Hi, Friends!
Weren’t snow days THE BEST as a kid? Nothing quite compares to the anticipation of waiting to see if school is cancelled. In fact, I think the first official snow day activity is watching the TV hoping to see your school district scroll across the bottom of the screen.
It’s funny because as an adult I feel almost the complete opposite about snow days, but we aren’t really here to talk about that. However, I do want to take a minute to give a shout out to all working parents who have to scramble to find somewhere for your kids to go on a snow day. They really are incredibly inconvenient for parents.
Okay, back to enjoying snow days =)
When I was younger, my brother and I would suit up first thing in the morning. Getting dressed to brave the cold was always the worst part about playing in the snow. There were so many different pieces to track down and put on. It always felt like it took forever to get outside. Once we were (finally) suited up, we would haul our sleds to the church behind our house. It was where all the neighborhood kids went to sled. It has THE BEST hill for sledding. We would spend the morning playing, building ramps, and trying different sledding techniques. After awhile we would come home to thaw out. I usually decided that I preferred to stay inside after a morning of snow, but my brother always went out for a second (or third) round.
I also remember that one time after we got A TON of snow, my brother and I (and maybe some of the kids in the neighborhood) built a snow fort/igloo in our front yard. This thing was pretty impressive. I think 4-5 kids could fit inside of it. The funny thing was, it took WEEKS for it to melt. I think it was the last bit of snow to melt in our town (okay, maybe not our town, but it took a long time)!
The Perfect Snow Day
Snow days are pretty few and far between for us here in southern Indiana (someone please find a piece of wood for me to knock on). We get 1 or 2 really good snows each winter, which is perfectly fine by me. I will enjoy the snow while it is here, but I am not sad to see it go.
Now, when we do get snow, we have try to make a day of it. The perfect snow day at our house starts with sledding (of course). As soon as we get up and see that it snowed, we suit up and drive to a local golf course that has awesome hills for sledding. We like to get there early to beat the crowd. After spending an hour or two sledding, we head back home to warm up.
We enjoy a nice warm lunch and snuggle up to watch a movie (or take a nap – playing in the snow is exhausting). After everyone has gotten a little rest, the second round of snow play begins. Grant usually goes outside with the kids to play in our yard and I stay inside to clean and bake cookies. When everyone is ready to come in we make hot chocolate and eat cookies. As long as the roads aren’t terrible, we will order a pizza and relax the rest of the evening.
Doesn’t this sound like the best day? Our snow days don’t always go exactly like this, but it is what we shoot for.
Tips for staying warm in the snow
- They key to having fun in the snow is staying dry and warm. The minute I get too cold or wet I am ready to go inside.
- Be sure everyone goes to the bathroom BEFORE getting bundled up. It never fails – the second I think we are ready to go, someone has to go to potty.
- Invest in quality winter wear. Snow bibs, snow boots, waterproof gloves, etc. Proper gear will definitely make playing in the snow more enjoyable.
- Mittens are better than gloves for young children. It is so incredibly frustrating to try and get those 10 little fingers into the 10 little finger holes of gloves.
- Plastic grocery bags. If you don’t have waterproof snow boots, use plastic garbage bags as a way to keep your feet dry. Put on a sock, then a plastic grocery sack, then another sock, then your boot/shoe. It sounds trashy (pun intended), but it works like a charm.
- Wear layers. Layers are a MUST!
- Tissues. Stuff your pockets with tissues because you are sure to encounter a runny nose.
- If you are driving to a big sledding hill like we do, you will want to get dressed in your car once you get there. Make sure everyone is in their light layers for the car ride and toss everything else in the trunk. Plan accordingly because you will have to do the same thing on the way back.
Outdoor Snow Day Activities
- Sledding
- Snowball fight
- Build A Snowman: Use items around the house to create a snowman OR buy a snowman kit (here).
- Build an igloo
- Snow Paint: Make DIY snow paint by mixing cold water & food coloring in squirt bottles or purchase snow paint (here).
- Outdoor obstacle course
- Snow angels
- Scavenger hunt
- Make ice marbles: Fill balloons up with 10+ drops of food coloring then fill with water. Set outside to freeze for at least 24 hours. Once fully frozen, remove the balloon, and voila!
- Winter hike: Everything is so calm and quiet after a fresh snowfall.
- Nighttime snow walks: Bundle up, grab flashlights, and go for a walk at night. It is so fun!
Indoor Snow Day Activities
Not everyone enjoys voluntarily spending time in freezing temperatures (Honestly, this is me most of the time). Some prefer to stay inside where it is nice and warm. Don’t worry, there are still several fun snow day activities that can take place inside!
- Snow ice cream
- Hot chocolate
- Bake cookies
- Movie marathon
- Board games (Try these or these!)
- Card games (Ever played Pass the Trash?)
- Snow-themed craft/science projects (here).
- Read
- Build a fort
- Indoor picnic
Check out a complete list of my favorite winter activities for kids here.
I hope you enjoy your snow day!
Until next time!
Julie!
This was an extremely cute post, Julie! Thank you for reminding me of so many childhood memories (even if I stay inside in the cold weather as an adult at all costs, lol!). Feels like my snow days now are cleaning, drinking warm beverages, and sleeping. No complaints though. 😀
Oh Lindsay, that sounds like my perfect snow day if for some reason my kids were snowed in at their grandparents lol I’m not a huge fan of the cold, but try to make the most of it for my kids =) thank you for reading!
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