Best Affordable Winter Activities for the Whole Family 2023

The warmth of the sun is hiding, but your family still wants to have a good time despite the cold weather. Winter activities like skiing and cabin vacations tend to get expensive quickly, but this doesn’t mean that your winter fun has to be tucked away like the sunshine. In fact, there are many exciting activities you can do as a family that cost little to nothing. With these affordable winter activities, you can keep your family budget intact and still spend time together (inside and outside). 

Of course, the below options will depend heavily on where you live. That being said, there’s at least something for everyone in our guide to cost-effective winter family fun, especially when you’re coming off the heels of How to Celebrate Halloween on a Budget and Host a Beautiful Thanksgiving Dinner without Breaking your Budget

best affordable winter activities
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Ideas for Affordable Winter Activities 

Fun in the Snow: A Versatile Adventure 

If you see the snowflakes falling, it’s time to step outside (but first, grab your coat and gloves). There’s lots of fun to be had in the snow. Whether you choose to go sledding or make snow angels, anything that starts with “snow” can be made into a free and exciting activity. If you don’t live in a place with snow, but can take a short road trip to get your feet into the snow, then that’s another affordable way to spend time together as a family. Be sure to pack some snacks and sandwich lunches from home to keep costs down on your journey. 

Volunteering: A Win-Win Situation

What better way to spend time as a family than by giving back together? Volunteering is a win-win for everyone involved. Not only do you get to help others, but you also get to teach a lesson to your kids about the importance of doing so. Looking for where to volunteer? In the winter, homeless shelters and soup kitchens especially need extra hands. But you can find volunteer opportunities pretty much anywhere, even if they aren’t called that. You are volunteering by doing something that will help positively impact the community. For example, you can spend some time cleaning out your closets and dropping off your old summer clothes for donations. 

Arts & Crafts: For Endless Possibilities 

Have the urge to get creative? There are so many things you can do when it comes to arts and crafts that barely cost anything. Plus, kids love it! For example, you can take some colored construction paper and design paper crafts. It’s also a great learning experience because it helps children develop fine motor skills. Need another good reason to spend time making paper crafts? You can use them for budget-friendly Christmas and New Years’ Eve decorations. 

Game Night: Let the Competition Begin

Too cold to be outside? Add a little competition to the picture to your mind off cabin fever. Game nights are for all ages and can involve friends and family, too. It’s a great way to get your kids off the couch and away from their screens for a few hours. The other upside is that puzzles and board games are educational. They’re also a good way to teach about teamwork. If you’re choosing competitive games, they can be a way to showcase how to be a good winner (and also how to lose without being a sore loser). 

Bake-Off: Sweets & Treats  

Feed your sweet tooth, pass some time, and fill up your home with an abundance of tasty aromas by hosting a bake-off challenge. It’s a cost-effective way to stir up some desserts because you’ll only need a few ingredients to be able to make a lot of different treats. Be sure to pick up the staples like eggs, oil, flour, vanilla extract, and some chocolate chips. 

Bonfire Night: Heat it Up 

You can host a bonfire night with nothing more than a small fire pit if you have a backyard. Grab the s’mores and blankets and take your family out back (or to the front yard). You can turn up the fun with a portable Bluetooth speaker and play some music. Or, if you have a musically-inclined person in your family, let them jam out to create the tunes.

Hiking: Steps and Scenes

Winter is actually a great time to hit the trails. In the summer, it’s often too hot to hike, or you spend more time swatting away bugs than focusing on the view. If you can find trails nearby, you can get your steps in while enjoying beautiful scenery. 

Movie Marathon: Lights, Camera, Action 

Many of our options here have involved going outdoors, but sometimes, it’s just way too cold, and you’d rather stay cozy. While movie theaters are a fun idea, the cost of going to the movies can add up really quickly. Instead, you can host a movie marathon at home. Whether you still have DVDs or would rather use a streaming service, a movie marathon is a great way to cuddle up and stay entertained. Just don’t forget the snacks!

affordable winter activities
Photo Credit: Shutterstock

All for Fun, Fun For All 

The cold doesn’t have to stop your family from making memories, nor does your financial situation. No matter what you’re trying to save for or spend less on, the winter months bring in their own sense of opportunities. Take your pick from the list above of affordable winter activities, stay warm, and save up so you can start off in a better financial position next year. 

High-interest loans can be expensive and should be used only for short-term financial needs, not long-term solutions. Customers with credit difficulties should seek credit counseling. The opinions expressed above are solely the author’s views and may or may not reflect the opinions and beliefs of the website or its affiliates. Cash Factory USA does not provide financial advice

Image(s) or Footage (as applicable), used under license from Shutterstock.com.


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