Every winter, we struggle with the same thing in Wisconsin: the cold months seem to drag on. By mid January, I’m itching to start our garden Or stop by a local farm stand to get some fresh fruits and vegetables. Luckily, we found a few cold-weather friendly garden themed things to do to make January, February and even March more tolerable!
These simple winter garden activities for preschoolers make getting through the cold months so much more fun. Plus, you’ll be able to garden year-round regardless of where you live!
Most of these activities don’t require a ton of supplies. They’re a great way to spend the day if you’re feeling the winter blues, too. Keep reading to find the perfect easy winter garden activity for you and your preschooler!
Table of Contents
Winter Garden Activities for Preschoolers
Create a Windowsill Herb Garden
Windowsill herb gardens are such a delicious way to garden in the winter. One of the reasons we love indoor herb gardens so much is because it can help us teach gardening skills in a much smaller setting. This way, our daughter is able to help us with our outdoor garden a little more.
Don’t let not having the perfect windowsill for your garden stop you, either! You can easily create an indoor herb garden that can be moved with the sun throughout the day.
Learn how to make an indoor herb garden so you can enjoy fresh herbs all winter long.
Create a Garbage Garden
If you’re looking for a fun experiment to try in the winter, try regrowing plants from fresh produce. It’s a cool way to see what can grow in soil, water, or even just pebbles.
You can also grow a leafy garden with the tops of beets, carrots, turnips, celery bases, or other root vegetables. Check out this guide to garbage gardening to get details on growing everything from apples to pears, lemons to limes, parsnips to radishes and more.
Read Garden Books
One of our favorite ways to spend days where we’re stuck inside because of the temperature is to read spring themed books, especially garden ones. It’s a temporary escape from the gray days of winter and it gets us excited for planning our garden.
Check out these gardening books for toddlers for some ideas. A few of our favorite gardening books for preschoolers are listed below.
- Used Book in Good Condition
- Hardcover Book
- Carle, Eric (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 36 Pages - 03/10/2009 (Publication Date) - Little Simon (Publisher)
- Gerardi, Jan (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 16 Pages - 01/24/2012 (Publication Date) - Random House Books for Young Readers (Publisher)
- Hardcover Book
- Worth, Bonnie (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 48 Pages - 03/27/2001 (Publication Date) - Random House Books for Young Readers (Publisher)
Make Seed Bombs
Can’t wait to plant flowers in the spring? Make a seed bomb! Seed bombs are an easy garden activity that can be done in winter and saved for spring.
With just a few supplies, you’ll be able to make seed balls that are ready to be tossed in your backyard in an hour or two. Learn all about how to make seed bombs.
Build a Birdhouse
Building a birdhouse is a great indoor and outdoor winter garden activity for preschoolers. With a some help cutting the wood and assembling, kids have a blank canvas for them to decorate with paint. If you don’t have the tools available for cutting the pieces for a birdhouse, consider this birdhouse kit that comes with everything precut.
- DIY Birdhouse Kit: Build and decorate a 6-inch wooden bird house with this hands-on woodworking kit for kids. A fun way to inspire creativity, STEM learning, and nature play through crafts for kids ages 4-8 at home, school, or playdates
- Complete Craft Set: Includes 7 FSC-certified wood pieces, nails, glue, hanging chain, 4 paints, and brush. This all-in-one kids birdhouse kit gives children everything they need to assemble and paint their own DIY bird house project
- Learning Through Play: Encourages fine motor skills, problem-solving, and imagination. Great as kids crafts ages 4-8, making it ideal for classrooms, homeschool lessons, or indoor projects on rainy days
- Safe & Eco-Friendly: Made with FSC-certified wood and non-toxic paints for peace of mind. A sustainable choice for families seeking arts and crafts for kids, or even hobby kits for adults to enjoy together
- Perfect Gift Idea: A thoughtful and educational gift for birthdays, holidays, or family craft nights. Kids will love the sense of accomplishment from building their own birdhouse, while parents appreciate the mix of creativity, learning, and outdoor fun
If you’d prefer to build a bird a super simple feeder, here’s a few ideas that you might be able to make with things you already have at home:
- Cover a pine cone in peanut butter and roll it in bird seed
- Smear peanut butter on a bagel or a piece of toast and cover it in bird seed‘
- Hollow out an orange peel and fill it up with bird seed
Then just tie these homemade bird feeders up so they can hang from the tree. You can also make your own birdseed that can be formulated to attract more of your local birds. This is a fun way to teach kids about the birds that are native to your area.
