (via Money Saving Mom)
Top right – Create different shaped snowflakes using craft sticks and styrofoam balls in this free printable snowflake task cards busy bag. (via School Time Snippets)
Bottom left – Make a busy bag with these cute counting cards and learn to count to ten with icy manipulatives. Includes free printable ten frame cards. (via School Time Snippets)
Bottom middle – Recreate snowflake patterns from these lovely cards using precut felt shapes and a felt board. (via Teach Beside Me)
Bottom right – Picking up q-tips and arranging them to form a snowflake is a great workout for little fingers! Includes free printable patterns. (via Homeschooling My Kinetic Kids)
Snow Busy Bags
Top left – Try this cute fine motor snowball busy bag and pick up ‘snowballs’ with tweezers. (via Modern Preschool)
Top right – Little ones can sort and arrange numbers in order from 0 to 5 with this free counting snowballs math activity busy bag. (via Fantastic Fun and Learning)
Bottom left – Recreate the patterns on free printable pattern cards in this Q-Tip Snowflake Busy Bag. (via Playdough to Plato)
Bottom right – This fun art and math snowflake activity uses different shaped and sized popsicle sticks. (via Fantastic Fun and Learning)
Winter Clothing and Weather Busy Bags
Top left – Learn how to keep warm with this winter clothes dress up busy bag. Includes free printable. (via Teaching Mama)
Top right – Have fun matching mittens with this clothespin game. (via Happy Hooligans)
Bottom left – Make a winter scene with this free printable winter scene playdough mat. (via Living Well Mom)
Bottom middle – Another felt based busy bag to prepare for your child – sewing mittens. This is an awesome busy bag for fine motor practice.
Bottom right – Practice beading with this complex Winter Patterns fine motor skill activity. (via Life Over C)
Penguin Busy Bags
Top left – Count to 10 with this free printable penguin counting mat. (via Modern Preschool)
Top right – Dress up a penguin with this felt penguin busy bag activity. (via STEAMsetional)
Bottom left – Skating penguins are a lot of fun with this magnetic small world activity. You will need a couple of rocks and a small tin box. (via Adventures and Play)
NOTE – Since original post has been unavailable, here is an explanation how to make this busy bag: You will need a small tin can, piece of white felt and blue foam sheet (can be with or without glitter), couple of rocks, white and orange acrylic paint, small round magnets, glue and glue gun. Make penguins using rocks, draw face on each rock and glue round magnets on the bottom once paint is dry. Following image, cut blue foam to match the bottom of the tin can. This will be the bottom of the ice ring. Cut white foam in irregular circle shape to create snow. Glue first blue foam sheet on the bottom of the tin can, then white felt sheet on top. Use penguins to move around the ice ring.
Bottom middle – Play a matching game with this penguin winter clothes color matching activity. Includes free printable. (via Totschooling)
Bottom right – Penguin Mix and Max busy bag is perfect for imaginative and pretend play. (via Teach Me Mommy)
Extend Playtime with a Book
We suggest picking few winter themed books for your toddlers and preschoolers and pair the book with a busy bag. Here are some of our favorites!
Biscuit loves playing in the snow! There is soft, powdery snow everywhere! It’s the perfect day for snow angels, sledding, and snuggling up with someone you love. A sweet story about a girl and her puppy on a winter day. The illustrations are cute and cheerful. The corners are rounded and pages are thick and easy to turn. Find the book here: United States | Canada | United Kingdom
Bells chiming, robins singing, brass bands playing Christmas tunes, choirs singing carols… With beautiful illustrations, holes to peep through and finger trails to explore, this is a sumptuous way to celebrate the festive season. Find the book here: United States | Canada | United Kingdom
A gentle, repetitive story about forest creatures on a cold winter’s day and night. With colorful, child-friendly illustrations this is a sweet pick for cozy storytimes by the fire. Find the book here: United States | Canada | United Kingdom
That’s not my showman is perfect first touch and feel book for every toddler. It holds a variety of textures, fluffy scarf, fuzzy mittens and bumpy buttons. A truly interactive, vocabulary building book for very young children! Find the book here: United States | Canada | United Kingdom
What Else Can You Do With Your Kids on a Cold Winter Day?
You can invite your toddlers and preschoolers to explore arctic animals in a small world setting. For kids who love coloring, we prepared a set of winter coloring pages you can download and print at home. If your children are anything like mine, they will be excited to get their hands on faux snow slime! And, since it’s winter and cold, you can play with ice! Have fun!
Other Busy Bag Ideas for Your Children
- 7 Days of Busy Bags for Toddlers (any day)
- Valentine’s Day Busy Bags
- Easter Busy Bags
- Spring Busy Bags
- Christmas Busy Bags
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