Things to Do with Your Kids During a Snowstorm

We're expecting our first doozy of a snowstorm this year starting in the middle of the night tonight. My kids are in hybrid school and were scheduled for asynchronous online learning tomorrow, which means that their schedule is unaffected by the storm. Fortunately, other than a 30-minute check-in with their assistant teacher at a specific time, they can get their work done on their own time. Which means we can go outside and play in the snow almost whenever we want. Given the pandemic, I feel like this may even be an opportunity to get together with friends for a sledding date. Masks will be appreciated in the snow and cold, and single-person sleds are perfect for social distancing. Since we live directly across the street from a park with a fabulous sledding hill, I can even sponsor a hot cocoa party in the parking lot afterwards. 

If you are in a similar situation and may be looking to take a work break and hang with your kids tomorrow (inside or out), here is a list of great things to do with your kids on a snowy day.

• Go sledding. (Duh.)
• Make snow angels. (Double duh.)
• Blow bubbles and watch them freeze.
• Collect fresh snow and make sno-cones.
• Have a snowball fight.
• Fill small balloons with water and a few drops of food coloring and leave them outside to freeze, then peel off the balloons and line your walkway with multicolored "crystal" balls.
• Have a hot cocoa tasting. Experiment with using water, milk, and half and half; whipped cream vs. marshmallows; dip the rim with a little hot cocoa and roll it in colored sugar; try adding a squirt of caramel or coffee syrup.
• Bake cookies.
• Bake bread.
• Make soup.
• Go ice skating.
• Have a board game marathon.
• Make s'mores over the fireplace. Or over the stove top if you don't have a fireplace.
• Pull out the toasting forks and toast bread or cook hotdogs over the fire.
• Read one of your favorite childhood books out loud. 
• Go shovel a neighbor's driveway together.
• Shovel out all the fire hydrants on your street together.
• Pop a bunch of popcorn and make a garland to add to your Christmas tree.
• Go through some old family albums and tell them stories about when you were their age.
• Watch a holiday movie together.
• Teach your kids a new skill: how to sew on a button, how to change a tire (best if you have a garage), how to do laundry, how to fry an egg, how to change a lightbulb.
• Do a home improvement project together: hang a picture, level a table, repaint a wall, caulk a window.
• Plan a vacation. Either a real one that could actually happen after the pandemic, or a dream one. Show them how to research online. Set a budget. Make choices based on that budget. 
• If you have a bird feeder, teach them to identify some of the common birds. If you don't, sprinkle some birdseed on top of the snow and see how long it takes the birds to find it. Spread a pine cone with peanut butter and roll it in birdseed, then hang it from a tree for the birds. 
• Make a snowman. Don't forget to give it a hat, a scarf, and a carrot nose.
• Go for a walk in the snow. 
• Catch snowflakes on your tongue. 
• Do karaoke. Let the kids teach you one of their favorite songs. Teach them one of yours.
• Have a dance party in the living room. 
• Try on all the clothes in each of your wardrobes. Put everything that doesn't fit in a bag and donate it. 
• Have the kids go through all their old toys and donate ones they've outgrown. Throw away anything that's broken or has missing pieces. 
• Collect all your loose change and put them into coin rolls. 
• Teach them how to polish silver and have a tea party with your fancy silver and china.
• Have breakfast for dinner.
• Eat dinner in reverse, starting with dessert. 
• Wear your pajamas all day. Stuffed animals optional.
• Bring your sleeping bags into the living room and watch a movie that ends past their bedtimes.

Whatever you love to do with your family, do that. Whatever your kids love to do, do it with them. Let them spirit move. Don't be afraid to be silly. Don't feel you need to follow any kind of rules. Let yourself have fun. 

Happy snow day!