Make a Terrarium
These are so many DIY terrarium ideas out there that this alone could keep you busy all winter long. If you’re missing the ocean, consider this beach inspired terrarium. Embracing winter or looking for a cute Christmas gift? Try this winter wonderland terrarium.
Or grab a terrarium kit that has everything you need to get started:
- CREATE - Make your own unique terrariums from glass or containers you already have at home. This quick start kit includes a guide to help you get started and the materials needed to make healthy environments for small plants that you add yourself. Just add your own container and plants.
- VALUE - The Large Terrarium Kit includes a 4.5’’x 2.25’’ container of Moss (Reindeer Moss, Forest Moss & Lichen), 4.5’’x 5.75’’ Potting Soil Blended with Activated Charcoal, 4.5”x 2.25” Gardening Vermiculite, 4.5”x 1.75” Pea Pebbles & River Stones, 1 oz fl Plant Food, Bamboo Tongs, Natural Hair Brush, (3) Miniature Dinos, Succulent Care Guide, Build & Care Guide, and Cute Farms Sticker. Save when compared to buying individual materials.
- PREMIUM INGREDIENTS - The included Moss mix is preserved, and it will keep looking fresh without any maintenance for a long time. The beautiful bright moss colors are the perfect finishing touch to any terrarium. The Blended Potting Soil increases drainage abilities while allowing airflow, and it's a perfect mix of nutrients. Charcoal is added for its natural ability to retain nutrients. Our Fine Grade Horticultural Vermiculite soil amendment provides the right amount of water drainage.
- UNIQUE GIFT IDEA - Do you know someone who loves plants? Our Large Terrarium Kit is a perfect idea for all nature lovers. Perfect for kids, adults, family projects, team events, or as a gift idea. Whether you’re looking for a housewarming gift or just want to bring extra greenery into your home, a terrarium is an ideal present.
- USA MADE - Our terrarium kits are made and packed in the USA to ensure quality. If you don’t absolutely love our Terrarium Starter Kit we’ll refund your entire purchase amount within 30 days. Please contact us with any questions or concerns.
- 🌱 𝐀𝐋𝐋-𝐈𝐍-𝐎𝐍𝐄 𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐑𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐔𝐌 𝐊𝐈𝐓: The rainforest terrarium kit comes with everything needed to set up a healthy terrarium, including premium 5-blend soil mix for proper drainage, nutrient supply for plants and oxygen supply for roots; a substrate layer with mesh to facilitate aeration and water holding; sphagnum moss for moisture and nutrient retention; and lastly, decorative materials to enhance aesthetic appeal. These closed terrarium kits also include maintenance tools and detailed instructions, making it effortless for beginners to create a complete terrarium landscape.
- 🌱 𝐎𝐍𝐋𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐄𝐒𝐓 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐎𝐍𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐒: All ingredients and materials in this diy succulent terrarium kit for kids and adults are meticulously researched and screened to ensure the strongest possible ecosystem. They support the environment of your terrarium and plants for a long time, helping to create a stable ecosystem
- 🌱 𝐒𝐄𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐒𝐔𝐁𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐄 & 𝐒𝐎𝐈𝐋 𝐌𝐈𝐗: Premium mesh net is specially designed to separate drainage substrate layer from potting mix layer for the purpose of preventing issues such as soil compaction, root congestion and air suffocation.
- 🌱 𝐀𝐅𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐃𝐀𝐁𝐋𝐄 𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐂𝐄 & 𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐄𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐒 𝐕𝐎𝐋𝐔𝐌𝐄: Duspro special cactus terrarium kit is a perfect choice for those who want to save costs without compromising product quality. Our price is 30% cheaper than other mini terrarium kit supplies while still maintaining high quality and large volume. Our open terrarium kit comes with a generous amount of materials that is equivalent to a large terrarium kit available on the market.
- 🌱 𝐀𝐓𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐏𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐀𝐆𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐃𝐄𝐒𝐈𝐆𝐍: Duspro terrarium kit for succulents with a beautiful package design is a perfect gift for nature lovers, kids, adults on special occasions: Mother's Day, Father's Day, Christmas gifts; Noel; Children Day, Back to School,…
- KIDS GIFTS: Give the gift of creativity! Grow 'N Glow Terrarium is the perfect 7 year old boy and girl gift for kids who love science and working with their hands! Have fun while building creative confidence! Since 1976, Creativity for Kids has proudly made fun and creative experiences today to nurture children's confidence for life. This science kit features kid friendly arts and craft supplies and is recommended for ages 6-8+
- TERRARIUM KIT FOR KIDS: Discover the wonder of nature and science with the Creativity for Kids Grow 'N Glow Terrarium! This kids science kit is fun and engaging. This STEM project for kids ages 6-8+ allows you to craft, plant, water, and grow your own mini ecosystem. Just add water to discover a unique educational science experience!
