Winter is here, and the Library knows that keeping little ones engaged and occupied while indoors can be a challenge! We have a few suggestions for simple art and sensory activities. These activities feature simple household items—no need to order anything fancy.

While these activities are geared towards small children, we always encourage school-age siblings to join in on the fun. And remember, always have an adult supervising for the safety of every child, especially with any small objects.

If snowflakes are falling outside, you might try creating your own sensory snow at home. All you need is plain shaving cream and baking soda. Play around with the ratio using a mixing bowl or pan to contain the mess—see what texture feels best to your child. This also builds motor skills! Spoons, whisks, and other kitchen tools can add to your conversation and exploration. Ask your child how the snow feels in their hands, what shapes they can see and make, and what they might want to build with the snow. How is it like playing with real snow? How is it different?

For budding artists, cotton balls make great “paint brushes” to paint snow! Little ones can dab a cotton ball in paint and then onto paper and let their imaginations run wild creating winter scenes. Or use glue instead of paint, and stick the cotton balls on paper to create 3D art. This kind of process art, where there are no step-by-step instructions or a model to copy from, builds confident artists! 

To skip the painting mess, you can seal a small amount of paint inside a resealable plastic bag such as a Ziploc bag with duct tape (we recommend you use a lot of strong tape) and use your fingers and different objects to create designs on the bag. Talk about it—ask what your little one is working on, and where they got that idea. You might also try painting what you see outside the window!

Of course, we always suggest pairing these activities with some of our favorite winter picture books. Check out one of these cozy reads with your child:

In Goodbye Autumn, Hello Winter by Kenard Pak, two small children observe the change in season in a conversation with winter. Luciano Lozano’s Tancho invites us to live in harmony with the animal world. Tancho, written en Español, is  one of NYPL's Best Books for Kids 2021 selections. Another pick from the Best Books For Kids 2021 list, also en Español, is Un trineo para Gabo (A Sled for Gabo) written by Emma Otheguy, illustrated by Ana Ramírez Gonzalez, and translated by Alexis Romay. Gabo, shy with other children and having no sled or winter clothing, yearns to go sledding and his neighbor's granddaughter, Isa, helps him find a way.

Susan Avingaq and Maren Vsetula’s The Pencil, illustrated by Charlene Chua, is a story about three sibling who have lots of fun drawing with their grandmother’s pencil after she leaves their iglu—but when she comes back and sees how small the pencil has gotten, what will she say? Most marshmallows like to watch television and lead normal lives—but some marshmallows dream of greater things. Find out what in Rowboat Watkins’s Most Marshmallows. In James Kwan’s Dear Yeti two boys go on a hike hoping to find Yeti but run into trouble along the way. Read the letters they wrote!

Take a walk through the city in winter and experience the sights, sounds, colors, and smells of different winter holidays. From Hanukkah and Christmas to Mawlid al-Nabi and Chinese New Year, everyone has a reason to celebrate in A Winter Walk in the City by Cathy Goldberg Fishman and illustrated by Melanie Hall. In another walking story, Cathy Camper’s Ten Ways to Hear Snow (illustrated by Kenard Pak), Lina walks to her grandmother’s home to help make warak enab (Lebanese stuffed grape leaves) and discovers the many ways to hear snow.

For your tiniest future readers, Sweetest Kulu is a sweet bedtime poem by Inuit throat singer Celina Kalluk and illustrated by Alexandria Neonakis, where a newborn baby is given gifts by all the animals of the Arctic. Finally, Winter Babies by Kathryn O. Galbraith and illustrated by Adela Pons, is an excuse to look at colorful photos of babies dressed for winter—something babies, like many grown ups, really love doing!