We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed and its publishing partners may collect a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.
1. A snow block mold because guess what's even better than building a snowman? Building a snow fort! This will bring back memories from your own childhood as you and your kiddos have a blast fashioning bricks out of snow to create elaborate snow igloos together.
2. A mini glow in the dark basketball so your future Steph Curry can shoot hoops even if it gets dark early. Pro tip: Pair with an LED light up hoop and watch their eyes ~light up.~
Although this one is available in mini (a 6-inch diameter) and junior (a 27.5-inch diameter) sizes, a full-size glow in the dark ball is also available — get it from Amazon for $54.99.
Promising review: "This was a huge hit on Christmas morning! My son thought is was "another basketball" and then the dribbled and was shocked. It was bright enough to impress even in the light but the kids went crazy for it once it was dark! —Kindle Customer
Get it from Amazon for $29.99+ (available in two sizes).
3. An inflatable unicorn snow tube because what kiddo wouldn't be thrilled to ~fly~ down the hill on a ski-goggle wearing rainbow unicorn?
Promising review: "This snow tube has made all of my children’s’ snow day dreams come true! It’s the best snow toy we have. Fun for ages 40-1 years old in our household. We love it so much. Easy to inflate (with our air mattress thing, and so far very durable.) No refill needed all week, and no holes, despite many hours and days of use. Thank you!" —Colleen
Promising review: "BEST SNOW PURCHASE EVER! I am so glad I purchased this snow tube for our month long, snowy Colorado adventure. My 4-year-old begged every single day to use this float! It’s very durable, quite easy to blow up as long as you have a foot pump or electric pump and a blast to ride. My young son and I easily fit on it together. We had so much fun!!" —Kristin Nelson
Get it from Amazon for $36.09+ (available in five styles).
4. A winter play dough kit complete with arctic animals, snow covered trees, a wooden dough roller, cookie cutters, and homemade nontoxic play dough that'll take all the guesswork out of providing hours of hands-on sensory play for your little one.
Sweet and Sensory Shop is a small biz based in Old Bethpage, New York, owned by a mom to two little girls and an elementary ENL teacher, who specializes in Sensory bins, play dough kits, and party favors.
Promising review: "What a beautifully put together winter wonderland with play dough. It will be prefect for a cold wintry afternoon." —uniquelysummer
Get it from Sweet and Sensory Shop on Etsy for $32.99.
5. A snowball maker so you can make a pile of perfectly round snowballs effortlessly just like Buddy the Elf to take your next snowball fight to the next level! Added bonus: even younger children can use these without complaining about cold hands.
6. A snow scooter because it's the perfect way to introduce them to snowboarding. The handle helps them build confidence until they master balancing in the snow.
Promising review: "Great fun for the kids. Our 6-year-old loves this snow scooter. We saw them at a sledding party and knew we'd want to get our own. It works simple enough. The plastic is pretty sturdy. It packs flat, and it gives kids more confidence with sliding down hill. I think it can be a great beginner tool to move up to a snow board if you properly teach the kids how you steer with your feet and the weight of your body. Pretty sweet winter toy for the price." —LJ87
Get it from Amazon for $25.92.
7. Banzai Bump N' Bounce Body Bumpers perfect for impromptu sumo tournaments on a snowy day in your yard that'll elicit nonstop silliness and laughs.
8. The Big Dig Sandbox Digger Excavator Crane that swivels 360° — basically a dream toy for any construction aficionado, who would love nothing more than to scoop sand and snow all year long (Now the Blippi song is stuck in my head: "I'm an excavator, hey, dirt, see you later...")
Promising review: "We got this for my son’s 4th birthday. It’s been a huge hit with him and any kids that stop over. He used it to scoop cars in the living room, scooping snow in the winter, and now it’s in his sandbox where it’s the most fun. Really easy to assemble." —cayla
Get it from Amazon for $39.95.
9. An infant sled you can safely strap your baby/toddler (upto 40 lbs.) into so they don't miss out on going down (small) hills *and* making memories with their older sibs.
Added bonus: This sled boasts a tow rope for parents, an extra high back to provide support for little ones, and a wide base for a stable ride.
Promising review: "This little red sled provided the best winter afternoon and will be a favorite memory. I bought the sled for my son who was only nine months at the time. The sled has a small back and he was able to sit up. He loved it when we pushed him down a hill in Central Park. I can't wait to bring it out again next winter. The sled should be big enough for him to use until he is 3 or 4." —Kevin Jones
Get it from Amazon for $43.38.
10. An instant snow powder kit if you live somewhere that doesn't get real snow or it's too cold to go outside. Your young scientists will be mesmerized as they add water and watch the mixture transform into fluffy "snow." (It's even cold to the touch!).
Promising review: "My preschoolers were in AWE of this Magic snow! This combines several opportunities for emergent and early learning. We incorporated this in our Winter themed lesson. Since we are in So Cal, snow is a bit of a mystery to our kids. With supervision, and guidance, each child had the opportunity to create their own cup of snow. We then combined all of it in a tub with polar bear figures, jewels, and foam snowflakes to create a really cool sensory bin!" —Sarah Vicente
Get it from Amazon for $12.99+ (available in three sizes).
11. A snow painting kit made out of colored cornstarch so it is safe for the kiddos *and* the environment. Just hand your mini Picasso a squeeze bottle filled with powder and let them get to work creating their next ~wintry masterpiece.~
Chameleon Colors is a small biz based in Utah that specializes in fun activity kits for every age.
The kit includes 10 packets of color powder in five colors, five squirt bottles, and instructions.
Promising review: "We liked this and the kids had a good time coloring the snow. It’s easy to use like a spray paint but harder to draw and write with. More for decorating the snow versus making shapes and letters. A bit messy on gloves and coats but it does wash right out with water." —Ryan P. Girmscheid
Get it from Amazon for $31.45.