- EDUCATIONAL SCIENCE KITS: Includes everything a young botanist needs to plant and grow their terrarium twice! The complete science and arts and crafts kit for kids ages 6+ features a plastic terrarium jar, potting mix (vermiculite), plenty of quick-growing chia and wheatgrass seeds, glow-in-the-dark forest figurines, and more!
- STEM PROJECTS FOR KIDS: Grow by day, and glow at night! Make your terrarium kit for kids one-of-a-kind with colorful sand, star and constellation stickers that glow in the dark at night. Hold your terrarium up to the light and watch it GLOW! This terrarium kit is the ultimate gift for 6 year old boys and girls
- CRAFTS FOR KIDS: Combine the fun of arts and crafts with science for a creative STEM craft for kids ages 6-8+! Create your own terrarium while learning responsibility and nurturing. Your guaranteed-to-grow terrarium kit will begin to grow in as little as 3-4 days! All seeds are from and packaged in the USA
- CREATE A DINOSAUR WORLD – With this exciting indoor activity set, kids can easily grow a mini indoor garden with a prehistoric look and feel! Just choose a backdrop, decorate, plant & water the seeds, and watch their new dinosaur habitat flourish!
- WIDE MOUTH & PANORAMIC VIEW - The unique, wide-mouth design of this terrarium makes it easy for smaller hands to set up and work with the provided materials. And the panoramic view lets kids explore what's inside as their habitat evolves.
- USB-POWERED LIGHT - The light-up lid on this terrarium is powered by the included USB cable, so no batteries are required. It also makes a perfect night light for bedtime!
- REAL ROCK SPECIMENS - Genuine blue calcite, rose quartz & aventurine specimens are included, adding to the prehistoric vibe of the terrarium habitat and making for an even cooler look!
- EVERYTHING KIDS NEED - Our water-tight, light-up terrarium kit includes chia and ryegrass seeds, spray bottle, colored pebbles, rock specimens, river stone, faux succulent, 2 dino figurines, and reversible laminated backdrop!
- 【Complete 15-Piece DIY Terrarium Kit】 – Includes a glass globe, live moss, spray bottle, tweezers, shovel, nutrient soil, decorative stones, sea shells, and printed care instructions. Everything needed to create a relaxing indoor mini garden is included.
- 【Gift-Ready for Plant Lovers 】– A thoughtful gift for birthdays, housewarming, holidays, Mother’s Day, teachers, coworkers, friends, or anyone who loves plants, crafts, and calming home decor.
- 【Relaxing Hands-On Craft Experience】 – Build your own living moss terrarium step by step. A peaceful DIY activity for home, office, dorm rooms, weekend projects, or mindful creative time.
- 【Crystal Stones & Shells 】– Natural Aesthetic Accents Our carefully selected stones and sea shells add sparkle and texture to your terrarium. These decorative elements create a calm, balanced look inspired by nature.
- 【Real Live Moss with Easy Care Guide】 – Moss may arrive slightly dry or compressed after shipping. Mist with clean water, keep it in indirect light, and maintain a humid environment. Printed care instructions help beginners get started with confidence.
- 1. 【Build Your Own Mini Landscape in Glass】 Create a small natural scene inside the included glass container. Layer soil, pebbles, driftwood, and moss to form unique shapes and textures — perfect for air plants, succulents, or miniature designs.
- 2. 【24-Piece Complete Terrarium Kit】 Comes with essential materials and tools, including soil mix, pebbles, driftwood, moss, tweezers, mini shovels, spray bottle, watering bottle, air blower, planting mat, and more. Everything is organized for a smooth DIY experience.
- 3. 【LED Grow Light for Indoor Display】 The kit includes a flexible LED grow light that brightens your terrarium. Ideal for desks, counters, or shelves, it adds a soft glow that highlights your arrangement and keeps your display visible in low-light areas.
- 4. 【Decorative Round Glass Design】 The clear glass container provides a wide viewing angle, showing the layers of stones, moss, and plants beautifully. A clean, modern shape that fits well with home or office décor as a natural accent piece.
- 5. 【A Creative Gift for Plant & DIY Lovers】 Thoughtfully packaged, this terrarium set makes a memorable gift for birthdays, holidays, and special occasions. A great choice for anyone who enjoys hands-on projects, miniature gardening, or stylish indoor decoration.Gift message customization is available. Feel free to contact us if you need a personalized card included.
- Premium Terrarium Supplies, MADE IN THE USA, Our starter kits Have The Key Ingredients to get you going.
