Snowball Carry
Age-Group: Grade 2+
Number of Players: 3+
Players carry cotton balls (“snowballs”), one by one, from one bowl to another bowl by sucking them onto the end of a drinking straw. The bowls are on chairs about 3 paces apart. Each player has 30 seconds to work. See who can transfer the largest number of snowballs. If a snowball falls, the player may pick it up with the straw and continue or start with a new snowball. No hands allowed.
Variation: Turn this into a relay race.
Winter Dress-Up
Age-Group: K+
Number of Players: 4+, with adult for each team
Teams line up at the starting line. One adult for each team stands at the finish line. Place the adults’ own winter clothing (hat, coat, boots, gloves, scarf) in a pile next to them. On “go,” the first player on each team runs to that team’s adult and puts one item of winter clothing on him or her. Then the player runs back to tag the next person. (If teams are small, have each child go more than once.)
Arctic Walks
Age-Group: Pre-K+
Number of Players: Any
Let the youngest children enjoy walking like animals that live in the arctic: polar bears, penguins and seals. For older children, have a relay race doing the animal walks.
For a polar bear walk, walk on all fours, with arms and legs straight. For a penguin walk, keep feet close together. Walk with small steps, legs straight, tottering side to side. The seal walk involves walking on your hands, dragging your legs behind.
Snowball Fight
Age-Group: Grade 1+
Number of Players: 6+
Roll up white socks for “snowballs.” Two teams throw snowballs at each other across a center line (aiming below the face). Any player who is hit and any player who scores a hit immediately run to the opposite side. Since teams keep changing, there is no scoring.
