Winter Activities for Utah Families 2023-2024

Written By Dania Ellingson

Winter is here! And while I know that winter does come with its own challenges (read: getting kids to keep their mittens on), I admit I always feel some excitement coming on with this particular change of season. You just don’t get a full winter season everywhere, and I think that Utah winters are worth celebrating as a family! Here are a few activities to make it a bit easier to lean into the season.


DIY Family Winter Activities

With the busyness of the holiday season, sometimes a low-key DIY winter day is just what you need. Here are a few ideas that you can do on your own time and adapt to your individual family.

Sledding. Such a classic for Utah kids! Sledding is a budget-friendly way to play in the snow, pick up some speed, and ward off some of the cabin fever that starts to set in. Rock Canyon and Bicentennial Parks are some of our family favorites!

Bonfire + Treats. If you’re like me, you tend to associate campfires with the summer months, but hear me out. Imagine a chilly evening gathered around the fire, hot chocolate in hand, and roasting marshmallows and starbursts for s’mores. Try it in your backyard or at a designated fire pit at a city park. You could even venture to a park up the canyon if you really want to lean into the season!

Home Snow Day. Some days you want to play in the snow but the hassle of loading everyone and their winter gear into the car is just too much. That’s what home snow days are for! Pull on the winter gear and dive into snowball fights, snow angels, snowmen, or even snow painting! The beauty of a home snow day is that kids can come in and out as they please, and it’s easy to keep a pot of hot chocolate on the stove so you’re ready to warm back up from the inside out.

Cozy Craft Day. Not in the mood to brave the weather? Gather some supplies, turn on some seasonal music, and get crafting instead!

If you want to try something new, you can get set up with supplies on a budget at Making Space, a craft supplies thrift and rescue shop in Springville. I’ve found everything from scrapbooking stamps to yarn to paints and more when I’ve gone, and it’s always such fun time to see what treasures they’ll have in stock. Bonus: they even have a cute little craft table set up for kids to draw or paint at while you shop! Making Space is truly such a hidden gem.

Recurring Winter Activities

If you’re looking for an activity that has a little more structure than an at-home project but still want scheduling flexibility, check out these recurring seasonal events for Utah families.

  • Salem Pond Town Christmas (Salem)

    • December 5 through January 1, 5:30-11 PM

    • Display of Christmas tree lights floating on the water, which is extra pretty with the reflection! There are a few other fun lights to see as well.

    • Free to the public

  • Spanish Fork Festival of Lights (Spanish Fork)

    • Thanksgiving-New Years Day, Evenings 6-10 PM

    • Christmas lights drive through with over one million lights!

    • $10/single-family vehicle

  • Christmas Cruise (Provo)

    • December 1-23, 5:30-9 PM, Closed Sundays

      • Cruises depart every 15-30 minutes while running

    • Enjoy festive decorations and thousands of lights that twinkle above the river with Christmas music playing softly in the background.  

  • Family Night (Neighborhood Art Center, Provo)

    • First Monday of every month from 5:30-7:30 PM

    • No reservations needed. $3/person.

  • Guided Nature Walk (Swaner EcoCenter, Park City)

    • Every Saturday at 8:30 AM

    • Nature walk on the preserve led by one of Swaner’s naturalists! Explore wetland science, natural plant and animal species, and chance a sighting of birds, elk, and other wildlife. During the winter months snowshoes can be rented from the EcoCenter for $5.

  • Ice Castles (Midway)

    • Dates and hours are weather dependent. Closed Sundays.

    • Ice castles made by hand each year, complete with ice slides, caverns and archways, and crawl tunnels! Options for a sleigh ride in the evenings for an additional fee as well.

    • Dress warm! This is a full snowsuit kind of activity.

    • $17 kids, $25 general admission. Book early!

  • Homestead Crater (Midway)

    • Swim, snorkel, even scuba dive in a geothermal spring hidden inside a 55-foot tall, beehive-shaped limestone rock.

  • Dog Sled Tour with Rancho Luna Lobos (Peoa)

    • Rancho Luna Lobos builds dog sled teams from high-energy dogs rescued from shelters. I’ve followed their work for years, and they really care for their dogs and for the future of mushing as a whole.

