Hands-On Winter Science Activities

Last Updated on December 15, 2025 by Sheryl Cooper

Inside: Incorporate some STEM activities into your winter theme with these interesting preschool winter science activities that allow for fun hands-on learning.

Around this time of year, I receive a lot of questions about what winter-themed activities to incorporate into the preschool classroom that do not revolve around the holidays.

If you live in a colder climate, you may be sick of the snow already, but for those of us who don’t see as much of it, incorporating snow and ice into the classroom in the form of a science activity is great fun!

The key to incorporating science into your classroom is selecting activities that allow for hands-on learning. As we know, young children learn best through using as many of their senses as they can rather than simply watching from afar.

These winter science activities allow your preschoolers to be hands-on and directly involved in the fun.

Hands-On Winter Science Activities

Growing Snowflake Crystals – Grow ‘crystals’ in a jar with pipe cleaners and borax, encouraging preschoolers to shape their own pipe cleaners and watch how the crystals grow over time. (Natural Beach Living)

Fizzing Ice – Cover ice with baking soda and let preschoolers drip vinegar over it with a pipette, watching the fizzing reaction. (Life Over C’s)

Icy Magnets – Freeze small magnetic objects into ice cubes for preschoolers to play with on a tray, seeing if the magnets still attract. (Little Bins for Little Hands)

Creating Fake Snow – Have your preschoolers mix together shaving cream and baking soda to create this fun fake snow mixture. (Playtivities)

Melting Snow Observation – Place some snow onto a tray (or fridge ice, if you don’t live in a snowy climate) and sprinkle salt on one side with magnifying glasses for preschoolers to observe which snow melts faster. (Fun Learning for Kids)

Fizzing Snowflakes – Press baking soda into snowflake-shaped ice molds for toddlers to drop into vinegar and watch them fizz. (I Can Teach My Child)

Frozen Oobleck – Freeze pieces of oobleck or slime to place on a tray or in your sensory bin, allowing toddlers to observe how it changes as it melts. (Inspiration Laboratories)