Preschools sometimes close during the winter for a few days for holiday celebrations. You might be looking for fun ways to entertain your toddler and keep them engaged while they're home and temperatures outside are cold. If so, consider these unique ways to keep your preschooler busy and help them tap into their imagination.

Preschool-Age Appropriate Winter Activities

1. Frozen Paint

This activity is messy and fun. Most children in preschool enjoy painting, but they can go through paint quickly while working on their masterpieces. Try this instead: Mix paint and water in an ice cube tray and insert a popsicle stick in the middle. Freeze the paint into cubes. Your little one can hold onto the popsicle stick and draw with the colored ice cubes as they melt. The color will transfer easily onto paper, but your child won't go through a lot of paint at once. 

2. Sensory Bags

If you prefer a less messy activity, try sensory bags that give your toddler plenty to feel without touching items directly. First, fill a plastic zip-close bag with cheap, clear hair gel; marshmallows; glitter; uncooked tapioca pearls; and cellophane glitter. Mixing the items in the bag creates a fun sensory toy full of textures that they can squish and maneuver inside the plastic. Be sure to seal the bag tightly. It may help to add a strip of tape along the top of the bag to prevent leaks. 

3. Snowman Bowling

Snowman bowling provides an excellent opportunity for you and your toddler to get crafty and play together. First, gather about nine empty cans of the same size. Clean them and make sure they have no sharp edges. Next, gather some nontoxic paints and color the cans white. You and your child can decorate the cans like snowmen using paint and markers. When the cans dry, stack them into a pyramid and play bowling with a small ball or bean bag. This game is excellent as an indoor or outdoor activity. 

Consider A Rising Star Children's Center if you're looking for a preschool for your little one in Cortlandt Manor, NY. This childcare center has been a go-to choice for early childhood learning for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers for over 17 years. This center also offers after-school programs for children up to age 12. At this center, children participate in an award-winning curriculum while learning to be confident and independent. Call (914) 862-4283 or visit them online to learn more about their services.