- Soil - Our bioactive soil is THE BEST. MADE IN USA. IT’s full of composted pine bark. This is the cadillac of plant food. Full of bioactive life. This helps soil and roots remain healthy. Imported Soils are STERILIZED. Perfect Succulent Soil.PH balanced.
- Our Kits come with Charcoal, U.S. Pea Gravel Gems, Activated Charcoal, And Preserved Moss. Expensive to buy alone!
- Great for adult terrariums, or snail terrariums. Our soils have no additives. Just full of hearty natural ingredients.
- USA MADE: TerraGreen Creations Is the Original Terrarium Kit company. We have sold Tens of thousands of kits since 2016! IF you Are Not Happy. Let us know and we will refund your order.
- 4 in 1 Long Aquarium Tools Kits: The aquascape tools kit contains 1 x 10" aquarium scissors, 1 x 10.6" straight long tweezer, 1 x 10.6" curved feeding tongs, and 1 x 12.56" Aquarium substrate spatula. One set of terrarium supplies to help you better manage your aquarium and terrariums. This aquascaping tools are long and slender enough to easily use in any gallon fish tank, good as fish tank accessories. It suits both beginner and experienced people.
- Rust-proof and Stainless Steel Material: The 4pcs of aquarium supplies are made of high-quality stainless steel material, rustproof and corrosion-proof, sturdy, and long-lasting. With the protection of the rustproof coating, every tool has excellent corrosion resistance.
- Multi Functions and Applications: Ohtomber aquascape tools is ideal for all types of grooming, maintaining, and sorting out aquatic plants in water as an aquarium accessories. Aquarium scissors could help you trim the plant, furnish the aquarium landscape with driftwood cornerstones, sand, and aquarium algae scraper could be applied to scrap the algae and smooth out plant stratum substrate. Do use it to maintain a comfortable environment for fish in an aquarium tank now!
- Minimizing interference: Long aquascaping tools can prevent accidental injuries to Aquarium plants and damage to the environment. Long aquarium tweezer can adjust driftwood, and feed little reptiles instead of putting your hands into water. It is very effective in precise operation and avoiding getting your hands wet. Similarly, Long aquarium scissors are suited for small or thin water plants and help trim excess parts. It won't hurt the plant's cross-section.
- Maintenance tips: In order to extend tool life and keep performing well, we recommend that you rinse off the saltwater attached to the tools surface and then wipe up to keep dry.
- What is a Terrarium? It is a miniature garden within a container that simulates a natural environment. So, let your child discover the beauty of nature by creating their own beautiful terrarium with this all-inclusive kit. Watch as it grows by day and glows at night with the innovative LED light under the lid.
- Grows by Day - Glows at Night: Beneath the lid, there is a built-in innovative LED light that transforms the experience into something magical. At night, just hit the small switch to turn on the light and watch how your terrarium turns into a gorgeous illuminated tabletop garden. You have to see it to believe it! The light can easily be recharged with the included Micro-USB cable.
- Kit Includes: Terrarium jar (4"x6"), light-up jar lid, Micro-USB charging cable, clear and easy step-by-step instruction booklet, vermiculite soil, blue sand, river rocks, wheatgrass and chia seeds, small bunny and mushroom miniatures, removable stickers for decoration, spray bottle, and wooden stick to aid in planting the seeds. The ultimate arts and crafts for kids & Stem projects for Kids.
- A Fun & Educational Gift for All Ages: It's not often that a science project can be fun and engaging, but this terrarium kit achieves both! It fascinates children as soon as they pull it out of the box. With the freedom to layer the rocks, sand, soil, and stickers as they please, every child is guaranteed to have a blast.
- Rechargeable LED Light Lid – Easy & Safe Charging: Be sure to fully charge the terrarium lid before first use so the built-in LED light powers on reliably. Use only the included standard USB charging cable with a max 5W adapter (no fast chargers), as high-speed charging may trigger safety protections and prevent the light from turning on.
- SuperMoss DIY Terrarium Jar Kit - Portland
Grow Houseplants or Succulents
Houseplants can turn a home into a tropical paradise – even in the middle of winter. There are tons of plants that you can grow with your preschooler that can help teach them the importance of proper plant care.
You can also grow succulents if you’re looking for a slightly more forgiving plant for your family. If you already have one or two, consider learning how to propagate or regrow succulents.
Paint Garden Stones and Pots
Painting garden stones or pots is a great way to get preschoolers interested in gardening. After they paint their items, they’ll get to appreciate their artwork all garden season long.
While you’re at it, you can paint some watermelon coasters out of the bottoms of your terra cotta pots.
You can also try making a handprint stepping stone out of air dry clay or grab this kit to easily create your own.
