When was the last time you had a snow day? As a woman in corporate who often has a remote work option, snow days are not a common occurrence. Still, when it does happen, it’s nice to have ready a list of things to do on a snow day for adults so the snow day is lived to the fullest. Besides, how often do adults really get to have a snow day?
Even without a snow day, I love to enjoy the winter months with my favorite winter outdoor and indoor activities. It’s the time for cold weather, warm drinks, winter festivities, Christmas celebrations, and more.
The quiet and silence of the winter months are also the perfect backdrop for reflection and rest from the busyness of the other months. Snow day or not, any winter day or winter break can be full of fun things to do on a cold day.
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Winter Bucket List Ideas
A winter bucket list is a simple way to organize your favorite indoor and outdoor winter activities for adults. Coming up with winter bucket list ideas is the more challenging part, but the most rewarding, too.
When filling out your winter bucket list with things to do on a cold day, think back to the past winter seasons.
- What did you enjoy doing winter last year?
- What are those things that you always say you’re going to do in winter, but haven’t yet?
- What are the annual traditions your family or friends do in winter?
- What holidays are coming up that you’ll want to celebrate? (i.e. Christmas, New Years, MLK day, Valentines Day)?
What to do on a Cold Day
Another way to gather winter bucket list ideas is to ask your friends, family, relatives, and co-workers for their favorite winter activities. Even if you live in an area that doesn’t get snow often, there are plenty of winter activities to do on a cold day without snow, too.
To complete your winter bucket list, here are some categories to brainstorm:
- Fun things to do in winter without snow
- Indoor winter activities for adults
- Things to do on a cold day inside with friends
- Fun outdoor winter activities for adults
- Winter party activities for adults
- Things to do with your friends in the winter
- Fun things to do during winter break
With these categories, you’ll have ton to pick from for what to do on a cold day. Before we dive into suggestions, let’s get pumped up for all that winter has to offer.
What are the best things about winter?
Out of the four seasons winter gets swept under the rug. We pull out the bells and whistles for Christmas and New Years Eve, then forget about the rest. But there are wonderful things about the winter season, too.
- Snow – winter is the only season where snowflakes fall from the sky!
- Cozy blankets – this is the time to get bundled up in blankets
- Warm cider, Mulled wine, Hot tea – winter is the season for hot, spiced drinks
- Winter holidays – Christmas, New Years, Martin Luther King Day, Presidents Day, Valentine’s Day—and all the music, foods, and celebration that comes with it
- Winter Fashion – riding boots, scarves, hats, cozy sweaters, and faux-fur coats
- Snow Days – days off school and time off work
These are the best things about winter for me aside from the activities. For three months, the richness of winter is among us in all of these aspects.
25 Things to Do on a Snow Day for Adults: Winter Activities
With the best of winter ahead of us, let’s fill it with the best of winter activities. Snow day or not, working or not, here are some fun things to do on a cold winter day.
14 Indoor Winter Activities for Adults
- Cook your favorite chili and soup
- Plan a Self Care Day – See these self care gifts to make your day relaxing
- Do a puzzle
- Build an inside fort with blankets, pillows, and Christmas lights
- Make a winter themed craft – like painting mason jars or creating a winter centerpiece
- Bake cookies or your favorite dessert – we love Carrot cake for the winter months
- Indoor Sports – volleyball, indoor soccer, basketball. Join an adult sports league for the winter season
More Inside Winter Activities for Adults
- Antique Shopping – hit up the estate sales for new finds for your apartment or house
- Winter Cleaning – While we hibernate for the winter, why not get a head start on spring cleaning? Since you’ll be spending more time inside anyway, spend it in a cleaner house
- Thift Shop for Winter Gear – Ugly Christmas sweaters, flannel, coats, jackets, and scarves
- Have Spa Day – Go get a massage, a pedicure, or a facial.
- Volunteer to help at a charity nearby, donate winter clothes, or pack boxes for Operation Christmas Child
- Clean out Your Closet – now that summer and fall have passed, get rid of the things you didn’t wear
Spend time in Reflection – Winter is such a great time to rest and recharge, especially once the end of the year holidays are over. Life seems to be so much quieter and all of the busyness of the rest of the year dies down.
