Winter is a great time to lean into STEAM, not by adding more “work”, but by using what kids are already curious about.
Ice, snow, cold weather, and winter tools naturally invite questions:
Why does this melt?
What keeps it cold?
How can we make this move?
These winter STEAM activities are hands-on, low prep, and designed for preschoolers to explore through play. No worksheets required, just simple materials, open-ended challenges, and space for kids to experiment.
STEAM brings together Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math, but in early childhood, it often looks like curiosity, problem-solving, and creative thinking happening all at once.
Tastes of Winter: A Preschool Science Activity
In this simple Science activity, preschoolers learn the basics of the sense of taste and what common tastes are found in winter.
Challenge your students’ problem solving and creative thinking skills with these low prep winter inspired Tinker Tubs™.
This STEAM activity is an opportunity for children to explore the force of magnets while connecting to the fun winter sport of ice skating! Whether you prefer figure skating or ice hockey this activity is adaptable to the interests of your children creating a highly engaging STEAM experience!
Make Your Own Snow with Two Ingredients
No real snow? No problem, instead, make your own fake snow! This is a fun winter STEAM activity for preschoolers to do together or alone.
In this Science experiment, preschoolers will learn how salt crystals form and what happens when water evaporates from salt.
What Makes Ice Melt the Fastest?
Is it possible to make ice melt faster? Investigate the properties of ice with this hands-on science activity for preschoolers.
What Material is the Best Insulator?
Children will learn about insulation and how some materials are better for insulating than others. In this challenge, see what material is best at preventing ice from melting.
Winter STEAM Challenge for Preschoolers: Build a Ski Village
Preschoolers design and build their own Winter Ski Village using recycled materials and craft supplies in this hands-on STEAM activity. Paired with the picture book Good Night Ski Mountain, children explore engineering, creativity, and teamwork while creating lodges, gondolas, and snowy slopes.
Winter Solstice: Celebrating Light and Nature with Preschoolers
The winter solstice is a magical opportunity to help preschoolers connect with nature’s rhythms through hands-on activities exploring light, darkness, and seasonal change. From creating colorful lanterns to observing shadows and building nature collages, these simple activities help young learners appreciate the beauty and wonder of the shortest day of the year.
Winter Wonders: Exploring Wildlife with STEAM for Preschoolers
Explore the fascinating world of winter wildlife through hands-on STEAM activities that spark curiosity and discovery in preschoolers. From investigating animal adaptations and building model shelters to observing live zoo cameras and exploring animal track geometry, these activities help young learners understand how animals survive and thrive during winter.
Easy Low Prep Winter STEAM Activities
Transform simple materials into engaging winter STEAM experiences that captivate preschoolers for extended periods of time. From Q-tip snowflakes and geoboard designs to penguin slides, magnetic tile snow forts, and ice sculptures in fake snow, these low-prep activities spark creativity and problem-solving using everyday materials.
The Paper Snowflake Float Challenge
Turn the classic paper snowflake craft into a hands-on STEAM experiment where preschoolers explore air resistance, motion, and gravity. Children design, drop, and test their snowflakes to discover how shape, size, and air affect movement as they watch their creations flutter, twirl, and float through the air.
Why Winter STEAM Works So Well
Winter materials naturally slow kids down and invite deeper thinking. Ice melts, snow changes, and materials behave in unexpected ways, which keeps children engaged longer and encourages meaningful conversations.
These winter STEAM activities are easy to set up, flexible for different ages, and work well in classrooms where play leads the learning.
I really enjoy all the activities you provided.
I will be using them in my classroom with my preschoolers. Thanks.