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32 No Spend Family Winter Activities (Free Printable List!)

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What to do when it’s winter and your kids are bored?

It can be easy as a family to just hibernate and spend all day on digital devices, but there’s so much everyone can do that’s fun and is FREE.

Here are 32 FREE “No Spend” Family Winter Activities and a FREE list you can print!

TCFM No Spend Winter Activities

There are tons of FREE ideas and more information about each idea below.

PRINT this list here!

Here are the details!

32 No Spend Family Winter Activities

1.Build a Snowman

Do you want to build a snowman? Be like Anna from Disney’s Frozen and get outside and build Olaf or Frosty!

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Family Guide to the Saint Paul Winter Carnival 2023 (Jan 26 – Feb 5)

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saint paul winter carnival

The Saint Paul Winter Carnival is back in-person this year with tons of free events for everyone!

Saint Paul Winter Carnival Drive Thru

The 2023 Saint Paul Winter Carnival, known as “The “Coolest Celebration on Earth,” starts Thursday, January 26th and lasts through Sunday, February 5th.

Most events are free and open to the public. However, some require a fee which will support the Saint Paul Winter Carnival and its mission to continue to produce cool and legendary events.

Most events will take place in downtown Saint Paul, in and around Rice Park and Landmark Center, as well as at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds.

There are SO many events – snow sculptures, a cat show, a minecraft event, parades, and even fireworks!

And there are a TON of FREE family events (thanks to many sponsors), making me give it a high-five for frugal family-friendliness!

Here is a list of highlighted events! (Note there are many more on their website, and all are subject to change.)

2023 Saint Paul Winter Carnival Events

snowpark

Ongoing!

Activities galore! The Saint Paul Winter Carnival has activities in downtown Saint Paul, Rice Park (109 W 4th St.), the Landmark Center, and the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. There will be activities, food vendors, and merchandise for sale. 

Rice Park Stage: Daily
Rice Park, Entertainment Schedule Varies
An array of local entertainers performing a variety of musical styles will take to the stage throughout Carnival. Visit wintercarnival.com for the complete schedule.

Warming House: Daily
Landmark Plaza, Market Street & 5th Street
Stay warm in this heated tent that’s even bigger this year! Enjoy assorted craft beers, hard ciders and seltzers, our own Northern Soda Flavor (Vanilla Creme Soda), Bailey’s and Cocoa or Coffee, mulled wine. There will be live entertainment from local musicians and DJs on the stage. 

CynCity Walking Tours: Throughout Carnival
Downtown Saint Paul, Dates and Times Vary.
Stroll through skyways, inside buildings and along streets as CynCity Tours serves up gangsters, haunts, and history in the heart of downtown Saint Paul throughout the Winter Carnival. Check schedule at cyncitytours.com

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Ice Palace Maze in Stillwater (Cool Winter Fun!)

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Last year we visited Stillwater’s Ice Palace Maze, and we’re thrilled that it’s back again this year!

The Ice Palace Maze is a palace-themed walkable puzzle formed from walls of ice six to ten feet high.

Like last year, it’s a half-mile of twisty turns with an ice throne, ending in an ice slide (optional!), and dramatically illuminated by color-changing LED lights.

And this year there are CARVED ICE DRAGONS!

“We can’t wait to see the reactions to our two large ice dragons, sculpted by craftspeople from Minnesota Ice, welcoming adventure-seekers to cross the moat and enter the thrilling world we’ve created inside this ice maze,” says Calyssa Hall, executive director of The Zephyr Theatre. “The maze started as an outlet for our creativity and drive to connect in the midst of the pandemic, but the intensely positive response from our 31,000 visitors in 2021 motivated us to head back outside in subzero temperatures to see if we could outdo ourselves–and it’s safe to say we’ve succeeded!”

stillwater ice palace maze

“This year’s vision is grander in scope and promises more moments of excitement and discovery,” says Hall. “Fun and photo opportunities abound within, and actors from The Zephyr Theatre will be in costume to provide memory-making encounters with Winter Wonderland characters, including Ice Queens and Princesses! After folks master the maze and take a trip down the ice slide, they’ll find hot cocoa, s’mores, and even adult refreshments on offer at our all-ice bar. It’s a total embrace of winter.”

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Driving Through the Saint Paul Winter Carnival in 2021 (Our Review)

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Saint Paul Winter Carnival Drive Thru Review

Our family experienced the Saint Paul Winter Carnival Drive-Thru on opening day, January 28, 2021, and here’s what we loved and what you can expect!