12. A Fat Brain door pong game that'll come to the rescue when your kids are stuck indoors. It's a fun alternative to classic Ping-Pong without needing to set up a table or collect runaway balls off the floor. Just attach to a doorway, adjust the length of the string, and start showing off that forehand smash.
Promising review: "This toy is fantastic! My 9- and 7-year-old say it is the best toy we have bought them in a while. It has kept their attention and keeps them off screens. It's perfect for burning energy on cold, rainy days when we can't go outside. I also love the fact that there are no loose balls lying around so I don't have to worry about the dog eating them." —aw7
Get it from Amazon for $28.95.
13. A snowflake lantern craft kit that little crafters will love to DIY *and* hang up to illuminate their room when it gets dark early.
Em Rich Sticks is a small biz based in Watertown, Minnesota, owned by a stay-at-home mom, who specializes in sticker craft kits for kids.
This kit includes 2 - 5" x 6" panels (finished product is approximately 3" wide and 5" tall), 2 sheets of 148 transparent stickers, 4 - 2.5" x 4.5" pieces of tracing paper, craft instructions & QR code to instructional video.
Promising review: "The snowflake lantern turned out really nice. Our granddaughter had fun putting the colorful transparent stickers on it and it turned out beautiful. I highly recommend these." —janco3
Get it from Em Rich Sticks on Etsy for $12.95+ (available in two sticker colors and with or without a base).
14. A high-quality snowman kit complete with literally everything they need including glasses, carrot noses, eyes, antlers, buttons and more to make snow people for years to come.
The kit includes 26 of the decorating components made of solid wood with wooden dowels on the back.
Promising review: "Bought this for a family with an almost 3-year-old girl. She's learning how to make a snowman so getting this kit has been such a treat for her. The quality is excellent. I'm sure she'll enjoy using this kit for several years to come. A great fun way for family to enjoy the snow in their own backyard." —Ilene
Get it from L.L. Bean for $44.95.
15. A sensory swing you can hang indoors to bring the playground to you when it's freezing outside.🥶 It's guaranteed to get them tuckered out before bedtime.
Fabric For Wellness is a small biz based in Charlotte, North Carolina that specializes in sensory supplies for children.
Promising review: "This swing is probably the best thing that has happened to our house since we renovated. My daughter can’t go to OT because of the pandemic, so we turned the basement into a sensory gym. This swing is amazing! It’s simple, safe, and versatile. My kids love it!" —Leanne A
Get it from Fabric For Wellness on Etsy for $49+ (available in seven colors).
16. A pack of faux snowballs your kids won't be able to resist pelting at each other to start spontaneous snowball fights in your living room. The best part? You don't need to deal with the hassle of bundling them up or worry about frozen hands!
Promising review: "These balls are the perfect density and softness. They have a slight crunch to them (I have no better way to describe them) and then are soft inside. They seem to be made of something like yarn but hold together better and don’t have a hard center. We’ve had tons of indoor snowball fights and even when hit in the face, no one gets hurt. I’d definitely recommend these!" —Momma MM
Get a pack of 50 from Amazon for $34.99.
17. A waterproof remote-control stunt car capable of maneuvering through snow (and water!). The only downside is it'll be difficult to tear your car-loving kid away from making this thing perform stunts in the snow to go sledding with you.
Promising review: "We spent Christmas in Colorado, so my son (13) was all about getting this machine out in the snow. Fun, simple to get up and running and was awesome running it around in the snow. It was just as fun running it up and down the hall at our Hotel (that is until the neighbors came out). Haven't had it in water yet, but look forward to that. Overall, a very fun purchase." —Pierced Armor
Get it from Amazon for $39.99 (available in three colors).
18. And a remote-control snow plow that's low key genius because you can get the kids to shovel while having a whole lotta fun.
Promising review: "Originally bought this for my 4-year-old son. It is now mine. Pretty good build quality with the metal blade and rubber tires. The controller is a little cheap but for the price it is great. We had lots of fun plowing the walkway this past winter." —Jen and Brandon
Get it from Amazon for $49.99.
19. A two-pack of light-up Frozen snowflake wands if Disney on Ice is something of a rite of passage in your fam, and you're looking forward to creating those core memories with your own little Disney fans this winter. Parent reviewers say these are MUCH cheaper than the overpriced ones at the event.
Promising review: "I bought these for Disney on Ice recently and I was so glad I did. You know these events come with high price tags for the merchandise. These were almost exactly like the ones they sold there and I got two for less than the price of one at the arena! They worked great the whole time, no issues whatsoever and my 4-year-old was in heaven dancing along to Frozen! —Katie
Get a pack of two from Amazon for $16.95.
20. A bottle of Ice Bubbles that'll turn your backyard into a wintry bubble wonderland. It boasts a formula specifically designed for cold temps so your little one can crank out longer-lasting, further-flying bubbles. The best part? These freeze into snow globe-like ice bubbles when it's below 18 degrees F.
21. A Barbie Chelsea ice skater doll toting a gold medal, a trophy, and flowers guaranteed to become your wobbly skater's personal cheerleader and inspiration as they find their footing in the rink.
Promising review: "My daughter just started ice skating this year. How exciting it was for her to get a doll that's doing the same. She loves to bring Chelsea to the rink. I get to hold Chelsea and make sure Chelsea sees how my daughter can skate too! I love having relatable toys for my kids to play with." —anynoymous
Get it from Target for $5.99.
22. A pair of monster snow stampers they can strap onto their boots to create Yeti footprints in the snow. They'll have a blast looking back to see the fresh monster tracks they're leaving behind in the snow.
The reviews for this post have been edited for length and clarity.