- Milestones Stepping Stones are the perfect decoration for your garden, yard, flower bed, or walk path
- Spend quality time with your kids or grandkids; create a beautiful decoration that will last for years to come
- Easy to follow step-by-step instructions guide you through the hands-on activity
- Each kit makes one 12 inch leaf shaped stepping stone; ideal for a Mother's day or Father's day gift
- Kit includes 7 lb bag of Stepping Stone Mix, one 12 inch reusable plastic leaf mold, 12 oz mosaic glass, 2 oz glass gems, letter and number stamps, wooden mixing paddle, and writing tool; glass and gem colors may vary
Make Your Own Seed Markers
Seed markers are easy to make and can be done in so many ways. Popsicle stickers, rocks, clothespins, paint sticks, etc.
If you’re looking for something that won’t fade in the sun, check out these clay stamped seed markers.
Vermicomposting
We have yet to try Vermicomposting, but this is a great indoor winter garden activity. Vermicomposting uses worms to decompose waste, similar to regular composting. This makes a worm manure that can be used for a fertilizer. Learn more about vermicomposting or try out this Vermicomposting kit:
Plan Your Garden
This is probably my favorite winter garden activity for preschoolers because I love seeing what our daughter wants in our garden. Not only is it a great teaching opportunity, it also allows for a ton of creativity. We learn about spacing, measuring, plant needs, the garden season and more. But we also get to have fun with what we’d plant in our dream garden if we had all the space and resources.
We use our garden planner to plan ours out which helps us keep a record of everything we need to do throughout the harvest season.
Start Your Seeds
What better way to get through the colder months than to start your seeds for the garden? There are multiple benefits to starting your seeds indoors, but my favorite is that we can usually get our harvest even a little sooner.
This activity is great for preschoolers because they get to easily see the transformation from seed to plant. Plus, it’s a great activity to spend even a few minutes on every day.
Play Garden Games
Board games are one of our favorite things to do in winter so it only makes sense to add gardening board games for kids to the mix! Check out a few ideas below:
- 【 Stable Piece Connections for a Secure Flower Garden】Our flower pieces feature stable connections that snap securely together, preventing frustration from falling or unstable arrangements. With endless flower-building combinations, your child can design, stack, and create their very own garden masterpieces, ranging from vibrant flowers to towering floral sculptures.
- 【Safe, Durable, and Kid-friendly】Parents, we've got you covered! Our Flower Garden Building Toys are made from non-toxic, BPA-free materials that are safe for little ones. Each piece is smooth and perfectly sized for little hands, ensuring hours of worry-free play. Plus, these durable pieces use thicker plastic and ensure high-quality manufacturing to avoid warped or brittle parts—no flimsy parts here!
- 【Promotes Learning Through Play】Each snap, stack, and twist strengthens fine motor skills, improving hand-eye coordination, and learning problem-solving—all without even realizing it! This is the perfect STEM toy for toddlers and preschoolers.
- 46pcs of Bright, Vibrant Colors and Varieties Of Flower Parts】Your child will fall in love with the bright, bold colors and beautifully detailed flower pieces. With a wide variety of 16 petals, 9 coronals, 4 bases, and 16 leaves, the design possibilities are endless. Watch your child’s face light up with every bloom!
- 【Multiple Set Options Caters to Diverse Needs】Whether it's a birthday, holiday, Easter basket, or classroom activity, FUNZBO flower garden building toy is a hit for kids aged 2-8. Available in 5 set sizes—beginner sets for toddlers (47pcs), standard sets for general use (99pcs & 109pcs), and deluxe sets with more pieces or unique flowers (148pcs & 224pcs).
Books That Can Help With Winter Gardening
If you’re looking for some more ideas for gardening during the winter or with you kids, check out these books.
- Jabbour, Niki (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 256 Pages - 12/14/2011 (Publication Date) - Storey Publishing, LLC (Publisher)
- Hardy, Emma (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 144 Pages - 08/13/2019 (Publication Date) - CICO Books (Publisher)
- Ships from Vermont
- Coleman, Eliot (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 264 Pages - 03/31/2009 (Publication Date) - Chelsea Green (Publisher)
- Used Book in Good Condition
- Hardcover Book
- Bourne, Val (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 144 Pages - 06/01/2005 (Publication Date) - Cassell (Publisher)
- Brown, Renata (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 136 Pages - 04/01/2014 (Publication Date) - Quarry Books (Publisher)
I hope these ideas for winter garden activities for preschoolers help you make the most of long winters! If you have any other garden activities that you like to do in the winter with your young kids, I’d love to hear about them in the comments!