Photo by Scott Anderson, via Flickr.
This time of year it is not uncommon for schools to close for ‘inclement weather,’ otherwise known as a snow day. While it seems that kids get more snow days than we adults do, sometimes getting to work safely is out of the question.
So what do you do with a day at home in the snow with your kids?
Here is a list of activities for you to make the most of a God-given day at home with your children, so that you can best enjoy each other’s company.
Outside in the Snow
Provided the chill isn’t dangerously low, it is probably a good idea to get outside for a few minutes. A bit of sunlight, fresh air, and exercise can make a big improvement in your moods during a dark, cold winter. This can be especially needed on a day when your other plans have been disrupted.
Not just the kids, but you too! Not only will your spirits most likely need a lift, but the precious few times you go out with the kids to enjoy the winter weather will hold fast in their minds as good memories for the rest of your life.
Build a Snowman
If you have seen Disney’s latest animated movie Frozen, you know just how much of an emotional impact a question like “Do you want to build a snowman?” can make. It’s ultimately not about the final creation, it is the process of building it that is important.
The Art of Manliness has a great tutorial on how to build an excellent snowman.
Build a Snow Fort
You do not necessarily have to build an entire igloo, but if your kids are industrious they might want to see how far they can go with a hand-built snow structure.
This can range from just making a walled-in section to hide inside to a full-fledged snow house. Techniques vary from rolling snow to making snow bricks using a plastic container. You can also use patio furniture to help reinforce the structure, provide a stable roof, or just make the building go faster.
Make Snow Angels
Snow angels or any other design can be fun to make in a fresh patch of snow.
Photo courtesy of L.C.Nøttaasen via Flickr.
Find Animal Tracks
In addition to making your own mark in the snow, identify the paths and marks left by animals. With a fresh layer of snow on the world, you do not have to have any tracking skill to find the paths of domestic or wild animals in your neighborhood.
Go Sledding
My personal favorite for a snow activity. If you find yourselves without sleds, scrap pieces of cardboard work well. Bigger pieces, like a refrigerator box, can be used for a toboggan.
Make a Sled Track
Another snow construct you can make. If you do not have a particularly big sledding hill, you can make an extra ramp and some turns to extend the run. Or you can use banked turns to help steer sledders away from solid objects near your sledding hill.
Have a Snowball Fight
Whether you make rules or just spontaneously throw snow at one another, this is perhaps the simplest snow game to play and the one many of us just cannot help starting whenever we are out in the snow!
Inside Relaxation
Here are a few ways to wind down and relax after more involved and strenuous activities.
Make Hot Chocolate – With Marshmallows
I bet this was on everybody’s list already!
Read Together
Read a short story or start a longer story as a read-aloud book together. Or discuss what you have been reading with one another.
Watch a Movie
Take advantage of the time as a family to share a classic or something you enjoyed as a child that your children haven’t seen yet. Or you can watch something new to all of you!
Play Video Games
Don’t roll your eyes just yet! While your kids may gravitate to playing video games, why not join them? Find out why they like the games they do, and use it as an activity you can do together today instead of just “that thing they do.”
Many of us have our own games we played as kids, and perhaps this would be a good day to share those experiences with them. Many classic and “retro” games are available digitally on Nintendo’s Wii and Microsoft’s Xbox Live Marketplace.
Inside Crafts and Constructive Activities
Here are some ideas for more involved projects and activities.
Bake and Cook
Give your children a chance to help or try their hand at baking and cooking. They have more interest in it at a younger age usually, so capture some of that interest by taking advantage of today’s weather to try making some simple cookies, brownies, or other treats.
Currently our 18-month-old insists on helping mix sourdough for bread, and our 9-year-old bakes crackers, cookies, or pretzels a few times a week. No need for an toy oven; most kids can handle a full size oven with supervision and a little help.
Play a Board Game – Or Make One
While playing a board game might be a more relaxing activity, you can expand your gaming experience beyond the same old roll-and-move games with Print and Play games. These are free games that you can construct at home. There is a selection of them here on Pinterest.
Finally, here are several craft project ideas from around the web to inspire you:
- 8 Recycled Kids Crafts from Inheriting Our Planet
- Upcycled Sunglasses (think warm thoughts!) From Martha Stewart
- Paper Flower Corsages from PBS
- Make Paper Beads for Beading and Jewelry
- Snow Candy from Little House on the Prairie
- Make Candles out of Old Crayons
- Make a Paper Model T-Rex (or other toys) from PaperToys.com
- Make Paper Snowflakes from the Old Farmer’s Almanac
- Try some of These Advanced Paper Airplanes
- Build a baking Soda Volcano via About.com
- Make Puppets like Jim Henson, via GeekDad
- Make a Toy Car Race Track with Recycled Materials
- Make Finger Paint from Her View From Home
- Make Your Own Bubbles from Tipnut
- Make a Bird Feeder from Recycled Materials
- Make Moon Sand from The Imagination Tree
- Make Homemade Playdough
- Print some Free Coloring Pages from Crayola (or one of many other sites)
- Do Some Free Printable Word Searches
- Do Some Free Sudoku Puzzles
- Try Some Free Printable Crossword Puzzles
- Make a Book with your Children from MakingBooks.com
- Make Stamps from Aunt Annie’s Crafts
- Make a Home Movie or Play
- Play a Storytelling Game from Parents Magazine
- Make Greeting Cards for Others
- Make a Hovercraft from an Old CD
- Make Play Slime
- Make Egg Shell Geodes
- Make a Lava Lamp
- Use Secret Codes to Send Messages
- Make Invisible Ink to Leave Messages
- Create a Balloon Powered Car
- Make Your Own Bouncy Balls
- Make Frozen Bubbles
- Learn Some Magic Tricks
- Build a Cardboard Spaceship
Tell us about your favorite snow day activity in the comments!
