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Expert Shopper Baby & Kids

Fun activities for kids on snow days

Do you say “oh no” to snow days? 

When the kids are home from school this winter, cabin fever sets in quickly. Kids can become cranky and antsy, and it’s no surprise that it makes parents stressed out — and the holidays can already be a high-stress time. 

That’s why we’ve assembled this guide to help the whole family survive snow days and winter break. 

With the next snow day just around the corner, check out our favorite products to keep everyone happy and occupied (yes, even Mom and Dad).

What are the best products to buy for fun kids' winter activities?

Edible fun

Sterno S’mores Maker

Warm-up with this campfire-inspired kit. This two-station design includes a pair of roasting forks for the whole family to enjoy toasting their treats. It earns high marks from parents for its Sterno screen, which keeps kids safe while roasting over an open flame.

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Betty Crocker Pizza Maker

Make pizza, cinnamon buns, or quesadillas any time of the day. Parents and kids will enjoy building meals together and experimenting with new recipes. This pizza maker features quick-heating nonstick-coated plates that cook ingredients evenly every time.

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Good reads

Choose Your Own Adventure Boxed Set

Kids’ imaginations run wild with this six-book Choose Your Own Adventure book set. They’ll love the excitement of making decisions to discover their fate. No matter which path they choose, they’ll have a blast with a fully-immersive reading experience.

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Engaging projects

Singer Beginner Sewing Machine

Your kid can master the basics and begin their first sewing project in less than an hour. This beginner machine has a straightforward operation with six stitch options and an easy-to-thread bobbin. It even comes with a quick start guide so creativity can kick off without a hitch.

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Tulip Tie-Dye Kit

Kids can upcycle old t-shirts with this fun tie-dye kit. It comes with 18 bottles of non-toxic dye — enough for as many as 36 projects. This tidy set-up even lets kids ink their designs inside the case for an afternoon of mess-free projects.

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4M Magnetic Mini Tile Art

Kids can create fridge art or gifts for the family with this mini tile magnet set. It comes with everything they need, including paint and brushes, so they can start designing as soon as they open the box.

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Artistic activities

Fujifilm Instax Mini 9 Instant Camera with Accessories Bundle

Foster a future photographer’s talent with this fun-sized instant camera. The bundle includes scrapbooking supplies, spare film, and an album. The camera is even adjustable to four light levels and has a shutter speed of 1/60 seconds.

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Betheaces Water Drawing Mat Aqua Magic Doodles

This doodle-friendly kit includes a pad, stencils, and markers to create designs that magically disappear in minutes. Kids won’t need to erase to start over, meaning they can draw all day. The kit is affordable, eco-friendly, and non-toxic.

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Taro Yaguchi Origami 365: A Year of Folding Fun

Little hands will love learning origami with this kit, which includes colorful paper and detailed instructions with folding techniques. Kids can choose from 365 designs of flowers, creatures, and even hats.

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Klutz Lego Make Your Own Movie Activity Kit

Kids can create their own Lego stop-motion animation with this kit. Its kid-friendly guide shows kids how to make their first mini-movie in an hour or less with 36 Lego pieces. They’ll even learn camera angles, lighting, and other video production techniques.

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Designing and building

LEGO Star Wars AT-ST Raider Buildable Model from The Mandalorian

Fans of The Mandolorian on Disney+ will have a blast building the AT-ST Raider. This 540-piece model creates a 9-inch vessel with articulating pieces, and it comes with four series-inspired LEGO characters.

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Ravensburger 3D Eiffel Tower Puzzle

Bring this Eiffel Towel to life in this 216-piece 3D puzzle. Once kids finish construction, they’ll love setting up the LED light at the base to illuminate the tower. It’s the kind of project the entire family can enjoy together, too.

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Kid K’NEX Budding Builders Building Set

Little builders can enjoy 100 colorful pieces to craft creatures with big eyes and exaggerated features. Each piece has different yet familiar shapes to help kids develop their fine motor skills. They’re free to create their own models or follow the 50-project building guide.

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Games for the whole family

Just Dance 2019 for Nintendo Switch

Let kids jam in their pajamas all day with this dance game. They’ll have to whip out their best moves to master the choreography of each song, and it will bring out their competitive side.

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Monopoly Disney The Lion King Family Board Game

Kids can learn the ropes of this classic game with a Disney-themed edition. This board features their favorite characters and places from The Lion King and includes gold tokens. The Pride Rock holds cards and even plays music from the movie.

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Buffalo Games Brain Games for Kids

If kids love Nat Geo’s Brain Games series, they’ll have a blast competing at home. Each challenge features mind-bending, thought-provoking questions, puzzles, and riddles. Teams have to work together to win through intelligent debate and decision-making.

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Sian Babish writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.

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