- Take that time to do these reflection-related winter activities at home:
- Track your current goals and set new personal goals
- Use these thoughtful reflection questions and journal prompts to reflect
- Make a list of what to do less, do more, and start and stop doing
- Choose a focus word for the new year and set new year intentions
Outdoor Winter Activities for Adults
For the outdoor winter activities, I’ve split the list into two categories. The first category covers fun things to do when it snows, and the second has outdoor activities without snow. While this list is for adults, you’ll notice a lot of activities you may have done as a kid.
Adults are the biggest kids of all. It can be such a joy to do the things we used to enjoy as a kid. As someone always navigating the adulting struggle, it’s easy to get bogged down in all the stress of life. Letting ourselves be kids again and laughing at ourselves is part of the magic of winter.
7 Fun Things to do when it Snows
- Build a Snow Man
- Make Snow Ice
- Build a Fort or an Igloo
- Go Sledding
- Make Snow Angels
- Take scenic pictures
- Snow ball Fight – this is perfect for fun things to do with your friends in the winter
6 Fun Things to Do in Winter without Snow
- Go ice skating
- Attend a Christmas Tree Lighting
- Go to a Bonfire and Make Smores
- Visit a Museum
- Go to Christmas Markets
- Take a Brisk Walk or Hike
9 Things to do with Your Friends in the Winter
There are some winter activities, you may prefer to do alone. Other things to do a snow day for adults, you’ll want to do with friends.
- Have a Christmas Movie Marathon
- Santa Claus
- Home Alone
- Rudolph
- Charlie Brown
- The Grinch
- The Chosen – Christmas Special
- Hallmark Christmas Movies, like A Christmas Card
- Watch the Christmas episodes of your favorite TV Series
- Snowball Fight
- Christmas Shopping – bounce ideas off each other while looking for the perfect gift
- Play board games – Imaginiff and Scattegories are two of my favorites
- Attend a Christmas Party or New Year Eve Party or host one with close friends
- Plan a Skiing or Snowboarding Trip
- Painting or Pottery Class
- Go to a Basketball Game
5 Fun Things to do during winter break
For those of you in college, in grad school, or working at a school, you’ll have a winter break to enjoy as well. For those two weeks, four weeks, or however long you have, here are so fun things to do for your winter break bucket list.
- Sleep – Rest, rest, rest!
- Spend time with old friends
- Library Trip – find something fun to read
- Amusement Parks – some decorate for Christmas and others are in warmer climates. Perfect getaway trip.
- Visit family close by and far away
Winter Activities for the Christmas Season
I can’t mention winter activities or fulfill a winter bucket list without mentioning Christmas. There are many winter activities around Christmas, too:
- Pick out and shop for gifts
- Decorate the Christmas Tree
- Sing Christmas Carols
- Drive through Christmas Lights
- Attend a Candlelight Service
- Read the Christmas Story
- Celebrate the Advent Season with Bible Readings, Prayers, Music, etc.
Reflecting on Christ at Winter
This year, Christmas was a bit unconventional for my family. But because of that, it gave me more time to reflect on what Christmas means.
The beauty of Christmas is that Jesus humbled himself and left his throne in heaven to come to earth as a human, a helpless child, so that he might one day die for us and offer us the free gift of salvation and grace.
With each winter activity I did for Christmas, I continued to ponder the true gift of Christmas—Jesus Christ. I was reminded that this is something that we can celebrate all winter and all year.
That doesn’t exactly hold for these winter activities. So make sure to enjoy these other fun things to do a snow day for adults before the possibility of snow is gone.
Winter Activities List
While fall is my favorite season, winter has a special place in my heart, too. I wait for the winter months to come just for these fun activities and things to do with friends in the winter.
Cold weather is the perfect excuse for warm blankets, cozy clothes, and hot drinks while chilling at home and resting.
Navigating the adulting struggle is so crazy, I certainly appreciate that bears have time for hibernation in their biological clock. Even if you don’t get an official snow day, take some time off work and use that time for yourself – rest, reflection, and rejuvenation. As for fun things to do on a snow day for adults, that definitely tops my winter bucket list.
What do you put on a winter bucket list?
Leave me a comment below!
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- The Importance of Self Care and Taking Time for Yourself
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These are all great suggestions! Can’t wait for the next winter season to come! Thanks for sharing.
Hi Lisa,
Thank you for your comment. Please drop by again after your next winter season and let us know which acitivities from the post were your favorite.
~Trish, from KJL Co.