    • Single or tandem package options, children are welcome to ride in the basket.

    • They sell out most years, so jump on registration if you think you’d want to do it!

  • Sleigh Rides to view elk at Hardware Wildlife Education Center

    • Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 10 AM - 4:30 PM each day

    • Horse-drawn sleigh rides through the elk herd at the Hardware Wildlife Education Center

    • Child: $4, General Admission: $10, Children 3 and younger: free

      • Conditions on the WMA may change day to day. Call 435-753-6206 during the Education Center's open hours for updated information about elk and the weather.

Scheduled Winter Events

  • Santaquin Holly Days (Santaquin)

    • December 8-9

    • Live music, Christmas craft boutique, gingerbread house contest, light parade, food trucks, drone show, and more!

  • Santa’s Art Shop (Springville)

    • Thursday, December 14, 5-7 PM

    • Meet Santa, enjoy cookies and milk, and make a variety of science themed art projects!

    • Event is free and there is no pre-registration

  • Meet Santa (Provo)

    • Monday, December 18, 4-8 PM

    • Santa will be visiting the Attic Winter Wonderland at the Provo Library! Cut snowflakes, help us decorate the tree, and play a Christmas tune or two as you prepare to meet Santa.

    • Registration requested. Available in 1-hour increments for the evening.

  • A Celtic Christmas with An Rogair Dubh (Provo)

    • Monday, December 18, 7-8 PM

    • Dance a jig for Christmas with local Irish band An Rogaire Dubh and the Thomas Cordner Memorial Pipe Band. Online registration required.

  • Three Kings Day (Provo)

    • Friday, January 5, 6-8 PM

    • Join Centro Hispano at the Provo City Library for a cultural holiday celebration with treats, gifts, and performances. All ages welcome. Toy donations are welcomed and can be dropped off at Centro Hispano.

    • El Centro Hispano les invita a la biblioteca de Provo para una celebración del dia de los reyes. Habia regalos, comida, y actuaciones. Todas las edades son bienvenidas. Las donaciones de juguetes son bienvenidas y se pueden dejar en el Centro Hispano.

  • Learn It: Provo’s Air Quality (Provo)

    • Tuesday, January 23, 7-8:30 PM

    • Learn about the challenges facing Provo's air quality, and the ways we can improve it.

  • Seed Swap (Provo)

    • Wednesday, January 31, 6:30-8:30 PM

    • Bring your seeds & swap with fellow gardeners!

  • The Meaning of Flowers (Provo)

    • Wednesday, February 7, 6-7 PM

    • Listen & watch how to prepare the perfect bouquet for your sweetheart, while coloring pictures to your heart's delight.

    • All ages

Bonus: Family Photos

Over the years I’ve noticed that winter is often painfully overlooked when it comes to family photos. And while I get that the cold weather and shorter days can make it seem unfavorable, I am here to attest that there is a special kind of magic reserved for photos in the winter months. Here are a few reasons why I love taking family photos in the winter:

  • The winter sun sits lower in the horizon and makes for a gorgeous golden glow and incredible skies—just look at the skies in all the photos above!

  • While the days are shorter, the later sunrises and earlier sunsets mean we can work with that amazing lighting without pushing up against breakfast and bedtimes like we would in the summers.

  • The winter magic works its way into in-home sessions too. Even when the season isn’t explicitly spelled out in the images, somehow the coziness of the season still feeds into the feel of the photos. There’s a special kind of loveliness to that slowed-down, gentle love winter brings. (And if you want to stretch the holiday magic just a little bit longer, there is nothing more fun than a session capturing your kiddos relishing in their days-old Christmas treasures like we did in the photo below.)

The documentary-style photos that I do are more experiential in nature than your standard portrait session, and the memories that come from both my in-home and adventure family photo sessions are the kind of thing you will be talking about for a long, long time.

Think we’d be a good fit? Reach out here to get started. I can’t wait to work with you!

Dania Ellingson
Next

Featured Session: Backyard Play + Baking Cookies