I posted about this unique event a few weeks ago. The Saint Paul Winter Carnival of course isn’t new (far from it!), but the drive-thru experience is new this year, thanks of course to COVID.

But it’s a fun experience nonetheless!

St. Paul Winter Carnival Drive-Thru

This new drive-thru experience combines TWO of the Winter Carnival’s signature events – the Ice Carving Competition and the Snow Sculpture Contest. It will be each day of the Carnival – January 28th – February 7th, 2021, at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds.

We went on opening night and enjoyed a slow drive through the Minnesota State Fairgrounds, admiring snow and ice sculptures on both sides of the road, and members of the Royal Family and Vulcan Krewe!

These guys welcomed all the cars as they arrived and posed for pictures!

Saint Paul Vulcans

Each car got a goodie bag with items, like a light-up snow wand, granola bars, and information about the event. There’s also a Bingo activity sheet you can turn in at the end if you want to do it for a chance to win prizes.

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Stillwater’s Ice Palace Maze is Cool Winter Family Fun!

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Stillwater's Ice Palace Maze

This week our family visited the new Ice Palace Maze in Stillwater, Minnesota, and it was a perfect winter family outing!

It’s a winter playground and it’s outside the Zephyr Theatre in downtown Stillwater.

The Ice Palace Maze is a half-mile long, has 8-foot-tall walls, and there are fun things to discover throughout like sculptures and even ice thrones. It’s made of 1500 real ice blocks, and even has 36-foot ice slides at the end that you can go down if you want!

This attraction will be here January 22nd through March 7th, 2021, weather permitting.

“Visiting our Ice Palace MAZE will be a fun, safe, family-focused way to celebrate winter,” said Calyssa Hall, The Zephyr Theatre’s executive director. “We hope it will bring a lot of joy to Stillwater residents and visitors.” 

It’s open during the day and evening. We went at 6pm and it was lit up so pretty! There were also fires burning for roasting s’mores – or just keeping warm.

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How to Find the Frozen Caveman in Minneapolis

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How to Find Frozen Caveman

UPDATE: The Caveman is no longer there – it was removed by the artist who created it.

If you live in the Twin Cities and you haven’t heard on the news already, there’s a frozen caveman in Minneapolis!

Well, not a real one, of course – but a piece of art originally created by Leonic Art Collective as a prop for an awards ceremony. 

His name is “Zug Zug,” and he’s been getting a lot of press lately by both the media and locals, who share their selfies with the caveman on social media.

However, one of the fun things about this “find” in Minneapolis is the mystery – where is he? How do people find him?

If you want to keep the mystery for yourself – STOP HERE! Otherwise…

Want to know exactly where Zug Zug is?

Despite the “fun” of looking for him, Zug Zug has gotten so much attention that people are now asking those who have found it for information. I was one of those people looking for details so I could take my kids and see it for ourselves.

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Ice Palace Maze in Stillwater (January 22 – February 28)

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Stillwater Ice Palace Maze
 
Though Ice Castles isn’t happening in Minnesota this winter, there is another similar event coming to Stillwater, Minnesota (where Ice Castles was in 2017 and 2018).
 
It’s the Ice Palace Maze, and it’s coming to Stillwater!
 
This is going to be a safe, outdoor family winter event!
 
Here are the details:
  • The maze is constructed with over 1500 ice blocks!
  • 114 x 72 feet in size
  • 8 foot high perimeter wall surrounds and keeps secret the 1/2 mile of twisty, fun passages inside!

After you conquer the maze, there’s a 36-feet long ice slide you can ride if you choose (not required).

Visitors are limited to 100 per hour for safe distancing.

There’s also an Ice Bar where adults can get drinks, photo opps with princesses, hot chocolate and s’mores, ice sculptures and more!

When:

January 22nd – February 28th (weather permitting!)

  • Tuesday-Friday 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM

  • Saturday-Sunday 12:00 PM to 10:00 PM

Location:

Zephyr Theatre Parking Lot
601 Main Street North
Stillwater, MN 55082

Pricing:

  • Kids 4 and under: FREE!

  • Ages 5 yrs through 12 yrs: $10

  • Ages 13 yrs through 100 yrs: $15

  • Kids over 100: FREE!

There’s FREE parking on the north side of the theatre, the city lot at Laurel and Main, or on the street.

Visit their website for info: https://icepalacemaze.com/.

Stay tuned for my review!!!!

Not sure you want to brave the cold for this one? 

Check out my list of drive-thru events happening now through February!

