When you search “fun winter activities for kids,” almost every search result is snow-related. This is great if you actually live someplace where snow is a regular occurrence, but here in central North Carolina, snow only happens every few years. What can we “snow-less Southerners” do in the winter to keep our kids entertained when the weather turns cold?

1. Make a “snowglobe”

No snow? No problem! Make your own faux snow globe. All you need is a bottle brush tree, a mason jar, some baby oil, and some white or silver glitter. You could even make these with little houses, plastic animals, or more. My kids and I would have so much fun with this.

2. Read some winter books

These are some of my favorite winter related books, and this isn’t even all of them. If you are cold, stuck in the house, and don’t have any snow, these fun books will surely help you starve off the boredom. You can also find loads of companion activities online for each of these books.

3. Make popcorn and watch some movies!

Snow Day, Jack Frost, and Mr. Popper’s Penguins are just a few of the wonderful winter movies to enjoy. Pop some popcorn (microwave bags will do just fine) and grab some different popcorn seasonings. Take turns making your own popcorn flavor creations while you watch movies. It’s fun and the whole family can join in.

4. Visit a museum

Do you have any local museums or historical sites? If you do, take an educational field trip to one of them. I like to find a book that relates to the historical site or museum and read it before we go. Example: one of the Dear America books about the American Revolution before we go visit a local Revolutionary War site.

5. Find a recipe to try and learn to make it together

Maybe you love a certain restaurant staple and you want to try to replicate it at home. We love Starbucks frappes, but we do not have a Starbucks that is local, and if we did, it would be way too expensive for all of us to buy from there regularly. Instead, we have found some copycat recipes online and have tried to make them ourselves. We have also attempted to make Wendy’s frostys and Chick-fil-A cookies ‘n’ cream shakes.

What favorite winter activities do you do with your families? Comment below.