Things to Do with Your Toddlers & Preschoolers This Winter
When the weather is bad, you may find yourself stuck indoors with rambunctious toddlers and preschoolers. Whether you are an at-home mom looking for some entertainment during the week, or a mom who works outside the home and needs reprieve on the weekend, I hope my ideas below will keep you and your little ones entertained during the winter season no matter what the weather. Enjoy all we have to offer in Greensboro, Burlington, Winston-Salem, High Point, Kernersville, and other surrounding areas!
As always, please add your own ideas in the comment section below!
Teach Them the Love of Reading
You can drop by bookstores and libraries any time to browse the aisles and sit on the floor to enjoy a book with your little buddy. You can also plan your visit around story times. Book stores and local libraries host preschool and toddler story times that are just long enough to keep their attention! We list many of these on our event calendar.
Visit each county’s library website below to see a full calendar of events and story times:
Alamance County
Davidson County
Davie County
Forsyth County
Greensboro/Guilford
Northwestern (Stokes, Alleghany, Surry and Yadkin)
Randolph County
Enjoy Playgroups & Classes Together
If you are not already involved in a group, this can be an excellent idea for your children, and also for the moms. Kids get to interact with other kids their own age, and mom gets some adult time. Visit our Parent & Child Groups directory here for some ideas, or join our TMoM Facebook Group and get a group together on your own! Fit4Mom is a great group that provides fitness classes and a network of moms to support every stage of motherhood. They also have playgroups a couple times each week. We also love all the local MOPS groups for mothers of preschoolers, and MOMSNext groups for moms with older kids. Kindermusik and Half Pint Harmonies are also fun for children and also a great place for moms to meet new friends as well. You can also check out Musikgarten! Be sure to check out our My Buddy & Me Class list as well for fun places to go with your toddler or preschooler.
Get Up Close and Personal with Animals
Did you know that most zoos, animal museums, and nature centers are open year round? Winter is often a great time to visit animals since they are more active in the cooler weather! Lucky for us, North Carolina has an abundance of places where you can take your little one to see the animals! Click on any venue below to visit the website and plan your trip.
Buffalo Creek Farm and Creamery
Animal Park at the Conservators Center
Greensboro Science Center
Homeland Creamery
Kaleideum
Piedmont Environmental Center
Additional ideas outside of the Triad include: Aloha Safari Zoo, Carolina Raptor Center, Dan Nicholas Park, Duke Lemur Center, Grandfather Mountain, Hill Ridge Farms, Lazy 5 Ranch, North Carolina Zoo, Sea Life Charlotte-Concord Aquarium, Tiger World, Western NC Nature Center, and Zootastic Park.
Let Them Run, Jump, Swim and Play
Kids need exercise, but when the weather doesn’t cooperate, it’s nice to have indoor facilities where they can run around and use up some energy! Places like The Little Gym offer drop-in programs and other events, as well as on-going classes. Swimming is not exactly something we usually think about in the winter, but there are plenty of indoor pools around where you and your child can swim. Check out the Greensboro Aquatic Center, your local YMCA, and Salem Gymnastics and Swim. In addition, many of the local Y’s also have zero-entry pools where you can walk with your toddler and can go in as deep as he/she feels comfortable.
Hanes Mall is a great place to let your kids run free. During the week there are not many crowds (hours on website here), so toddlers can easily run a few steps ahead of you without any danger. There is a choo-choo train, which runs along the upper level of the mall. There is also a carousel, and plenty of ride-on toys for them to enjoy. There are also enclosed play areas for toddlers to jump and slide.
Last but not least, check out the toddler and preschool times offered at each of the following places: Bouncin’ Around, Bumper Jumpers, Get Air, Rockin’ Jump Trampoline Park – Greensboro, Rockin’ Jump Trampoline Park – Winston-Salem, Safari Nation, Sky Zone, Surge Trampoline Park, and Urban Air Adventure Park.
Enjoy Arts and Crafts
Purchase a tablecloth at the dollar store and spread it out on your kitchen floor or porch outside. Check out Pinterest or our craft section on TMoM to find some fun activities to let your child enjoy.
In addition, there are great art studios in the Triad where kids of all ages (including preschoolers!) can explore their creative side. Discover some fun at MadSplatter or ArtQuest at Greenhill Center in Greensboro, Painted Grape in Burlington, Sawtooth Center for Visual Art in Winston-Salem, and Little Blank Canvas in High Point.
Sweets for the Sweet
How about taking your child to Krispy Kreme to watch donuts being made? Or pop into Dewey’s Bakery to see cakes being crafted! Consider browsing the selections of gourmet popcorn, candy & sweet treats at Something Barowed in Greensboro, stop by Ava’s Cupcakes, or pop in at one of the Crumbl Cookies Triad locations for melt-in-your mouth surprises. Plus, Maxie B’s will sometimes post events for kids on their Facebook page, so be on the lookout for some fun there as well!
Explore Children’s Museums
We have so many fun museums close by that are specifically geared toward our youngest learners! Plan a visit to Children’s Museum of Alamance County, Miriam P. Brenner Children’s Museum, Kaleideum (Opens Feb. 17), and Cognition in Davie County.
Be sure to check out our Winter 2023-2024 Piedmont Triad Children’s Museum Round-Up blog!
And if you have time for a day trip, check out these other museums in NC that are great for little ones: Discovery Place Kids, Fascinate You, Hands On, KidSenses Children’s Interactive Museum, Marbles Kids Museum, and NC Transportation Museum.
Discover a New Park or Playground
Last but not least, even in the winter months, a visit to a park or playground can give your kids a moment to breathe in some fresh air and enjoy the outdoors. Do you know we have over 60 local parks listed on our directory? We include descriptions, photos, info on walking trails, etc. You will never run out of new places to explore! Enjoy a day on the playground, or take a stroll on the walking trails. Pack a picnic lunch and find a shady spot under the trees. Some parks even have rides and water activities. You can view our list here to find many parks to explore!
Most importantly, HAVE FUN with your little one! Even if you spend a day at home snuggled on the couch watching movies, your child will remember time you have spent together.
By TMoM Team Member Suzy Fielders
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Which playground is pictured here in the last photo?
Jay, that one is actually a preschool playground. We don’t have those on our Directory, but many are open to public on weekends and evenings! Just check with the preschool office.