Minnesota Winter Drive Thrus 2021

Get Outdoors More in Minnesota with the 1000 Hours Outside Challenge

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1000 Hours Outside

Have you heard of the 1000 Hours Outside Challenge?

I’ve been hearing about this online and many people are trying it out!

This is a challenge to help kids spend 1000 hours outside in 2021. There is a website and free printables to track your hours outside.

We printed one of the full year trackers and the first 100 hours tracker.

Of course, it’s for anyone, and all outdoor time counts, whether it’s in Minnesota or anywhere else!

So…where to begin? Especially here in Minnesota during COVID?

Spirit Mountain Glow Tubing Fun
Glow Tubing at Spirit Mountain in Duluth!

Here are some tips for getting started!

1.Start with the 1000 Hours Outside Challenge website and Facebook page. Print free tracker sheets to fill out with your family!

2. Explore Minnesota! Minnesotans are pros at outdoor fun in the summer, since it goes so fast here! But in the winter, there are many places to go hiking, sledding, skiing and more. Start with shorter outings on these shorter days and expand to longer outings as we get closer to summer.

Some websites worth checking out to find outdoor fun:

Minneapolis Parks & Recreation Board

-Check out free Adventure Hubs in Minneapolis!

St. Paul Parks & Recreation

-Check out the Tree Gnome Scavenger Hunt!

I posted on my Facebook page a question – “Favorite Sledding Hills in the Twin Cities?” And here’s what you said!

Favorite Sleddiing Hills Twin Cities

-My backyard! -Amanda N.
-Tamarack Nature Center! – JC 
-Lions Park, Valley Place, Crystal – Kathy D.
-Keys Park, Columbia Heights – Shawn E.
-Tablyn Park, Lake Elmo – Brooke S.

Kelli M. suggested the “Get Out and Try – St. Croix Valley” Facebook page for ideas and the best sledding hills on the east side of the Twin Cities!

3. If you have a fourth grader in Minnesota, sign them up for their FREE parks pass and Minnesota Ski Areas Passport! The free parks pass will get your family free admission to parks nationwide! And the Ski passport will give your child free ski passes all around Minnesota for a one-time passport fee.

Freebies for 4th graders

4. Print this FREE Winter Scavenger Hunt! Just click and print here:

FREE PRINTABLE!

Free Printable Winter Scavenger Hunt

Do you plan to do the 1000 hours outside challenge?

Free Printable Winter Scavenger Hunt

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Free Printable Winter Scavenger Hunt

It’s winter in Minnesota, and winter activities like skiing and sledding are in full swing!

Unfortunately there are many places that are closed due to the pandemic, but there is still a lot you can do outside! (Even if you don’t love the cold!)

And I have this exclusive NEW Free Printable Winter Scavenger Hunt to help you and your kids have fun outside!

Search for these wintery things around your house and neighborhood. Even with all the snow, there’s a lot you can find out in nature!

How to use the Winter Scavenger Hunt!

Here are some suggested ways to use the scavenger hunt!

  1. Take pictures of the items you find! Or give your kids a cheap camera to take pictures themselves!
  2. Road trip activity! Have your kids search for items outside while in the car.
  3. Give each child a list – or divide your family into teams! Whichever kid or team finds the most on the list wins a prize! Make sure everyone “wins” though with a movie and hot cocoa after the game!

Print Free Winter Scavenger Hunt HERE!

Looking for more printables?

Visit my Free Printables page!

Looking for more fun for your kids?

Check out my popular guide, 100 Things for Kids to Do at Home When Bored (Written by My 12-Year-Old!):

100 Things for Kids to Do

 

10 Ways to Save Money Heating Your Home

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Fireplace

Looking for ways to save money heating your home? As the days get shorter and the weather gets cooler, it’s a good thing to start thinking about especially here in Minnesota!

Minnesota winters are cold and long, which means home heating bills can add up pretty high for many families. But there are many ways you can trim your bill and make your home more comfortable even on the shortest, coldest days!

Here are 10 ways you can save money heating your home:

(1) First, check out all the hundreds of dollars of possible rebates you can get from your energy provider!

For example, Minnesota Energy Resources customers can qualify for rebates for:

  • upgrading to a high efficiency natural gas furnace or boiler
  • installing a programmable or smart/advanced thermostat
  • installing an energy efficient gas hearth or fireplace
  • improving the air sealing and insulation in your home! 

These rebates can range from $25 to $650 and you definitely don’t want to miss out! There are other rebates available for energy efficiency upgrades as well – learn all about them here!

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