I know many of you, like me, volunteer as a room parent at the beginning of the year and are now tasked with the class party before Winter Vacation. If your child is at a public school, or even a school that wishes to remain "holiday neutral," it can be tough to come up with non-holiday-specific original games! With limited time, and sometimes limited resources - including helpers - you’ll want games that are simple to set up, easy to explain, and fun for all elementary ages.
Here are some creative, winter-themed games that will keep the kiddos entertained while celebrating the season.
1. Snowball Toss
What You’ll Need:
- White pom-poms or small cotton balls (to resemble snowballs)
- Buckets, baskets, or hoops
Set up "snowball" toss stations with containers at different distances. Assign point values to each target based on difficulty. Divide the kids into teams and let them take turns tossing snowballs to rack up points.
Tip: Use a timer to make it fast-paced and exciting!
2. Snowflake Relay Race
What You’ll Need:
- Large paper snowflakes
- Spoons
Divide the class into teams and give each team a spoon and a snowflake. The challenge: balance the snowflake on the spoon while walking to a designated point and back without dropping it. Pass the spoon to the next teammate and continue until everyone has had a turn.
Variation: Use a winter-themed beanbag or a small stuffed snowman instead of a paper snowflake.
3. Frosty’s Freeze Dance
What You’ll Need:
- A speaker or music player
- A playlist of upbeat songs
Play music while the kids dance around. When the music stops, they must “freeze” in place. Anyone caught moving is out until the next round. The last dancer standing wins!
4. Snowman Bowling
What You’ll Need:
- Empty white plastic bottles or toilet paper rolls decorated as snowmen
- A soft ball
Set up the snowmen in a triangle formation, just like bowling pins. Let each child roll the ball and try to knock them down. Keep score or play just for fun!
5. Winter Scavenger Hunt
What You’ll Need:
- A checklist of winter-themed items to “find”
- Small images or objects (e.g., mittens, snowflakes, snowmen, hot cocoa mugs)
Hide items around the classroom and give each child a checklist. They can work individually or in pairs to find as many items as possible within a set time.
Bonus: Hand out small prizes or stickers for each completed checklist.
6. Build a Snowman Challenge
What You’ll Need:
- Rolls of toilet paper
- Scarves, hats, and other accessories
Divide the kids into small groups. One child in each group is the “snowman,” while the others wrap them in toilet paper and decorate with accessories. The funniest or most creative snowman wins!
7. Snowball Relay
What You’ll Need:
- Plastic spoons
- Large cotton balls
In this relay race, kids must carry a cotton ball (“snowball”) on a spoon without letting it drop. If it falls, they must return to the start line and try again. The first team to finish wins.
8. Iceberg Hop
What You’ll Need:
- Large blue and white paper or foam squares
Spread the squares on the floor to represent icebergs. Kids must jump from one to another without “falling into the water.” Gradually remove squares to increase the challenge. The last player standing wins!
9. Snowstorm in a Cup
What You’ll Need:
- Plastic cups
- Feathers or cotton balls
Each child receives a cup and a feather or cotton ball. The goal is to blow the feather or cotton ball across the table and into the cup without using their hands. It’s trickier (and sillier) than it sounds!
10. The Great Cookie Decoration Contest
What You’ll Need:
- Cookies (plain sugar cookies work well)
- Frosting, sprinkles, and other decorations
Provide cookies and decorating supplies, then let everyone’s creativity run wild. Set categories like “most colorful,” “funniest design,” or “most creative use of frosting.”
Bonus: Snap a photo of the cookies for a keepsake or to share with parents later.
Keep It Simple and Festive
For a smooth and successful party, prepare games in advance, have materials ready to go, and keep instructions short and simple. Rotate through stations or activities to keep things fresh and engaging. Most importantly, focus on fun and enjoy the joy and laughter with the students!
Happy party planning, and may your winter celebration be full of smiles and cheer!
Chat GPT helped me pull together some ideas for this article - especially because I'm also a room parent, and I also needed some new games! I hope that you and your classes enjoy them!
