MNN - Mother Nature Network

This past weekend, my Virginia abode got walloped with almost two feet of snow! TWO FEET! I used to live in upstate New York where two feet of snow was no big deal, but around these parts, this snow will keep us trapped indoors for the better part of a week, so I've been searching high and low for the best ways to keep families entertained on snow days. Here's what I've dug up:

 

If at all possible, you've got to get outside. Nothing makes memories faster than snowball fights, building snowmen, and making snow angels. You can also work on your snow fort skills, try snow painting, or round up some neighborhood kids for an afternoon of snow sports.

 

And don't forget your feathered friends. Shake the snow off of your bird feeder regularly and make sure it stays filled with birdseed. You can also make some extra special treats for the birds in your neighborhood like a pinecone birdfeeder (coat a pinecone with peanut butter, roll in birdseed and hang from a nearby tree,) or a birdseed snow angel.  

 

No matter how fun it is playing in all that snow, sooner or later your kids are going to want to come inside to warm up. And when the hot chocolates and snow creams run out, they are likely to get bored. This is the perfect time to break out the paints, play dough, and recycled paper and let them get creative. For a different spin on craft time, let your kids try their hand at patchwork art — what a great way to use up all of those bits of recycled paper.

 

The Snow Day Survival Kit covers all of your standard snow day activities like throwing a tea party or building a fort. But the kit also has some interesting ideas like playing "hide the timer," where kids have to listen for the timer ticking and try to be the first to find it before it dings. Brilliant.

 

If you're feeling really daring, you might want to try your hand at building a percussion instrument, painting a stained-glass window, or making some edible snowflakes by cutting up tortillas and brushing them with cinnamon and sugar.  

 

Happy Snow Day!